The Pura Belpré Award Winners
1996-Present

2008 Winners

For Narrative:

Medal Winner:
Margarita Engle. The Poet Slave of Cuba: A Biography of Juan Francisco Manzano. Illustrated by Sean Qualls  (Holt, 2006)

Honor Books:
Carmen T. Bernier-Grand. Frida: ¡Viva la vida! Long Live Life! (Marshall Cavendish, 2007)
Carmen Agra Deedy. Martina the Beautiful Cockroach: A Cuban Folktale. Illustrated by Michael Austin (Peachtree, 2007)
Marisa Montes. Los Gatos Black on Halloween, illustrated by Yuyi Morales. (Holt, 2006)

For Illustration:

Medal Winner:
Yuyi Morales. Los Gatos Black on Halloween. Written by Marisa Montes. (Holt, 2006)

Honor Books:
Raúl Colón. My Name is Gabito: The Life of Gabriel García Márquez/Me llamo Gabito: la vida de Gabriel García Márquez. Written by Monica Brown. (Luna Rising, 2007)
Maya Christina Gonzalez. My Colors, My World/Mis colores, mi mundo. (Children's Book Press, 2007)

2006 Winners

For Narrative:

Medal Winner:
Viola Canales. The Tequila Worm. (Wendy Lamb Books, a division of Random House, 2005).

Honor Books:
Carmen T. Bernier-Grand. César: ¡Sí, Se Puede! Yes, We Can! Illustrated by David Diaz. (Marshall Cavendish, 2004)
Pat Mora. Doña Flor: A Tall Tale About a Giant Woman with a Great Big Heart. Illustrated by Raul Colón. (Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Random House, 2005)
Pam Muñoz Ryan. Becoming Naomi León. (Scholastic Press, 2004)

For Illustration:

Medal Winner:
Raul Colón. Doña Flor: A Tall Tale About a Giant Woman with a Great Big Heart. Written by Pat Mora. (Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Random House, 2005)

Honor Books:
Selected and illustrated by Lulu Delacre. Arrorró, Mi Niño: Latino Lullabies and Gentle Games. (Lee & Low Books, Inc., 2004)
David Diaz. César: ¡Sí, Se Puede! Yes, We Can! Written by Carmen T. Bernier-Grand. (Marshall Cavendish, 2004)
Rafael López, Illustrator. My Name Is Celia/ Me Llamo Celia: The Life of Celia Cruz/ La Vida de Celia Cruz. Written by Monica Brown. (Luna Rising, a bilingual imprint of Rising Moon, 2004)

2004 Winners

For Narrative:

Medal Winner:
Julia Alvarez. Before We Were Free. (Alfred A. Knopf, 2002)

Honor Books:
Nancy Osa. Cuba 15. (Delacorte Press, 2003)
Amada Irma Pérez. My Diary from Here to There/Mi Diario de Aquí Hasta Allá.  (Children's Book Press)

For Illustration:

Medal Winner:
Yuyi Morales. Just a Minute: A Trickster Tale and Counting Book (Chronicle Books, 2003)

Honor Books:
Robert Casilla, Illustrator. Written by L. King Pérez. First Day in Grapes. (Lee & Low Books, Inc., 2002)
David Diaz, Illustrator. Written by Nancy Andrews-Goebel. The Pot That Juan Built. (Lee & Low Books, Inc., 2002)
Yuyi Morales, Illustrator. Written by Kathleen Krull. Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez. (Harcourt, Inc., 2003)

2002 Winners

For Narrative:

Medal Winner:
Pam Munoz Ryan. Esperanza Rising (Scholastic Press, 2000)

Honor Books:
Francisco Jiménez. Breaking Through. (Houghton Mifflin Company, 2001)

Francisco X. Alarcón. Iguanas in the Snow. Illustrated by Maya Christina Gonzalez. (Children's Book Press)

For Illustration:

Medal Winner:
Susan Guevara, Illustrator. Written by Gary Soto. Chato and the Party Animals (G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2000)

Honor Book:
Joe Cepeda, Illustrator. Retold by Marisa Montes. Juan Bobo Goes to Work. (HarperCollins, 2000)

2000 Winners

For Narrative:

Medal Winner:
Alma Flor Ada. Under the Royal Palms: A Childhood in Cuba. (Atheneum Books, 1998).

Honor Books:
Francisco X. Alarcón. From the Bellybutton of the Moon and Other Summer Poems/ Del Ombligo de la Luna y Otro Poemas de Verano. Illustrated by Maya Christina Gonzalez. (Children's Book Press, 1998).

Juan Felipe Herrera. Laughing out Loud, I Fly: Poems in English and Spanish. Illustrated by Karen Barbour. (HarperCollins, 1998).

For Illustration:

Medal Winner:
Carmen Lomas Garza. Magic Windows. (Children's Book Press, 1999).

Honor Books:
George Ancona. Barrio: José's Neighborhood. (Harcourt Brace, 1998).

Felipe Dávalos. The Secret Stars. Text by Joseph Slate. (Marshall Cavendish, 1998).

Amelia Lau Carling. Mama & Papa Have a Store. (Dial Books, 1998).

1998 Winners

For narrative:

Medal winner:
Martinez, Victor. Parrot in the Oven: mi vida. (Joanna Cotler/HarperCollins, 1996).

Honor Books:
Alarcón, Francisco. Laughing Tomatoes and Other Spring Poems / Jitomates Risueños y otros poemas de primavera illustrated by Maya Christina Gonzalez (Children's Book Press, 1997).

Martinez, Floyd. Spirits of the High Mesa (Arte Público Press, 1997).

For illustration:

Medal Winner:
Snapshots from the Wedding, illustrated by Stephanie Garcia. Text: Gary Soto (Putnam, 1997).

Honor Books:
Lomas Garza, Carmen. In My Family / En mi familia (Children's Book Press, 1996).

Sánchez, Enrique O. The Golden Flower: a Taino Myth from Puerto Rico text by Nina Jaffe (Simon & Schuster, 1996).

Silva, Simón. Gathering the Sun: an Alphabet in Spanish and English text by Alma Flor Ada; English translation by Rosa Zubizarreta (Lothrop, 1997).

1996 Winners

For narrative:

Medal Winner:
Cofer, Judith Ortiz. An Island Like You: Stories of the Barrio (Melanie Kroupa / Orchard Books, 1995).

Honor Books:
González, Lucía. The Bossy Gallito / El Gallo de Bodas: A Traditional Cuban Folktale illustrated by Lulu Delacre (Scholastic, 1994).

Soto, Gary. Baseball in April, and Other Stories (Harcourt, 1994).

For illustration:

Medal Winner:
Guevara, Susan. Chato's Kitchen written by Gary Soto (Putnam, 1995).

Honor Books:
Ancona, George. Pablo Remembers: The Fiesta of the Day of the Dead (Lothrop, 1993).
Also published in a Spanish language edition: Pablo Recuerda: La Fiesta de Día de los Muertos (Lothrop, 199 3).

Delacre, Lulu. The Bossy Gallito / El Gallo de Bodas: A Traditional Cuban Folktale retold by Lucía González (Scholastic, 1994).

Lomas Garza, Carmen. Family Pictures / Cuadros de Familia. Spanish language text by Rosalma Zubizaretta (Children's Book Press, 1990).