Introduction
Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña is a heartwarming toddler’s book concerning a young boy named CJ and his grandmother (Nana) as they embark on a bus ride across the town. Notably, the book was published in 2015, and it is a children’s literature genre, where CJ learns to acknowledge the beauty of various items (Peña, 2015). Through CJ’s story, Peña investigates the topics of empathy, kindness, and gratitude towards others, regardless of their circumstances. Enhanced appreciation and generosity positively impact people by bringing joy to their lives, thus improving their well-being.
Book’s Purpose
One of the reasons why Peña chose to write on gratitude and kindness in Last Stop on Market Street is to provide a pragmatic message and diversity in children’s literature, which regularly lacks equality. Furthermore, Peña may have been motivated to write about such themes due to people’s values and beliefs, thus spearheading intergenerational friendship. In addition, the story’s setting on a bus ride via a diverse urban community allows readers to gain an improved comprehension and acknowledgment of different cultures and ways of life (Peña, 2022). Generally, Peña may have chosen the subject of appreciation to promote compassion, empathy, and knowledge among young readers.
In the book, Peña attempts to convince the reader of a belief’s validity by dramatizing it in action. Notably, the author tries to promote the values of generosity and gratitude towards others via the life experiences of CJ and his grandmother on their bus ride across the city. Peña aims to convey the essentiality of empathy and comprehension in people’s socialization with others by showcasing how CJ learns to recognize and acknowledge the world around him and different individuals (Peña, 2022). Therefore, the story does not aim to provide technical information but to arouse emotional reactions and promote a compassionate outlook among the readers.
The book received the award-winning category of the United States children’s literature and won awards such as the 2016 Caldecott Honor, the 2016 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor, and the 2016 Newberry Medal (Peña, 2015). The intended audience for Last Stop on Market Street involves children, who are beginning to create an image of the world around them. The vibrant illustrations make the book attractive and engaging for them.
Summary
The book Last Stop on Market Street has achieved its goal of promoting the values of kindness and gratitude towards others, mainly among young readers. Via the experiences of CJ and his grandmother, the book highlights the essentiality of compassion, empathy, and understanding of one’s interaction with other people, regardless of their circumstances. The book’s message is relatable and readily comprehensible to children, making it ideal for guardians and tutors to teach young readers vital life lessons.
To a great extent, Peña’s writing style in the book is informal but poignant. The book’s narrative is presented straightforwardly and typically accessible to young readers, and Peña incorporates striking metaphors and rich imagery, enhancing the story’s depth and emotional impact. Peña posits that “she smiled and pointed to the sky. Sometimes when you are surrounded by dirt, CJ, you are a better witness for what is beautiful” while describing the unfavorable town condition (Peña, 2022). The passage showcases the vivid picture of the town’s uncleanliness, highlighting the sense of appreciating the beauty of maintaining a clean environment and CJ’s disconnection.
Peña’s writing style is characterized by conciseness and fluidity, with each sentence flowing smoothly into the next. For instance, Peña writes, “A man climbed aboard with a spotted dog. CJ gave his seat” (Peña, 2022). The passage conveys the intergenerational friendship of the city residents and captures the sense of community where children respect adult people.
Generally, the book Last Stop on Market Street has attained its objective of facilitating empathy and understanding of others, particularly among young readers, via its accessible writing style. As a result, the book’s message of kindness and gratitude is presented as relatable and engaging, making it a valuable addition to the child’s library. The story is original, giving the readers new experiences regarding appreciating the world around them and the cultural diversity of people.
Relevance
The book Last Stop on Market Street fits the children’s literature category, specifically fiction and picture books. To a great extent, the book fits into the vast field of literature for young readers, which entails works ranging from board articles for infants to middle-grade novels for pre-teens. The book’s message of generosity and appreciation towards others is a typical theme in children’s literature, and many authors of different articles and books have explored it.
Notably, I highly recommend the book Last Stop on Market Street to educators, parents, and anyone interested in spearheading empathy and kindness towards others, mainly young readers (Peña, 2015). The book’s message is conveyed engagingly, making it an ideal choice for guardians anticipating teaching crucial life lessons to their children. Notably, the book’s illustrations are integrated effectively to help enhance the story’s emotional impact. The book’s reading level involves children aged 4-8 years, with its language and themes geared toward young readers who are beginning to develop their understanding of the world around them (Peña, 2022). Nevertheless, the book’s message of gratitude and kindness is universal and can be acknowledged by readers of all ages.
Reaction
The book Last Stop on Market Street significantly affected me positively by making me appreciate people and the environment. One of my assumptions was that only wealthy individuals find joy in the world around them and engage in philanthropic activities to help those in need. However, after reading the book, I realized that kindness, gratitude, and empathy toward others are essential as they enable one to appreciate the wonders and beauty of the surroundings. The book relates to my beliefs that intergenerational friendships among societal members help curb societal inequalities and promote respect and cultural diversity.
One of my life experiences that relates to the story’s subject of appreciation is that when I was young, I demanded three pairs of shoes to be bought. However, after my mum and I visited the children’s home, I established that some children had no single pair of shoes. Such a life encounter related to the book’s story when CJ asked her grandmother why they did not own a car (Peña, 2015). As a result, amid hardships and struggles, people must have hope and make a positive difference in the world by being kind and showing empathy toward those in need.
Conclusion
Through CJ’s story, Peña explores the themes of empathy, kindness, and gratitude toward others. Peña uses powerful metaphors and vivid imagery, which adds depth and emotional resonance to the story. The book Last Stop on Market Street falls under the children’s literature genre, mainly fiction and picture books. The vibrant illustrations make the book appealing and engaging for young readers. Peña’s book’s story is not intended to offer technical information but to evoke emotional reactions and encourage readers to adopt a compassionate outlook toward the world.
References
Peña, M.D.L. (2015). Last stop on market street. Penguin.
Peña, M.D.L. [Magical Little Minds-Read Along Storytime]. (2022). Kids book read-aloud story: Last stop on market street [Video]. YouTube. Web.