Pura Belpré Award
The Pura Belpré Award, established in 1996, is presented to a Latino/Latina writer and illustrator whose work best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in an outstanding work of literature for children and youth. It is co-sponsored by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), and the National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish-Speaking (REFORMA), an ALA affiliate.
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 and disseminating Puerto Rican folklore.
It is now an annual award. It was a biennial award from its inaugural year in 1996 through 2008.
Administered by:
Illustrator Award
2014 Winner(s)
Niño Wrestles the World
Presenting Niño! Our underdressed lucha libre hero defeats almost all comers. Yuyi Morales’ clever use of fonts, text bubbles, word art and vibrant illustrations energizes this world-class wrestling match. The book was written by Yuyi Morales and published by Roaring Brook Press.
“Yuyi Morales does it again with the rollicking story of Niño, a boy who battles icons from Mexican popular culture in the lucha libre ring,” said Pura Belpré Award Committee Chair Ruth Tobar.
2014 Honor(s)
Maria Had a Little Llama / María Tenía una Llamita
Maria and her llamita will delight young audiences in this adaptation of the traditional rhyme. Angela Dominguez’s exciting use of perspective, line, color and Peruvian-inspired details adds interest and humor to each page.
Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote: A Migrant’s Tale
Using Meso-American-inspired art and collage, Duncan Tonatiuh takes readers on a journey through the textured landscapes of the Mexico-United States border as Pancho Rabbit searches for his father. Vivid hues reflect the changing emotional tone of the story.
Tito Puente: Mambo King / Rey del Mambo
In this vibrant, bilingual portrayal of Tito Puente, the King of Mambo, Rafael López conveys the rhythm and movement of this musical legend through the use of bold colors, swirly lines, and carefully placed word art.
Author Award
2014 Winner(s)
Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass
Piedad “Piddy” Sanchez’s life is turned upside down when she finds out that Yaqui Delgado wants to kick her ass. While struggling to deal with the threat on her own, Piddy is forced to explore her identity, her culture and the role of others in her life. Meg Medina writes a powerful story about bullying and resilience.
“Meg Medina tackles the delicate subject of bullying with a masterful skill that uses the perfect combination of strong characters, suspense and vivid imagery,” said Tobar.
2014 Honor(s)
Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote: A Migrant’s Tale
Duncan Tonatiuh has written the emotional story of the effects of undocumented immigration on those who leave and those who stay behind. Through traditional folk elements, readers follow young Pancho Rabbit in his arduous journey across the border in search of his father as he tries to keep his family together.
The Lightning Dreamer: Cuba’s Greatest Abolitionist
Tula fights for freedom and education for herself, and ultimatelyfor women, slaves and dissenters, in Margarita Engle’s poetic story of the nineteenth-century Cuban abolitionist and writer, Gertrudis Gómez de Avellaneda.
The Living
In a thrilling survival story, Shy’s summer job on a cruise ship becomes a fight for his life. This page-turner adventure also raises important cultural and sociological issues.
