Last Stop on Market Street
BIBLIOGRAPHY
De la Peña, Matt. 2015. Last Stop on Market Street. Ill. by Christian Robinson. New York, NY: G. P. Putnam’s Sons, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers Group. ISBN 9780399257742
PLOT SUMMARY
A curious young boy named CJ rides the bus with his nana on a Sunday after church. He asks her many questions and shares his complaints. Nana’s responses help him to appreciate the experiences they are sharing. These include riding the bus, meeting new people, and finding beauty in their surroundings. Their ride ends at a soup kitchen surrounded by many familiar faces.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
De la Peña writes a descriptive storybook that features a young boy, CJ, that isn’t afraid to express his thoughts and feelings about the events of the day. The grandmother helps CJ see the best in every situation, and encourages the reader to do the same in their own lives. Her creative way of describing events is humorous and uplifting “Trees get thirsty too… Don’t you see that big one drinking through a straw?” Children (and even adults) can frequently find themselves in places they don’t want to be. This book encourages looking at these situations in a different way. Being open to the good can lead to new and exciting experiences like CJ being carried away in the music he heard on the bus, “CJ’s chest grew full and he was lost in the sound and the sound gave him the feeling of magic.”
Robinson’s illustrations are bold and unique just like the characters that are found in the story.
The pop of colors and the simplicity add to the positivity and beauty the grandmother is describing. It also adds to the idea that we are hearing this story from a child’s perspective. In one scene, The use of abstract figures and shapes laid over the dark background help the reader to understand that CJ is being carried out of the bus and experiencing something completely new.
The uplifting and positive messages shared are an important reminder. The memorable images and characters make it an easy story to repeat.
REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Caldecott Honor Book
Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Book
Newbery Medal Award
Starred review in Horn Book Guide: “A quietly remarkable book.”
Starred review in Kirkus Reviews: “This celebration of cross-generational bonding is a textual and artistic tour de force.”
Starred review in Publishers Weekly: “Like still waters, de la Peña (A Nation's Hope) and Robinson's (Gaston) 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.”
CONNECTIONS
* This book can be used to lead discussions about different types of families, traditions, and people. The story encourages looking at the world in ways you may have not thought to see it.
*Other books can be gathered by the award-winning author and illustrator. This can include another book where they collaborated: Milo Imagines the World ISBN:9780399549083 Students can discuss what makes Robinson’s illustrations distinctive. This would involve mentioning its move away from realistic depictions, the way lines are used to convey texture, and the way color is expressed.
*Other books that are about different family relationships and traditions:
Maillard, Kevin Noble. Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story. ISBN 9781626727465
Shulevitz, Uri. Dusk. ISBN 9780374319038
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