Last Stop on Market Street

 Bibliography:

 De la Pena, Matt. 2015. LAST STOP ON MARKET STREET. Ill. By Christian Robinson.  G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers. ISBN:  9780399257742

Plot Summary:

 This book is about a boy who is wondering why he doesn’t have things that he sees others having, and he is asking these questions to his grandmother. Along their journey, you see the bond between the grandmother and grandson, as well as learning to see the beauty of everything around them.

Critical Analysis:

 This book was written in a way that makes it relatable to all. I truly loved this book because it really helped you see how you need to find the beauty in everything instead of the negative. The examples Grandma gave throughout the book are inspiring and really teach you a multitude of lessons.  Robinson really brought in the story and real life with his illustrations of the story. I really felt like I had experienced almost all these situations and I even learned to look at things differently.

Last Stop on Market Street teaches multiple deep lessons along the way but in a simple and direct manner in which children would understand the lessons. This is a must add to any book collection and I am sure this will be considered a classic in the future.

Review Awards and Excerpt(s):

#1 New York Times Bestseller
USA Today Bestseller
Winner of the Newbery Medal
A Caldecott Honor Book
A Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Book
A New York Times Notable Children’s Book of the Year
A Wall Street Journal Best Book of the Year
An NPR Best Book of the Year
The Huffington Post Best Overall Picture Book of the Year
A Boston Globe Best Book of the Year
A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year
A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year
A Horn Book Best Book of the Year
A Chicago Public Library Best Book of the Year
A New York Public Library 100 Books for Reading & Sharing Pick
A Miami Herald Best Children’s Book of the Year
A Raleigh News & Observer Best Children’s Book of the Year
An Atlanta Parent Best Book of the Year

★ “Like still waters, de la Peña and Robinson’s story runs deep. It finds beauty in unexpected places, explores the difference between what’s fleeting and what lasts, acknowledges inequality, and testifies to the love shared by an African-American boy and his grandmother.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review

★ “De la Peña and Robinson here are carrying on for Ezra Jack Keats in spirit and visual style. This quietly remarkable book will likely inspire questions . . . It will also have some adult readers reaching for a tissue.” —The Horn Book, starred review

★ “With the precision of a poet, Matt de la Peña chronicles a boy's heartwarming Sunday morning routine with his nana. Christian Robinson's uplifting palette and culturally diverse cast brightens the rainy-day backdrop.” —Shelf Awareness, starred review

Connections:

o   You could use this book to teach different lessons such as:

o   Kindness

o   Understand other's viewpoint (ex. Blind man)

o   Identifying the moral of the story

o   Noticing real-life similarities in the story and illustrations

o   Similar books to check out:

o   Carmela Full of Wishes by Matt De La Pena

o   A Chair for My Mother by Vera B. Williams

o   Those Shoes by Maribeth Boelts