Hispanic Heritage Month

Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month

Pura Belpré Awards

Pura Belpré Awards The Pura Belpré Awards, established in 1996, are presented annually to Latino/Latina writers and illustrators whose work best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in an outstanding work of literature for children and youth. One award is given to an author of an outstanding children’s book, one to an author of an outstanding young adult book, and one to an illustrator for creating an outstanding children’s picture book. These awards are 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. through her pioneering work of preserving and disseminating Puerto Rican folklore. They are co-sponsored by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) and the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), divisions of the American Library Association (ALA); and by the National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish-Speaking (REFORMA), an ALA affiliate. The awards were given biennially from 1996 through 2008, but are now given annually. Beginning in 2021, the Young Adult Author category was added with YALSA's partnership. Click here for more information about the award. Here is a list of current and past winners. Click on the blue titles to read more and to place holds on these books at the Richland Public Library. Pura Belpré Author Award Winners 2021: Efrén Divided by Ernesto Cisneros (J CISNEROS); or click here for the audiobook 2020: Sal and Gabi Break the Universe by Carlos Hernandez (J HERNANDE); click here for a different copy or click here for the large print book 2019: The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo (Y ACEVEDO) 2018: Lucky Broken Girl by Ruth Behar (J BEHAR); or click here for a different copy, or click here for the audiobook 2017: Juana & Lucas by Juana Medina (J MEDINA); or click here for a different copy 2016: Enchanted Air: Two Cultures, Two Wings, A Memoir by Margarita Engle (YB ENGLE) 2015: I Lived on Butterfly Hill by Marjorie Agosín (J AGOSIN) 2014: Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass by Meg Medina (Y MEDINA) 2013: Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz (Y SAENZ); or click here for the audiobook 2012: Under the Mesquite by Guadalupe Garcia McCall (J MCCALL) 2011: The Dreamer by Pam Muñoz Ryan (J RYAN) 2010: Return to Sender by Julia Alvarez (J ALVAREZ) 2009: The Surrender Tree: Poems of Cuba's Struggle for Freedom by Margarita Engle (Y 811.54 ENGLE) 2008: The Poet Slave of Cuba: A Biography of Juan Francisco Manzano by Margarita Engle (J 811.54 MAZANO ENGLE) 2006: The Tequila Worm by Viola Canales (J CANALES) 2004: Before We Were Free by Julia Alvarez 2002: Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan (J RYAN) 2000: Under the Royal Palms: A Childhood in Cuba by Alma Flor Ada (J 813.54 ADA) 1998: Parrot in the Oven: Mi Vida by Victor Martinez 1996: An Island Like You: Stories of the Barrio by Judith Ortiz Cofer Pura Belpré Illustrator Award Winners 2021: ¡Vamos! Let's Go Eat, illustrated by Raúl Gonzalez (E RAUL THE) 2020: Dancing Hands: How Teresa Carreño Played the Piano for President Lincoln, illustrated by Rafael López (J 786.2092 CARRENO ENGLE) 2019: Dreamers / Soñadores, illustrated by Yuyi Morales (E MORALES) 2018: La Princesa and the Pea, illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal (E ELYA) 2017: Lowriders to the Center of the Earth, illustrated by Raúl Gonzalez (J GRAPHIC CAMPER) 2016: The Drum Dream Girl: How One Girl's Courage Changed Music, illustrated by Rafael López (E ENGLE); or click here for the DVD 2015: Viva Frida, illustrated by Yuyi Morales (J 759.972 KAHLO MORALES) 2014: Niño Wrestles the World, illustrated by Yuyi Morales (E MORALES) 2013: Martin de Porres: The Rose in the Desert, illustrated by David Diaz (J 282.092 MARTIN SCHMIDT) 2012: Diego Rivera: His World and Ours, illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh (J 759.972 RIVERA TONATIUH) 2011: Grandma's Gift, illustrated by Eric Velasquez E VELASQUE) 2010: Book Fiesta!: Celebrate Children's Day/Book Day; Celebremos El día de los niños/El día de los libros, illustrated by Rafael López (E MORA, shelved with Children's Spanish Language books) 2009: Just In Case: A Trickster Tale and Spanish Alphabet Book, illustrated by Yuyi Morales (EC MORALES) 2008: Los Gatos Black on Halloween, illustrated by Yuyi Morales (EH MONTES) 2006: Doña Flor: A Tall Tale About a Giant Woman with a Great Big Heart, illustrated by Raúl Colón (E MORA) 2004: Just a Minute: A Trickster Tale and Counting Book, illustrated by Yuyi Morales (J 398.2097 MORALES) 2003: Chato's Kitchen / Chato y su cena by Susan Guevara (E SOTO, also shelved with Children's Spanish Language books) 2002: Chato and the Party Animals, illustrated by Susan Guevara (E SOTO) 2000: Magic Windows by Carmen Lomas Garza (E LOMAS GA, shelved with Children's Spanish Language books) 1998: Snapshots from the Wedding by Stephanie Garcia (E SOTO)

¡Vamos! Let’s Go Eat written and illustrated by Raúl the Third, colored by Elaine Bay (E RAUL THE) “Little Lobo is excited to take in a show with wrestling star El Toro in his bustling border town. After getting lunch orders from The Bull and his friends to help prepare for the event, Little Lobo takes readers on a tour of food trucks that sell his favorite foods, like quesadillas with red peppers and Mexican-Korean tacos. Jam-packed with fun details and things to see, this book is a glorious celebration of food little readers will love!” Winner of the 2021 Pura Belpré Children's Illustrator Award. Click here for this book at the Richland Public Library. Click here for the e-book from Libby/Overdrive, or click here for the audiobook. Click here for the e-book from Hoopla Digital, or click here for the audiobook. Click here to see other children's books we have by Raúl the Third at the library, click here for e-books and audiobooks from Libby/Overdrive, or click here for e-books and audiobooks from Hoopla Digital.

Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month, also known as National Hispanic Heritage Month or Latinx Heritage Month, is an annual celebration of the history and culture of the U.S. Latinx and Hispanic communities. Each year, from September 15 to October 15, we celebrate the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. For more information about Hispanic Heritage Month, please visit one of the following websites.

• Hispanic Heritage Month (History Channel)
• National Hispanic American Heritage Month (U.S. Government website)

Lupe Wong Won't Dance / Lupe Wong No Baila written and illustrated by Donna Barba Higuera (J HIGUERA and J LANGUAGE) “Lupe Wong is going to be the first female pitcher in the Major Leagues. She’s also championed causes her whole young life. Lupe needs an A in all her classes in order to meet her favorite pitcher, Fu Li Hernandez, who’s Chinacan/Mexinese just like her. So when the horror that is square dancing rears its head in gym? Obviously, she’s not gonna let that slide.” 2021 Pura Belpré Author Award Honor Book. Click here for the English version of this book at the Richland Public Library, or click here for the Spanish version. Click here for the e-book in English from Libby/Overdrive, or click here for the audiobook in English. Click here for the e-book in English from Hoopla Digital, click here for the audiobook in English, or click here for the audiobook in Spanish. Click here to see all children's books we have by Donna Barba Higuera at the library, click here for e-books and audiobooks from Libby/Overdrive, or click here for e-books and audiobooks from Hoopla Digital.

Mango, Abuela, and Me / Mango, Abuela, Y Yo written by Meg Medina, illustrated by Angela Dominguez (E MEDINA, also shelved with Children's Spanish Language books) "Mia's abuela has left her sunny house with parrots and palm trees to live with Mia and her parents in the city. The night she arrives, Mia tries to share her favorite book with Abuela before they go to sleep and discovers that Abuela can't read the words inside. So while they cook, Mia helps Abuela learn English ("Dough. Masa"), and Mia learns some Spanish too, but it's still hard for Abuela to learn the words she needs to tell Mia all her stories. Then Mia sees a parrot in the pet-shop window and has the perfecto idea for how to help them all communicate a little better. An endearing tale from an award-winning duo that speaks loud and clear about learning new things and the love that bonds family members." 2016 Pura Belpré Author Award Honor Book and 2016 Pura Belpré Illustrator Award Honor Book. Click here for the English version of this book at the Richland Public Library, or click here for the Spanish version. Click here to see all children's books we have by Meg Medina at the library, click here for books and audiobooks from Libby/Overdrive, or click here to see books and audiobooks from Hoopla Digital. Click here to see teen books we have by Meg Medina at the library. Click here to see all children's books we have that were illustrated by Angela Dominguez.

Islandborn / Lola written by Junot Díaz, illustrated by Leo Espinosa (E DIAZ, also shelved with Children's Spanish Language books) “Lola was just a baby when her family left the Island, so when she has to draw it for a school assignment, she asks her family, friends, and neighbors about their memories of her homeland ... and in the process, comes up with a new way of understanding her own heritage.” 2019 Pura Belpré Illustrator Award Honor Book. Click here for the English version of this book at the Richland Public Library, or click here for the Spanish version. Click here for the e-book in English from Libby/Overdrive, or click here for the e-book in Spanish. Click here to see other children's books we have that were illustrated by Leo Espinosa.

Dreamers written and illustrated by Yuyi Morales (E MORALES) "In this illustrated picture book autobiography, award-winning author Yuyi Morales tells her own immigration story." Winner of the 2019 Pura Belpré Illustrator Award. Click here for this book at the Richland Public Library. Click here for the e-book from Libby/Overdrive, or click here for the audiobook. Click here for the audiobook from Hoopla Digital, click here for a read-along movie, or click here for a movie. Click here to see all children's books we have by Yuyi Morales at the library, click here for e-books and audiobooks from Libby/Overdrive, or click here for e-books and audiobooks from Hoopla Digital.

Sal and Gabi Break the Universe by Carlos Hernandez (J HERNANDE) "Sal and Gabi Break the Universe brings us a story about thirteen-year-old magician Sal Vidón as he moves to Florida where he meets Gabi Reál, an aspiring journalist and student council president. Together they try to solve the mystery of how Sal 'breaks the universe' and why they are the only ones who can see the hole." Winner of the 2020 Pura Belpré Author Award. Click here or click here for this book at the Richland Public Library, or click here for the large-print book. Click here for the e-book from Libby/Overdrive, or click here for the audiobook. Click here for the e-book from Hoopla Digital. Click here to see all children's books we have by Carlos Hernandez at the library, click here to see e-books and audiobooks from Libby/Overdrive, or click here to see e-books and audiobooks from Hoopla Digital.

Across the Bay written and illustrated by Carlos Aponte (E APONTE) "Carlitos lives in a happy home with his mother, his abuela, and Coco the cat. Life in his hometown is cozy as can be, but the call of the capital city pulls Carlitos across the bay in search of his father." 2020 Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor Book. Click here for this book at the Richland Public Library. Click here to see other children's books we have by Carlos Aponte at the library.

Snapshots from the Wedding written by Gary Soto, illustrated by Stephanie Garcia (E SOTO) "Maya, the flower girl, describes a Mexican American wedding through snapshots of the day's events, beginning with the procession to the altar and ending with her sleeping after the dance." Winner of the 1998 Pura Belpré Illustrator Award. Click here for this book at the Richland Public Library. Click here to see other children's books we have by Gary Soto at the library, click here to see e-books from Libby/Overdrive, or click here to see e-books and audiobooks from Hoopla Digital. Click here to see other children's books we have that were illustrated by Stephanie Garcia.