The magic of children’s author Matt de la Peña’s Newbery award winning “Last Stop on Market Street” comes to life in a video released by the Kansas City, Kan., Public Library.
The video features Matt de la Peña reading his book to a group of children from Quindaro Elementary while riding a RideKC bus. As he reads, actors from KC MeltingPot Theatre and Arrowhead Middle School portraying the book characters board the bus for a live-action depiction of the story.
This video, filmed on Sept. 16, 2016, was part of KCKPL’s Stories on the Bus program and Library in the Park celebration. Stories on the Bus was conceived by KCKPL as a way to use stories to connect the community through surprise pop up storytimes on RideKC busses. The “Last Stop on Market Street” live-action storytime was the culmination of the series.
“Last Stop on Market Street teaches us what it means to open our minds and our hearts to perceive the world around us as what it can be, not just as it is, and to be a better witness for what’s beautiful,” Louisa Whitfield-Smith, outreach librarian, said. “Filming the video was a really exciting opportunity to do something with a sense of wonder and fun for the awesome kids in our community.”
“One of the coolest parts of today is that I got to watch the book come to life. I love reading my books to kids because I feel like it’s one thing to read a book; it’s another thing to get the music of the text,” said author Matt de la Peña. “That’s kind of the dream of any author.”
The storytime and video are the result of a collaboration between KCKPL and RideKC.
“RideKC was honored to take part in this project with the Kansas City, Kansas Public Library,” said Bridget Moss, RideKC public affairs manager. “In Matt de la Peña’s ‘Last Stop on Market Street,’ a boy learns to see the beauty and magic in the ordinary world. Riding the bus becomes a way to experience more of life, not less. KCKPL found a creative way to reach out to citizens, young and old, through this live performance of ‘Last Stop on Market Street,’ and through the surprise storytimes over the summer.”
It was filmed and edited by Eric Smith of Majestic Rhinos, Andrew Thomas of No City Films, and J.R. Caines of Caines Design.
The video is available on the library’s Facebook page (facebook.com/kckpubliclibrary) and YouTube channel (youtube.com/KCKPublicLibrary).
“KCKPL’s Stories on the Bus: Matt de la Peña reads Last Stop on Market Street” Cast and Crew
Last Stop on Market Street:
Matt de la Peña – Author
Christian Robinson – Illustrator
Awards for Last Stop on Market Street:
Winner of the 2016 Newbery Medal
A 2016 Caldecott Honor Book
A 2016 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Book
A New York Times Book Review Notable Children’s Book of 2015
A Wall Street Journal Best Children’s Book of 2015
Cast:
Matt de la Peña – Reader / Narrator
Roy J. Tucker – CJ
Sharon Hunt – Nana
Jeff Stocks – Guitar Player
Ben Bragg – Visually Impaired Rider
Collin Hormann – Student Rider
Carwin Cooper – Student Rider
Thurman “T.C.” Craney – Mr. Dennis (the bus driver)
Bridget Moss – Woman with Butterflies
Linda Williams – General Manager, KC Melting Pot Theatre
Harvey Willaims – Artistic Director, KC Melting Pot Theatre
Crew:
Eric Smith – Director of Photography
Andrew Thomas – Camera Operator / Editor / Animator
J.R. Caines – Camera Operator / Graphics Artist
Music:
Original Song by Jeff Stocks
– Story from Kim Woolery, Kansas City, Kan., Public Library