Matt de la Peña

A Nation's Hope begins at the end - at the historic rematch between Joe Louis and Max Schmeling, the German boxer, the only man ever to have put Joe Louis on his back.

Matt de la Peña's words have a poetic quality,

"The world waits for Joe Louis to take the ring,
take center stage
White men wait standing beside black men,
but standing apart
Jim Crow America."

Kadir Nelson's artwork is a stunning complement. In realistic style, the story begins with a two-page spread of Yankee Stadium in 1938. The show more text is in simple black font, mixing in with the darkening sky. The crowd awaits entrance to the stadium in the gathering dusk, a sliver of daylight low on the horizon. One side of Yankee Stadium is bathed in a the last bright light of day, the other in shadow. Jim Crow America.

As the fighters climb into the ring, Peña flashes back to a young Joe Louis, a powerful boy with large hands and persistent stammer. The reader learns of Louis' determination to box, his rise to the top, his graceful behavior as a competitor, and his stunning defeat at the hands of one Max Schmeling, a favorite of Hitler. Realistic paintings of period photos and newspaper headlines, dark gyms, and sinewy arms with poised gloves take center stage. The text lives within the illustrations, never detracting from them. The faces of Black America wait and hope and pray for their hero. And in the end, when all of America dances for Joe Louis' victory over Schmeling, the page is no longer split between light and dark. The country dances together, in the dark.

This is Matt de la Peña's first picture book. The pairing of de la Peña and Nelson results in pure emotion. I wouldn't be surprised to see this book on many short lists at the end of the year. Highly recommended.
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Matt de la Peña, winner of the Newbery medal for his previous picture-book, Last Stop on Market Street, deliver a poetic exploration of love in this newest title, which pairs his text with lovely artwork from illustrator Loren Long. From the day one is born, experiencing love through "two wide-eyed figures standing near the foot of your bed, and the sound of their voices is love," this all-important emotional bond is ever-present in our lives, reaching us through actions large and small...

I show more went into Love with high expectations, given Matt de la Peña's excellent work in Last Stop on Market Street, which, although not deserving of the Newbery in my estimation, was nevertheless an excellent picture-book. Overall, I did appreciate this one, both for its message, and for the poetic delivery of that message. I also enjoyed the beautiful artwork, which was done in collaged prints, acrylic paint and pencil, and which depicts a diverse range of people. All that said, I just wasn't quite as moved by this one as I'd expected to be. Reactions vary, of course, so if you're looking for picture-books about love - the many ways it manifests itself in our lives, and the important role it plays - this might be one to pick up. show less

Last Stop on Market Street follows CJ, the main character, and Nana, his grandmother, during their weekly bus trip. CJ is disappointed that they can't take a car like many of his friends' families, but Nana helps CJ see the beauty and fun found in their bus routine.

This book features a diverse and inclusive group of characters who all interact with each other kindly while learning from one another. The illustrations are gorgeous, and the story provides an implied message that isn't overly show more explicit so that readers can explore the intricacies for themselves. As an adult, I can see how this book might be perceived as a bit didactic, but for a younger audience it is probably more applicable. I also appreciate how this book normalizes different family situations through the relationship that CJ and Nana have. As readers, we don't get the sense that Nana is babysitting or that this bus ride is a one-time thing, so it's nice to see that type of relationship being portrayed. Overall, I enjoyed this book quite a bit and I think younger elementary students would love to read it! show less

From the moment prose and art appear in the opening spread, de la Peña and Long usher readers into a patient, pensive meditation on love.

Love is the sound of the first voices we ever hear; it is the color of the night sky over a happy home; it is the echo of summer laughter. Love is under the stars during a fire alarm, behind a family’s worry over a troubled world, and in the reassuring embrace after a bad dream. Love is at the core of family and at the back of sorrow and in the very show more bones of this book. If it’s possible to shout quietly, then de la Peña has mastered the technique. His lyrical prose roars with gentle (and deceptive) simplicity to uncover the everyday and unexpected places where love and sometimes pain reside, giving rise to resilience. Not to be outmatched, Long’s illustrations roar right back, crafting mirrors within a gorgeous spectrum of brown skin and glimpses of different lives, shaping reflections within visual perspectives that immerse readers in emotive power. And in a book brimful with potent images, readers are sure to pause at the stunning double-page spread filled with the placid face of a young person of color along with this assertion: “And the face staring back in the bathroom mirror—this, too, is love.”

Timely, timeless, and utterly necessary. (Picture book. 4-8)

-Kirkus Review show less