Meet Me on Mercer Street

Gr 3-6–Kacie has lived on Mercer Street most of her life with her best friend Nisha. But when the local family-run corner store suddenly shutters and Nisha is no longer in school, Kacie has to work through her feelings and accept the change all around her. The first fourth of the book unfolds a bit like a mystery, with Kacie trying to investigate what happened since absolutely no one wants to share any details. The answer will be obvious to readers and perhaps drags on for too long, but these observations are often followed up with details from her past—either about her neighborhood or her friendship with Nisha—that show how special they are to Kacie. A subplot about a developer changing the quaint neighborhood feels like an outdated subject that the target audience may not identify with. The illustrations definitely make the piece; the cartoonish images of the various neighbors and buildings are as delightful as they are plentiful.