Perfect Place

de la Peña, Matt

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.