English professor’s picture book adapted for musical

The title character in San Diego State University English Professor Matt de la Peña’s book “Milo Imagines the World” jumped off the page and onto the stage at the Chicago Children’s Theatre on October 12 at the world premiere of the new musical. 

After three years of scriptwriting, composing, workshopping, and rehearsals, the musical presents a look at the imagination and life of Milo in de la Peña’s 2021 children’s book.

“It takes a lot of work for a playwright to adapt a picture book,” said Jacqueline Russell, founding artistic director of the Chicago Children’s Theatre. 

“This one is especially exciting, because this story is about a boy who goes to visit an incarcerated parent, so I want to see how they handle the social justice issues,” de la Peña said. He wasn’t sure how this story would be received since it touches on themes like identity, stereotypes, and diversity, however the book became a New York Times bestseller. It appears on the Social Justice Books list, and has received accolades as a “Best Book of the Year” from Parents” magazine, Publishers Weekly, booksellers, and New York and Chicago public libraries.

De la Peña (MFA ‘01) enjoys the publishing process that begins with what he calls a “tiny story” written alone in a room that goes on to an illustrator, is published, and continues its transformational journey out into the world.

“It is the power of story — to see how many people pick it up and run with it,” he said. “It could be readers, teachers, and in this case a playwright.” And, to add to the award list, playwright Terry Guest was awarded The Joyce Foundation 2024 Joyce Awards for this production. 

What makes this “especially sweet” is that this is a picture book that has been challenged in Florida over its references to incarceration and an illustration of two women getting married.

“So here’s a book in some communities that you can’t access and yet in other communities it is being turned into a musical,” de la Peña said. “Some celebrate diverse stories and others try to restrict them.”

Interestingly the story is based on fact. When illustrator Christian Robinson and de la Peña were on a book tour in 2018 for their book “Carmela Full of Wishes,” the idea for the new book was sparked.

Robinson told de la Peña, “I think I’m ready to share how I grew up.” The story is inspired by Robinson’s life experience as a child who grew up with an incarcerated mother. 

De la Peña has written about the criminal justice system in novels, but he wondered how he could possibly translate this subject into a picture book. He had to decide how loud to make the subject. He chose not to ever mention it in the text of the book, rather it was purely driven by images.

Chicago Children’s Theatre has now adapted a total of three of de la Peña’s books for the stage, including “Last Stop on Market Street” and “Carmela Full of Wishes.” 

Russell said she is drawn to de la Peña’s work because she finds his writing to be fresh and just right for kids growing up today.

“The stories are full of heart with characters that we immediately care about,” Russell said. “And there is always a surprise at the end that leaves children having questions about other people’s lives and sometimes difficult circumstances, but with gentle curiosity and compassion.

“Matt is a brilliant creator, and he is also as down-to-earth and as real as they come,” Russell said. “He can turn a small picture book into a profound pondering on what life is like for children today. He also cares deeply about his audience and he never talks down to them or sugarcoats things.”

Russell added, “Matt’s books are making children deeper thinkers and better people.”