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The Perfect Place

The Perfect Place

By Matt de la Peña and Illustrated by Paola Escobar

Hardcover

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From the Newbery Medal-winning author of Last Stop on Market Street comes this moving picture book 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, richly illustrated picture book 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.

About the contributor(s)

Matt de la Peña is the Newbery Medal–winning author of Last Stop on Market Street. He is also the author of the award–winning picture books Patchwork, Milo Imagines the World, Carmela Full of Wishes, Love, and A Nation’s Hope: The Story of Boxing Legend Joe Louis, as well as a number of critically acclaimed young adult novels. Matt teaches creative writing and visits schools and colleges throughout the country.

Paola Escobar is a graphic designer and illustrator from Colombia. She is the illustrator of the picture books Giant-Sized Butterflies on My First Day of School; Planting Stories: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpré; Digging for Words: José Alberto Gutiérrez and the Library He Built; and Queen of Tejano Music: Selena, as well as the middle grade Pages & Co. series.

Book details

ISBN: 9780593325636
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
Date published:
Page count: 32
Categories, genres & themes: Juvenile Fiction / Hispanic & Latino, Juvenile Fiction / Social Themes / Emotions & Feelings, and Juvenile Fiction / Family / Multigenerational
Ages: 4 to 8

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