Book Review: Last Stop on Market Street by Matt De La Peña

General Information

Title: Last Stop on Market Street

Author: Matt de la Peña

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons

Date of Publication: 2015

Illustrator: Christian Robinson

Lexile Level & Target Audience

Lexile: AD610L

Age Range: 4-7

Audience: young boys or girls, African American, inner city communities

Brief Summary

Last Stop on Market Street follows CJ and his nana's (grandma's) typical Sunday afternoon routine through the city––walk to the bus stop, ride the bus home from church, eat at the soup kitchen. On this particular day, CJ isn't feeling happy about it. He wonders why they can't have things other people have. But Nana reminds him of the beauty that surrounds them even in the midst of their difficult circumstances. And we watch as CJ's perspective starts to change, inspiring us, too, to look beyond...

Evaluation: Pros & Cons

Pros:

1. The moral/theme is challenging, refreshing, and absolutely beautiful. Essentially, Nana is teaching CJ the lesson of thankfulness––of keeping a cheerful and grateful heart even in the middle of difficult situations and times of need. Although not every student will relate to CJ's way of life, every student can be inspired by his and Nana's perspective and attitude.

2. CJ changes. CJ starts off by complaining and feeling sorry for himself. However, after redirection and encouragement from Nana, CJ's attitude changes and he begins to see the beauty all around him. This "transformation" is highlighted quite clearly in the book, and students can clearly point out the moment(s) CJ's perspective starts to shift.

3. The setting is authentic. This is largely due to the illustrations. Robinson does a careful and incredible job of painting familiar scenes in urban neighborhoods, from inside the bus to outside/inside the soup kitchen. His illustrations really help us to feel submerged within this setting, aiding tremendously to the impact of the story itself.

Cons:

1. Some students may not relate to the story/setting as readily. I don't know that this is necessarily a "con;" it's more of a "notice" for a teaching point. The reality is, depending on the demographic of students, many may or may not relate to the environment and circumstances that exist within an urban/high-poverty neighborhood. However, this book would actually be a great tool to help students begin to develop a wider perspective of our world and a greater sense of empathy for those who possess fewer conveniences than they do (and, for students who live in this setting, the book will be that much more accessible).

2. The ending is slightly odd/abrupt. This is my only real miff with the book. The ending is set up wonderfully, with CJ telling Nana that he's glad they came [to the soup kitchen], and she answers sort of simply, with, "Me too, CJ. Now, come on." This would most likely be a "normal" response in that situation (and not a "bad" one!), but it left me feeling like the book hadn't quite "wrapped up" yet. Maybe this simple, nondramatic ending was written on purpose, though, to convey a sense of "normal life" just continuing on.

Literary Elements

Poetry: In one small section, Peña incorporates two lines of rhythmic poetry: "Crumbling sidewalks and broken-down doors, graffiti-tagged windows and boarded-up stores."

Diction: Peña takes care to write CJ's speech in a way that adds believability to his character. Example: "Nana, how come we don't got a car?" / "Miguel and Colby never have to go nowhere." 

Personification: Nana personifies objects, saying: "Trees get thirsty, too. Don't you see that big one drinking through a straw?" / "Boy, what do we need a car for? We got a bus that breathes fire . . ."

Illustrations

Again, see #3 under "Pros." The illustrations are gorgeous. They immerse us into the setting and help to tell the story just as much as––if not more than––the text does. (At times, understanding the text is even dependent on the reader looking at the pictures.)

Mini-lesson Idea(s)

The strong moral of thankfulness and gratitude is certainly what strikes me about this book. Students could work to create a piece––prose or poetry––that reflects on the beauty that exists in their lives, specifically beauty that is not so readily visible or noticeable. In addition to this reflection, you could have students focus on incorporating personification similar to that mentioned above––especially out-of-the-ordinary examples, like "a bus that breathes fire."

Cheers!

- Aubrey