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Last Stop on Market Street

Last Stop on Market Street

Author: Matt De La Pena
Illustrator: Christian Robinson
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Grade: 2nd grade and up


The setting is that CJ and his grandma came from church. As they are heading to their destination, CJ asks why they have to go wait for the bus when it is raining, while CJ’s grandma explains how the trees need rain too to drink and how the bus is way cooler than owning an own car. CJ asks and complains to his grandma why they always have to go volunteering after church, but his grandma explains that CJ’s friends are missing out about the cool and nice people at the place. CJ also ask his grandma about the blind man and his grandma said that what does he know about seeing. Some people watch by hearing instead of seeing. The encounter with different people still goes on and when they finally got out of the bus, which is the last stop on Market street, CJ noticed his surroundings.  CJ then reacted how the place is always dirty but his grandma replaced it with a positive note. CJ then felt grateful that he and his grandma came to the soup kitchen to help and he felt content.

This is a really good book because it teaches the reader to have a good perspective on life and to be grateful for what you have. Other people do not all have the same lives, some people are born with nothing and some are barely surviving. This book is a good lesson for students to be content and have a positive outlook on life. I will read this out loud in my class because it is a fun read and be engaging for I will ask the students what they are grateful for or ask them what they think where CJ will be going or heading. The illustration of the book is so nice and artsy. It really portrays and connects with the story and visualizes what CJ sees.  


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