Matt de la Peña
Matt de la Peña is the number one New York Times bestselling, Newbery Medal-winning author of seven young adult novels (including Mexican WhiteBoy and We Were Here), two middle grade novels, and nine picture books (including Last Stop on Market Street, Milo Imagines the World and Home). In 2016 he was awarded the NCTE Intellectual Freedom Award. Matt received his MFA in creative writing from San Diego State University and his BA from the University of the Pacific where he attended school on a full basketball scholarship. In 2019 Matt was awarded an honorary doctorate from UOP. When he's not writing books, he teaches creative writing and visits schools and colleges throughout the country. He lives in San Diego with his family.
- 2016 Newbery Medal winner
Praise for Last Stop on Market Street
Matt de la Peña's warmhearted story is musical in its cadences . . . Christian Robinson's angular, bright illustrations are energetic and vibrant . . . A celebration of the joys of service, the gifts of grandmothers and the tenderness that the city can contain.
Did you know…
Matt is deathly afraid of spiders. And every night before he goes to bed he flips his pillow over and checks under the covers, just to make sure he's in the clear.
Matt played basketball in college. But now he's kind of old so he rarely picks up a ball. Luckily, his daughter just started playing, and he loves watching her.
Matt has read his favorite novel 14 times. But he's stopped recommending this novel to others, because nobody else seems to like it.
Find out more on Matt de la Peña's website
Publishers' websites
Watch:
Listen to Matt de la Peña talk about the grandmothers that inspired him to write *Last Stop on Market Street*
Matt de la Peña is performing!
Book tickets for your class to see Matt de la Peña perform: