Last+Stop+on+Market+Street

//** Last Stop on Market Street **// Written by Matt de la Peña Illustrated by Christian Robinson Book review by Kali Rogers

// Last Stop on Market Street // Author: Matt de la Peña Illustrator: Christian Robinson Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers 2015 Format: Hardcover ($10.62 - Barnes and Noble) ISBN: 9780399257742 Reading Level: Grade 2.4 Pages: 32 Language: English
 * Bibliographical Data: **

Matt de la Peña is the New York Times Bestselling, Newbery Medal-winning author. Matt received his MFA in creative writing from San Diego State University and his BA from the University of the Pacific where he attended school on a full basketball scholarship. He currently lives in Brooklyn NY where he teaches creative writing and visits high schools and colleges throughout the country.
 * Author Biography: **

This story follows a boy name CJ as he and his Nana ride the bus around town every Sunday after church. On this day, CJ begins to wonder about things like why they don't own a car like his friend does, or why this part of town is always so dirty. His Nana gives CJ a new perspective with which to look at the city and helps him see the good and beauty in the city he lives in, and teaches him to appreciate what he has.
 * Summary: **

This book is a great example of family bonding between generations with a wonderful message about life tied in. The characters of this story find beauty in the most unexpected places, discuss inequality, and shows the love between a grandmother and her grandson. I believe that this is a heart-warming book that people of ages will enjoy and can relate to. Both older and younger children will listen the story and have the opportunity to reflect on their own experiences with their grandparents and family members and the town or city that they live in. That in combination with the rhyming beat of the story that de la Peña has created makes it very deserving of the Newbery Medal, the Caldecott Honor, and the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor awards.
 * Review: **

Two important literary elements of this book to analyze are the themes of inequality and gratitude. CJ is a young boy, and like many children, he does not understand why others have more material things than his family does or why some places are more affluent than others. His Nana explains to him that he should be grateful for what he has instead of waning what others have by showing him all of the great things in the city that people take for granted. A great example of this is the line in the book which states: "CJ looked around as he stepped off the bus. Crumbling sidewalks and broken-down doors, graffiti-tagged windows and boarded up stores. He reached for Nana's hand. 'How come it's always so dirty over here?' She smiled and pointed to the sky. 'Sometimes when you're surrounded by dirt, CJ, you're a better witness for what's beautiful.'" Being appreciative of what you have is an extremely important lesson for all children to learn, and many children would benefit from reading CJ's story.
 * Literary Element Analysis: **