Last Stop on Market Street
Book Summary:
CJ
is a young boy who is curious as to why him and his Nana must take the bus
across town each Sunday after church.
Along their journey, he notices several conveniences that others around
him have such as their own vehicle and music players. With a little help from his Nana, CJ soon
realizes the beauty that surrounds him and becomes thankful for the simple
pleasures in life.
APA Reference of Book:
de la Peña, M.
(2015). Last stop on Market Street.
New York, NY: G.P. Putnam's Sons.
Impressions:
This
book was a sweet tale of how modern conveniences are not a replacement for the
beauty that surrounds us in our everyday lives.
As I was reading, all I could think about was how children today needed
to hear this message. They need to be reminded
that happiness is not found in modern conveniences and technology. They need to be reminded to stop, look
around, and appreciate the world in which we live.
I also loved how, without mentioning it, CJ
and his Nana are seen serving others at what appears to be soup kitchen. This could lead to an excellent discussion with
students on how we can give back to others and serve our community. I cannot wait to use this book in my
classroom to discuss ways of spreading kindness and helping others.
Professional Review:
Bulletin of the Center for
Children’s Books
As little CJ bounds out the church doors on Sunday morning, “the
outside air smelled like freedom,” so he’s more than a little miffed by the
fact his grandmother has further plans for his day. CJ is something of a
whiner, but for every complaint, Nana has an answer. Too rainy? It looks like
the tree is drinking through a straw. His friends get car rides? Well, they
don’t get to meet people on the bus. What’s up with the blind guy in sunglasses
on the bus? “Boy, what do you know about seeing? … Some people watch the
world with their ears.” Their destination only makes things seem worse—the
“crumbling sidewalks and broken-down doors, graffititagged windows and
boarded-up stores.” Once CJ and his nana settle in to their weekly job, working
at a soup kitchen, the boy admits he’s glad they came. As in Maribeth Boelts’ Those
Shoes (BCCB 12/07), this young protagonist comes around to realize that
poverty is relative, and that while he envies the greener grass on the other
side of the fence, his life looks verdant to people in true need. Bright colors
and streamlined shapes keep the urban setting and its denizens cheerful,
emphasizing the positive message rather than the neighborhood’s seediness; the
multicultural, multi-age cast of extras underscores the fact that want crosses
demographics, and that there’s no shame in benefiting from a free meal. CJ is a
completely believable little guy in both his natural desire to set his own
agenda and his tacit admission that doing good feels good. This is a lesson
that goes down easy.
Source:
Bush, E. (2015). Last stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña (review)
[Review of the book
Last stop on Market Street, by M. de la Peña]. Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, 68(6), 306-307. doi:
10.1353/bcc.2015.0098
Found through UNT’s Library Database- Project Muse
Library Uses:
I
would use this book in the library as a way to discuss appreciating the world
around us and spreading kindness to others on a consistent basis. In my district, we participate in the Rachel’s
Challenge program as well as donate to our community outreach food pantry. This book would be an excellent way to
encourage students to donate as well as brainstorm more ways that we can give
back to those in need. Each class that
visits the library could create a chart of ways that they can give back to our
community and spread kindness. They
could also send in pictures to be put on display in the library of how they
contributed.
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