Living Canon

Newbery Medal 2019: Complete list of winners

The 2019 Newbery Medal, one of the most prestigious awards in children’s literature, went to Meg Medina for Merci Suárez Changes Gears, a vibrant middle-grade novel that captures the voice of a sixth-grader navigating the complexities of family, friendship, and identity. The American Library Association’s annual Newbery Prize, established in 1922, recognizes the most distinguished contribution to American children’s literature, and Medina’s warm, funny, and deeply human story represents the kind of contemporary coming-of-age narrative that resonates with both young readers and the literary community. What sets Merci Suárez Changes Gears apart is its authentic portrayal of a Cuban-American family and its protagonist’s genuine struggle to find her place in the world—balancing her grandmother’s arrival from Cuba, shifts in her friendships, and her own evolving sense of self with refreshing humor and grace.

The 2019 Newbery Medal winner exemplifies how children’s literature continues to expand its scope and celebrate diverse voices and experiences. Medina’s novel earned particular praise for its accessible yet sophisticated storytelling, which appeals to the award’s core audience while offering the kind of emotional intelligence that adults recognize as genuine literature. The book’s success on the Newbery Medal shortlist underscores a broader trend in children’s publishing toward stories that reflect America’s multicultural reality without sacrificing the emotional authenticity that makes a story truly resonate.

Children’s Literature