The other day I was reading Matt de la Peña’s Last Stop on Market Street with my 16-year-old “screenager.” He hardly ever picks a book to read, but after finishing this one, he asked if we owned the picture book.
This was truly a surprise to me! I figured he was in for the visual imagery created by the rhythmic text — “When CJ listened to the man playing guitar and singing on the bus, I felt the magic of music.” Through this extraordinary tale, Matt de la Peña has captured my son’s attention.
The 2016 Newbery Medal-winning picture book is a celebration of the love between CJ and his nana as they discover the world on a bus ride to Market Street. The intergenerational connection portrayed in the story makes this a family read-aloud — speaking to children on many levels, conveying messages of beauty, diversity, and gratitude.
New York Times bestselling author Matt de la Peña has penned seven young adult novels and five picture books. He believes in the transformative nature of literature and, during his visits to schools and colleges nationwide, talks about the power of reading. He serves on the honorary advisory board of We Need Diverse Books, a grassroots organization of children’s book lovers that advocates for putting diverse books into the hands of all children.
Memphis Parent reached out to Matt de la Peña to find out what it takes to connect children with books.
Memphis Parent: Your mission is to see children of all ages have access to books, especially to those that are reflections of themselves. Why is that so important? Have you noticed a shift in the publishing industry?
Matt de la Peña: I can honestly say that, for the first time in my 15-year career, I'm seeing a significant shift in the publishing industry when it comes to racial representation. We are seeing more books that reflect the changing population in this country. This is important for two reasons. One, more kids are now able to see themselves in a book, which is a validating experience. But diversity is also great for readers who are part of the majority. There's no better path to empathy than moving through a story via someone else’s point of view.
We complain kids aren’t reading, but maybe it’s the other way around — perhaps there aren’t books/role models to steer them in that direction?
I think kids are still reading, they just aren’t reading the way we think they should be reading. They are reading articles online, graphic novels, manga, and video game narratives. They’re reading the world around them. I think it’s our job to help them make the jump to books. But in order to do that we have to give them choice and present them with stories that hit them where they live.
I often think about entry points. As a former reluctant reader myself, I was never very interested in the books we read in school. When a librarian gave me a book about basketball legend Larry Bird, though, I gobbled it up. When a teacher gave me The House on Mango Street, I was genuinely moved. It’s all about giving kids a choice of books that interest them.
Reading has a new meaning now. Your junior high librarian knew Basketball Digest also counted as reading and let you read them sneakily. What counts as reading?
I’ve met so many savvy teachers and librarians over the years. They know their students well enough to hand them the right book at the right time. Donalyn Miller wrote an important book for educators called The Book Whisperer that explores the importance of seeing our students and knowing the world of books well enough to be a matchmaker. At a certain point, I made the leap from basketball articles to books. We’re all capable of this leap.
You were one of the self-defined non-readers who spent all day reading the world. What is the defining moment that changed your life?
There are two instances that changed my literacy trajectory, and both times it was an educator who made the difference.
The first time was in high school. A teacher was so intent on proving to me that I was a good writer, she didn’t allow me to take the final in her English class. Instead, she told me my job was to write whatever came to mind for the two hours. That was a powerful message she sent. She valued education over standards.
The second time was in college. A professor gave me The Color Purple and said I didn’t have to take a test on the book, nor did I have to write an essay. “Just promise me you’ll read it,” she said. “And when you finish, come talk to me.” The book moved me tremendously. And we had a powerful conversation about class structures in her office. That moment changed my life. It made me want to be a writer.
With your writing, you are looking to provide a “secret place to feel.” What books do you think offer that kind of freedom? Do you have recommendations for a must-read diverse book list?
Here are some great books to start with (though there are so many others, of course):
Picture Books
A Different Pond by Bao Phi
Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson
Alma and How She Got Her Name by Juana Martinez-Neal
Middle Grade
Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis
Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin
Young Adult
American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang
Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan