# Is "Merci Suárez Changes Gears" by Meg Medina a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Merci Suárez Changes Gears by Meg Medina (Candlewick Press, 2018) is identified by: First edition published 2018 by Candlewick Press (Somerville, MA). US true first edition.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First edition published 2018 by Candlewick Press (Somerville, MA)
- First printing has 'First edition' stated on the copyright page together with a full descending number line ending in 1; copyright 2018
- Publisher's pictorial boards; first-issue jacket without the Newbery Medal seal
- ISBN 9780763690496
- Publisher imprint reads Candlewick Press
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Meg Medina |
| Publisher | Candlewick Press |
| Year | 2018 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Children's / illustrated |
| Key point | First edition published 2018 by Candlewick Press (Somerville, MA) |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
First edition published 2018 by Candlewick Press (Somerville, MA). First printing has 'First edition' stated on the copyright page together with a full descending number line ending in 1; copyright 2018. Publisher's pictorial boards; first-issue jacket without the Newbery Medal seal. ISBN 9780763690496.

## Is this the true first?
US true first edition. Awarded the Newbery Medal in 2019.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
A number line that no longer ends in 1, or absence of the 'First edition' statement, indicates a later printing. Jackets carrying the Newbery seal postdate the 2019 award.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Merci Suárez Changes Gears* by Meg Medina a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/merci-su-rez-changes-gears
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.