The Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña Pictures by Christian Robinson

 Title: The Last Stop on Market Street 

Author: Matt de la Peña 

Illustrated: Christian Robinson

Genre: Contemporary Realistic Fiction, Fiction, Juvenile, Picture-book, Multicultural

Topics: Poverty, Grandmother, Grandparents, Family, Multigenerational

Award: #1 New York Bestseller, 2016 Won Newbery Medal, 2016 Nominated Coretta Scott King, 2016 Nominated Caldecott Medal

Ages: 4-8 Years old

Summary:

This book is about a boy name C.J., who spends a day with his nana. C.J. is in a stage, where he questions everything he sees. When C.J. and his nana waits for the bus, it starts to rain. C.J., then asked his nana why they have to wait for the bus under the rain. His nana responded because trees gets thirsty too. When he sees, a car, he asked why they don't have a car. C.J. asked his nana why the blind man in the bus cannot see. Nana responded, "some people watch the world with their ears." "The nose too," the blind man responded because he smelled the grandma's perfume. While on the bus, C.J. saw two teenagers listening to music from their i Pods. C.J. wanted what the teenagers had, and his grandma told him to go ask the people in the back of the bus to play him a song, so they did. C.J. loved the music so much. C.J., his nana, and even a dog closed their eyes to listen to the music. When the bus stopped, C.J. got off the bus with his nana. C.J. saw the neighborhood dirty, and again asked his grandma why the neighborhood looked so dirty. His nana told him that sometimes from the dirt their is beauty. C.J. admired his nana for always viewing everything beautiful. In the end, C.J. told his nana that he was glad he spend the day with her. 

Book Evaluation:

1) I would recommend this book because it's a book where most kids in between the ages of 4-8 years old can relate to. At some point of their life, kids questioned everything, and this would be a great way to teach the students how neighborhood settings functions and how to interact with neighbors. 

2) I would recommend this book from the grade level of Pre-Kinder to the Third grade level. 

3) I would use this book in the unit of Social Studies. This book would be an excellent book to demonstrate the children that diversity can be a beautiful thing to have in the world, when the diversity brings the people together.