In Meg Medinas follow-up to her Newbery Medalwinning novel, Merci takes on seventh grade, with all its travails of friendship, family, loveand finding your rhythm.

Seventh grade is going to be a real trial for Merci Surez. For science shes got no-nonsense Mr. Ellis, who expects her to be a smart as her brother, Roli. Shes been assigned to co-manage the tiny school store with Wilson Bellevue, a boy she barely knows, but whom she might actually like. And shes tangling again with classmate Edna Santos, who is bossier and more obnoxious than ever now that she is in charge of the annual Heart Ball.

One thing is for sure, though: Merci Surez cant dancenot at the Heart Ball or anywhere else. Dancing makes her almost as queasy as love does, especially now that Ta Ins, her merengue-teaching aunt, has a new man in her life. Unfortunately, Merci cant seem to avoid love or dance for very long. She used to talk about everything with her grandfather, Lolo, but with his Alzheimers getting worse each day, whom can she trust to help her make sense of all the new things happening in her life? The Surez family is back in a touching, funny story about growing up and discovering loves many forms, including how we learn to love and believe in ourselves.