I think I've reviewed this book about three times now, but I just can't stop coming back to it. 

I'm currently reading Echo which was a Newbery honor book in 2016, the same year Last Stop on Market Street won the medal. I wanted to see if I thought Last Stop really deserved the medal over Echo (which I'm enjoying much more than I ever liked Last Stop). 

This time I really paid attention to the words, and thinking about it, de la Peña does write effectively and evocatively. There is an expansive story conveyed in very little text.

I think after this reading I better understand why Last Stop won the Newbery, though I still don't agree that it should have won. 

“Love is pretty important. It's like wearing a suit of armor. It makes you strong.” -Rachel, The Visitor

The book contains interesting, often quiet, observations on love and the surprising places it can be found while avoiding triteness or cliche. 

As a kid who comes from a family that is 1. very normal but 2. never represented in any media I really appreciated the diversity in this book. 

Audience: Elementary

Format: Kindle/Owned

This picture book is too much for preschoolers and even kindergarteners. The themes of hope and perseverance are lost in a story that is hard for young children to follow or enjoy. The illustrations are well-done and the brother and sister's faces are very expressive. I think this book is meant to promote diversity and understanding. Maybe it could be used with older elementary children. I just found it a bit boring.

When it happened, Miguel was sent to Juvi. The judge gave him a year in a group home—said he had to write in a journal so some counselor could try to figure out how he thinks. The judge had no idea that he actually did Miguel a favor. Ever since it happened, his mom can’t even look at him in the face. Any home besides his would be a better place to live.
    But Miguel didn’t bet on meeting Rondell or Mong or on any of what happened after they broke out. He only thought about Mexico and getting to the border to where he could start over. Forget his mom. Forget his brother. Forget himself.
    Life usually doesn’ t work out how you think it will, though. And most of the time, running away is the quickest path right back to what you’re running from.
   From the streets of Stockton to the beaches of Venice, all the way to the Mexican border, We Were Here follows a journey of self-discovery by a boy who is trying to forgive himself in an unforgiving world.

I'm still enjoying the DC Icons series. I haven't read Sarah J Maas' 'Catwoman' yet, but they have re-contextualized classic superheroes as modern teenagers and have used the industry's leading YA authors to do it. 'Dawnbreaker' is no exception.

Smallville is beginning to change and Clark Kent isn't sure he's ready, especially with the changes he's experiencing. He's long become used to shielding his powers, but lately they've been getting stronger and new ones are unexpectedly showing up at the worst times. The town is considering a new ordinance that would allow police officers to racially profile and stop cars at will to check immigration statuses. Disappearances in Smallvilles Mexican community are even more troubling. This doesn't seem like the town he grew up in. Meanwhile, friend Lana wants to investigate a new corporation setting up shop in town and buying up farms.

Superman is a hard character sometimes - he's so powerful its hard to have any sympathy for him, or believe his struggles. Teenager Clark Kent though has not mastered his powers and the midwestern roots of the character stand out against the urbane cynicism of Lex Luthor and others. I know they have more of these slated to come out, but I haven't heard who's next - my moneys on Aquaman of course, or perhaps Harley Quinn. 

DC Icons

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