Book Review #1

 1. Bibliography:

De  La Pena, Matt. Last Stop on Market Street. Christian Robinson. Penguin Group (USA) LLC. 2015. ISBN 978-0-399-54630-3

2. Plot Summary:

    Throughout the story, CJ and his grandma go through the city to get to church. On their way to church, CJ is observant of the city around him. Curious, he asks his grandma questions about their experiences and encounters, such as why not everyone goes to church or why some areas in the city are full of dirt. As he asks these questions, his grandma is trying to help him see the positives in their community. Her explanations cause something in CJ to understand that there can be beauty in the imperfections and pride in one's community.

3. Critical Analysis:

The story does a great job in being inclusive, especially the pictures: they have a man who is blind and has a white can to help him get through, there is a picture of a man with tattoos on the bus, there is graffiti on the streets and walls of buildings, there is a pregnant lady on the bus, and the trash cans on the streets are full. This inclusion and representation of "non fancy" living actually gives a sense of reality and normalcy in a what a child might see in their lives as well. Additionally, the dialogue that CJ uses to ask his grandma questions is very practical and real. He asks questions in the way a child would ask, obvious and loud. Take, for example, how he asks "How come that man can't see?" right in front of the man and very bluntly, in a way a child would ask. The grandma handles all the questions very maturely and respectful of the people around her, so it allows CJ's questions to be a bit funny and genuine. We, as readers, are able to sympathize with the grandma in trying to educate and help him understand the world around him that he is so beautifully observing. 

4. Review Excerpt:

Kirkus Reviews: Through de la Peña’s brilliant text, readers can hear, feel and taste the city: its grit and beauty, its quiet moments of connectedness. Robinson’s exceptional artwork works with it to ensure that readers will fully understand CJ’s journey toward appreciation of the vibrant, fascinating fabric of the city. Loosely defined patterns and gestures offer an immediate and raw quality to the Sasek-like illustrations.

5. Connections:

Students are able to read about everyday activities they do with their grandparents or family. It also allows for exposure to people living with disabilities or people living different lifestyles than his own. It's good exposure for students to see people living diverse lives so that it helps build their empathetic emotions and side.