Matt de la Peña

Matt de la Peña is a New York Times bestselling, Newbery Medal–winning American author of novels for young adults and picture books for children, known for stories that center racially and economically diverse characters. He is the author of young adult novels including Mexican WhiteBoy, as well as picture books such as Last Stop on Market Street, Milo Imagines the World / Milo imagina el mundo, Carmela Full of Wishes, Love / Amor, Home / Hogar, Patchwork, Retazos, and the Spanish edition Última parada de la calle Market (Last Stop on Market Street Spanish Edition). In 2016, he became the first Hispanic winner of the Newbery Medal for Last Stop on Market Street and also received the NCTE Intellectual Freedom Award for his defense of intellectual freedom following the banning of Mexican WhiteBoy in Tucson, Arizona schools.

De la Peña was born in San Diego County, California, and attended the University of the Pacific on a full basketball scholarship, where he earned his BA before completing an MFA in creative writing at San Diego State University. His debut novel Ball Don’t Lie was recognized as an ALA–YALSA Best Book for Young Adults and a Quick Pick and was adapted into a major motion picture. His novel The Living received a Pura Belpré Author Honor