Publisher Description
From the Newbery Medal-winning author of Last Stop on Market Street comes this moving picture book—adapted for audio—about the perils of perfectionism.
Lucas goes to the perfect school in the perfect neighborhood. But life at home is not so perfect. His dad’s old work truck stalls in front of the school. The electricity is out when he gets home, and he doesn’t even have time to show his mom his report (on which he received a perfect score) before she rushes off to her night job.
That night, Lucas dreams of a strange light, which he follows down the fire escape, into the alleyway, clear out of his neighborhood, all the way to the place where the perfect people live. Everything there is more beautiful than he could have imagined. But is it possible things aren’t as perfect as they seem?
This lyrical picture book—adapted for audio—highlights the beauty to be found in even the humblest of homes and in a family that may not be materially rich but is rich in love.
Download and start listening now!
* “Digital illustrations by Escobar (A Plate of Hope) juxtapose the warmth of Lucas’s metropolitan neighborhood against a brightly oppressive alternate realm as Newbery Medalist de la Peña weighs perfectionism against the messiness of real-life love—'the right kind of imperfect.'
—
Publishers Weekly, starred review
About Matt de la Peña
Matt de la Peña is the author of several acclaimed young-adult novels and one picture book, A Nation’s Hope. His debut novel, Ball Don’t Lie, was an ALA-YALSA Best Book for Young Adults and an ALA-YALSA Quick Pick and was made into a major motion picture. His second novel, Mexican WhiteBoy, was an ALA-YALSA Top Ten Best Book for Young Adults, a 2009 Notable Book for a Global Society, a Junior Library Guild Selection, and a selction for the 2008 Blue Ribbon List of the Bulletin for the Center of Children’s Literature. He received his MFA degree in creative writing from San Diego State University and his BA from the University of the Pacific. He teaches creative writing.
About Dion Graham
Kevin T. Collins, an Audie Award–winning audiobook narrator, is an actor, singer, recording artist, and director who can be seen off Broadway, on television, and in films.