Finally they arrive at the soup kitchen, the place CJ was talking about when he asked why they “always gotta go here after church.” When he sees some familiar faces, CJ realizes and shares with his nana that he’s glad they came. Nana reminds him that the dirt helps him see beauty better. Finally the bus has hit the “last stop on Market Street.”ĬJ and nana get off the bus in a neighborhood riddled with graffiti, and CJ asks why it’s always so dirty. Nana reminds him of the passenger with the guitar who’s got “the real live thing.” When the man plays his guitar, CJ does find that he enjoys the real thing quite a bit and give the man his coin. Later two older boys get on the bus and CJ envies the iPod they share. When the bus makes its next stop, CJ gives up his seat for a blind man with a guide dog. Then CJ asks another question, a very crucial one: “How come we always gotta go here after church?” followed by “Miguel and Colby never have to go nowhere.” As nana sees it, the other boys are missing out on something, but at this point, CJ feels like the one who is short-changed. As they sit down, nana and CJ greet the other passengers. He pulls a coin from behind CJ’s ear, handing it to CJ. Nana’s replies help CJ focus on the positive: “We got a bus that breathes fire, and old Mr. Then he sees a friend of his drive by with his dad in a car and wonders why he and nana don’t have a car. Unfortunately, this Sunday is a rainy one, and CJ wonders why they have to wait for the bus when it’s so wet. First they go to church, and after church they head for the bus stop. It is a typical Sunday for young CJ and his nana. de la Peña writes “to give grace and dignity to people from the other side of the tracks,” a New York Times article quotes. Being introduced to multicultural literature in college not only drew him into reading it also had a profound influence on him as a writer. At that time, he wrote poems that he kept to himself. Yet, even in high school when he didn’t like to read, de la Peña wrote. Finally in college, when a professor challenged him to read, The Color Purple, he became hooked, realizing the power of books to “move” him. In addition to these works, de la Peña has also written short fiction pieces and essays that have been published a variety of newspapers and journals.Īs a Mexican-American, de la Peña grew up being “too white for Mexican kids, too brown for whites.” He had difficulty learning to read and was a reluctant reader in junior high and high school. Since completing his MFA, de la Peña has written several books, ranging from picture books to young adult novels. Matt de la Peña received a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in creative writing from San Diego State University.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |