Marcelo Verdad, Karla Arenas Valenti, and Carolina Ixta win Pura Belpré Awards

PHOENIX — Marcelo Verdad, illustrator of “The Dream Catcher,” Karla Arenas Valenti, author of "Lola,” and Carolina Ixta, author of “Shut Up, This Is Serious,” are the 2025 recipients of the Pura Belpré Youth Illustrator Award, Children’s Author Award, and Young Adult Author Award, honoring Latino authors and illustrators whose work best portrays, affirms and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in children’s books. The awards were announced today during the American Library Association’s (ALA) LibLearnX: The Library Learning Experience held January 24 – 27 in Phoenix.

The awards are administered by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) and the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), divisions of ALA, and REFORMA, the National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish-Speaking, an ALA affiliate.

Youth Illustrator Award

“The Dream Catcher” is a story about the different types of dreams in this world, including Miguelito’s special dream of raising funds to buy a plane by selling dream catchers and coconuts with his grandfather. The book’s mixed-media illustrations reflect an authentic experience of different life circumstances, while also exhibiting the hope that dreaming keeps alive. The book was written by Marcelo Verdad and published by Little, Brown and Company, a division of Hachette Book Group Inc.

“Verdad’s mixed-media illustrations and color blending reflect an authentic experience of different life circumstances while also exhibiting hope that dreaming keeps alive,” said Pura Belpré Award Committee Chair Asunción Cora.

The Belpré Committee selected two Honor Books for illustration.

“Abuelo, the Sea, and Me,” illustrated by Tatiana Gardel, written by Ismée Williams and published by Roaring Brook Press, a division of Holtzbrinck Publishing.

“A Maleta Full of Treasures,” illustrated by Juana Medina, written by Natalia Sylvester and published by Dial Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Random House.

Children’s Author Award

“Lola” is the gripping story of a tween girl living in modern-day Mexico City, who embarks on a magical adventure in hopes to save her little brother. With surprising twists up to the end, Lola enters the enchanting world of Floresta with the guidance of chaneques, fantastical beings who live in her backyard garden. The book is published by Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint of Random House Children's Books, a division of Penguin Random House.

“Valenti’s beautiful work uses magical realism and Mexican folklore to masterfully explore the challenging themes of grief and healing,” Cora said.

The Belpré Committee selected two Children’s Author Honor Books.

“Cruzita and the Mariacheros,” written by Ashley Granillo and published by Carolrhoda Books, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group Inc.

“Ultraviolet,” written by Aida Salazar and published by Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic Inc.

Young Adult Author Award

“Shut Up, This Is Serious” is a captivating, contemporary story of a real urban teen experience. It explores the intersections of cultural differences between generations, family dynamics and obligations, mental health, racism, colorism, sexism, teen pregnancy, religion and embracing heritage while staying true to yourself. The book was published by Quill Tree Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

“Ixta’s realistic story, set in Oakland, expertly portrays important generational themes of family, sacrifice and religion,” Cora said.

The Belpré Committee selected two Young Adult Author Honor Books.

“Libertad,” written by Bessie Flores Zaldívar and published by Dial Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House.

“Wild Dreamers,” written by Margarita Engle and published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing.

The members of the 2025 Pura Belpré Award Committee are Chair Asunción Cora, New York Public Library; Joanna M. Arteaga La Spina, San Francisco Public Library; Veronica Casanova, Tulare County Library, California; Elizabeth Anne Ibarra Gaylor, Ardmore Public Library, Oklahoma; Star Khan, Driftwood Public Library, Oregon; Katelyn C. Martens-Rodriguez, Washington County Library, Minnesota; and Award Administrative Assistant Manuela Victoria Aronofsky, The Berkeley Carroll School, New York.

About the American Library Association

The American Library Association (ALA) is the only non-partisan, nonprofit organization dedicated entirely to America's libraries and library professionals. For almost 150 years, ALA has provided resources to inspire library and information professionals to transform their communities through essential programs and services. The ALA serves academic, public, school, government, and special libraries, advocating for the profession and the library's role in enhancing learning and ensuring access to information for all. For more information, visit www.ala.org

About REFORMA

Founded in 1971, REFORMA is committed to promoting the development of library collections that include Spanish language and Latino oriented collections; advocating for library services and programs that meet the needs of the Latino community; educating the Latino population of the availability of library resources; and the recruitment of bilingual and bicultural library professionals and support staff. For more information on REFORMA, visit www.reforma.org.

About the Association for Library Service to Children

ALSC, a division of the American Library Association, is the world’s largest organization dedicated to the support and enhancement of library service to children. With a network of more than 3,300 children’s and youth librarians, literature experts, publishers and educational faculty, ALSC is committed to creating a better future for all children through libraries. Visit www.ala.org/alsc.

About the Young Adult Library Services Association

The mission of the YALSA is to support library staff in alleviating the challenges teens face, and in putting all teens ‒ especially those with the greatest needs ‒ on the path to successful and fulfilling lives. For more information about YALSA or to access national guidelines and other resources, go to www.ala.org/yalsa or contact the YALSA office at e-mail: yalsa@ala.org.

For information on the Pura Belpré Award and other ALA Youth Media Awards, please visit www.ala.org/yma.

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