Matt De La Peña

Matt de la Peña is a New York Times bestselling, Newbery Medal-winning author born in San Diego, California, who writes young adult novels and picture books often featuring characters of racial and economic diversity. He received his BA from the University of the Pacific on a basketball scholarship and his MFA in creative writing from San Diego State University. His acclaimed works include the debut novel Ball Don't Lie (2005), Mexican WhiteBoy (2008), and the Newbery Medal-winning picture book Last Stop on Market Street (2015).

San Diego County, California, United States Feb 9, 1974 Wikipedia Website
young adult fiction picture books middle grade