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“Sometimes when you're surrounded by dirt...you're a better witness for what's beautiful.�

I would use this book in my classroom to promote values of gratitude and empathy. It emphasizes the importance and beauty of helping others. I would also use this book to discuss the difference between wants and needs. This book is a great resource when teaching about social inequality. It beautifully displays social and economic inequality through the perspective of a child.

This is a Caldecott medal winning book published in 2015. This story is about a boy named Cj and his Nana. Cj is frequently complaining and questioning his lack of material goods and possessions compared to his friends. His Nana consistently teaches him how to find beauty in the simple things around him. The story ends at the soup kitchen where Cj and Nana help serve others around them.

“Sometimes when you‘re surrounded by dirt, CJ, you‘re a better witness for what‘s beautiful.â€�

I‘d use this book in grades 2–4 to teach theme development and point of view. Students could write their own “Last Stopâ€� stories, noticing beauty on their way to school or around their neighborhood. It‘s also a perfect anchor for discussions about kindness, gratitude, and community service.

This book is a Caldecott Honor picturebook. It was published in 2015. Christian Robinson uses acrylic paint and collage with a flat, graphic style. CJ, a young boy, is curious and sometimes frustrated. Nana, his grandmother, is wise, nurturing, and optimistic. The setting, the bus ride through the city, is essential, representing both challenges (graffiti, poverty) and beauty, music, neighbors, kindness.

This Caldecott Award winning book was published in 2015 used colors and art to captivate emotion behind the author's writing. This book could be used to broaden students perspectives about the different ways people live their everyday lives and encourage students to find beauty in unique places.

“Sometimes when you're surrounded by dirt...you're a better witness for what's beautiful.“

I would use this book for an elementary classroom. I would use this to teach students about empathy, gratitude, and diversity. The story encourages discussions about community helpers, differences in neighborhoods, and finding joy in everyday life.

“Sometimes when you‘re surrounded by dirt, CJ, you‘re a better witness for what‘s beautiful.â€�

I can use this book for my future educational experiences by introducing my students to children and families with different lifestyles. This story can teach children that everyone is on their own path and experiences life differently.

This book is a great read to explore socioeconomic differences and how attitudes can change how we see things. This would be great to use for 4th or 5th grade when discussing current topics such as socioeconomics.

“Sometimes when you‘re surrounded by dirt, CJ, you‘re a better witness for what‘s beautiful.â€�

This is a Caldecott award-winning book and was published in 2015. It takes you on a journey with a little boy and his grandmother. The boy questions why he doesn't have things he sees other people have. His grabdmother slowly changes the boy's perspective, and themes such as gratitude, perspective, and finding beauty in everyday life are developed. This book celebrates diversity and appreciating what we have.

Last Stop on Market Street can be used in an early childhood classroom to talk about kindness, gratitude, and community. Teachers can use the story to help children notice the beauty in everyday life and appreciate what they have. It‘s also a good way to start conversations about different neighborhoods, people, and how we can show respect and care for others.

Last Stop on Market Street was published in 2015 and is in the Caldecott genre. The story follows a young boy named CJ and his grandmother going on a journey in the city. Along the way, CJ questions why they don‘t have things others do, like a car or fancy electronics. His Nana gently helps him see the beauty in their surroundings and the value of helping others. The book celebrates gratitude and seeing the world through a lens of compassion.

Caldecott Honor Book
Published in 2015
Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña is a sweet story about a boy named CJ and his grandma riding the bus. CJ asks questions about things he wishes he had, and his grandma helps him see the good all around them. The bright pictures by Christian Robinson make the story fun to follow. This book shows kids the importance of being thankful and noticing everyday beauty.

“Sometimes when you're surrounded by dirt, CJ, you're a better witness for what's beautiful.“

“Sometimes when you‘re surrounded by dirt, CJ, you‘re a better witness for what‘s beautiful.â€�

“Sometimes when your surrounded by dirt, your a better witness for what's beautiful.“

“Sometimes when you‘re surrounded by dirt, CJ, you‘re a better witness for what‘s beautiful.â€�

This book is a great teaching opportunity to help students see the beauty in the world around them. The story does a great job of showing that even if something might seem bad, there is usually something beautiful that changes the way we view something. Students can learn important lessons about optimism and finding the good in a world that may not always be kind to us.

I would use this book with younger and older kids. You can use this book to teach students about how other students live their lives. It can help teach community, diversity, empathy, and gratitude to younger students.

This book is great to use in an elementary classroom as a “window“ to give students insight to what other families may look like.

This would be a great introduction book to different backgrounds of students and that not every family looks the same. It is important for student to understand that differences and uniqueness is great and should always be respected. Reading this book would give these students a great idea on diversity and differences in maybe even classmates and friends.

“Sometimes when you‘re surrounded by dirt, CJ, you‘re a better witness for what‘s beautiful.â€�

This is an amazing book for all ages because it has strong messages that help students see things from different perspectives and give a glimpse of different living styles for families.

Great book to discuss how every student and/or families “normal� looks different.

The story encourages them to notice beauty in unexpected places and to appreciate what they already have. Many students may feel comforted by the warmth between CJ and his grandmother, and inspired to see their own world in a more positive light. Overall, it‘s a story that can make children feel valued, grateful, and more connected to their community.

This book would be a great read aloud while teaching students about diversity. This could lead into discussions about poverty, community, kindness, and much more. It teaches children that everyone's lives might look different from your own and allows students to gain new perspectives.

“Sometimes when you're surrounded by dirt, CJ, you're better witness for what's beautiful.“

“Sometimes when you're surrounded by dirt, CJ, you're a better witness for what's beautiful.“

I would use the story in the classroom to discuss how different people experience the world and the importance of seeing from others‘ perspectives. This book opens up rich opportunities for thoughtful discussion, reflection, and creativity.

“Sometimes when you're surrounded by dirty, CJ, you're a better witness for what's beautiful.“

“Sometimes when you're surrounded by dirt, CJ, you're a better witness for what's beautiful.�

“He wondered how his nana always found beautiful where he never even thought to look.“

“Last Stop on Market Street,“ is a Coldecott Award Winning book published in 2015.“ This captures a moment in time between a young boy CJ and his grandmother as they ride a city bus through their diverse neighborhood. CJ questions why he doesn‘t have what others do, and why they must go to certain places. It reveals they‘re going to volunteer at a soup kitchen, a powerful and heartwarming twist that reframes the entire journey.

Published in 2015, Caldecott Honor. A heartwarming and beautifully illustrated story that celebrates kindness, community, and finding joy in everyday moments. Through a simple bus ride, it teaches valuable lessons about gratitude and seeing the world with an open heart.

“Sometimes when you are surrounded by dirt, CJ, you're a better witness for what's beautiful“

When reading the book, I learned that all students are different and learn to find beauty in everyday life. This would be a great book to address Social-Emotional Learning when discussing the theme of gratitude and kindness. Also can cover different life experiences and why some families ride buses while others have cars.