This illustrated children’s book follows a young Black-American boy named CJ as he accompanies his grandmother, (nicknamed Nana) on the city bus to volunteer at a soup kitchen.

De la Peña’s experiences growing up with a white mother and first generation Mexican American father in the border town of National City, California, informed his writing of this book.

[6] De la Peña himself did not realize his love for reading until college, and during his Newbery Medal acceptance speech, described his desire to expose kids to “the magic of books at a younger age.”[7] He pondered, “What if I can write a story that offers that tough, hoodied kid in the back of the auditorium a secret place to feel?”[7] Years before writing Last Stop on Market Street, de la Peña was first introduced to illustrator Christian Robinson's art and was immediately blown away.

[6] Literary scholar Katherine Slater argues that, in Last Stop on Market Street, Black mobility is portrayed as an empowering force of resistance against marginalization.

[9] She explains how mobility is always influenced by the larger power structures at play, and in the United States, the movements of black people tend to be directed towards punitive ends.

[9] Slater particularly focuses on how the bus in Last Stop on Market Street represents mobility, first describing how it evokes the long history of civil rights activism that has involved busses.

"[13] Writing for School Library Journal, Joy Fleishhacker said, "Poetic narration, radiant geometric-shaped artwork, and an authentic and enrichingly eye-opening representation of a diverse urban setting combine with out-and-out child appeal to make this tale a standout.

[18] This award marked a historic moment in the Newbery's history as Matt de la Peña became the first ever Hispanic American author to win the Medal.

[21] Playwright Cheryl West adapted the book for the stage, further developing the characters and scenarios in de la Peña’s story while still adhering to its overarching themes.