The Pura Belpré Award

The Pura Belpré Award was established in 1996. It is presented to a Latino writer and illustrator whose work best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in an outstanding work of literature for children and youth.

• The award is named after Pura Belpré, the first Latina librarian at the New York Public Library. As a children's librarian, storyteller, and author, she enriched the lives of Puerto Rican children in the U.S.A. through her pioneering work of preserving Puerto Rican folklore.

•  Two medals shall be awarded biennially - one to a Latino author of an outstanding children’s book and one to a Latino illustrator for creating an outstanding children’s picture book. Each of these must be an original work that portrays, affirms and celebrates the Latino cultural experience.

• Recipients of the Pura Belpré medal must be residents or citizens of the U.S or Puerto Rico.

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  Fiction and nonfiction books for children published in Spanish, English, or bilingual formats are eligible.

    Becoming Naomi León by Pam Muñoz Ryan. Grades 4-7

      When eleven-year-old Naomi’s long-absent mother shows up at the California trailer park where Gram, Naomi, and Naomi's little brother Owen have been happily living for the past seven years they flee to Mexico in search of Naomi’s father.

      Before We Were Free by Julia Alvarez. Grades 7-10

      In 1960’s Anita was a typical self-absorbed twelve-year-old living in the Dominican Republic when her family becomes part of the underground movement to end the bloody rule of the dictator, General Trujillo.

•     Chato and the Party Animals by Gary Soto. Grades K-3
•    Party-loving home cat Chato decides to throw a surprise birthday bash for his best friend, Novio Boy, who was raised in the pound and has never had a party. Text is in English and Spanish.

  
  

  

        Cuba 15 by Nancy Osa. Grades 5-9

        Despite growing up in a family that pumps with Cuban pride, Violet Paz agrees to have a quinceanera, as long as she can change certain parts of the traditional ceremony.

  
  

  

        Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan. Grades 5-8

        In this beautifully written story Esperanza and her mother are forced to leave their life of wealth and privilege in Mexico to go work in the labor camps of Southern California, where they must adapt to the harsh circumstances facing Mexican farm workers.

  
  

  

     Snapshots from the Wedding by Gary Soto. Grades K-2

     The excitement and traditions of a Mexican American wedding are enthusiastically captured by Maya, the flower girl.  

  
  

  

       The Surrender Tree: Poems of Cuba's Struggle For Freedom by Margarita Engle. Grades 6-12

       Cuba’s famous revolutionary characters, including folk heroine Rosa la Bayamesa, are the narrators of free verse poetry during Cuba’s three wars to gain independence. Poems from this collection will be taught in 7^th grade English classes in my school next year.