Pura Belpré Award

The Pura Belpré Award is a recognition presented to a Latino or Latina author and illustrator whose work best portrays the Latino cultural experience in a work of literature for children or youth. It was established in 1996. It was given every other year since 1996 until 2009 when it was changed to be given annually.

The award is named in honor of Pura Belpré, the first Latina librarian from the New York Public Library. As a children's librarian, storyteller, and author, she enriched the lives of Latino children through her pioneering work of preserving and disseminating Puerto Rican folklore.

The award is given 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).

Criteria From 1996 to 2020, two medals were awarded at ALA's annual conference, one to a Latinx author and one to a Latinx illustrator, for creating outstanding original children's (age 0–14) books that portray, affirm, and celebrate the Latinx cultural experience. Beginning in 2021, the author category was divided into two: one for a children's author and one for a young adult author. For the purpose of the award, "Latinx" is defined as people whose heritage emanates from any of the Spanish-speaking cultures of the Western Hemisphere.

To be eligible for the award, book must meet the following criteria: Published in the United States Author/illustrator is a resident or citizen of the United States Published in Spanish, English, or both Books are judged individually, not based on the author/illustrator's body of work nor whether the author/illustrator has previously received the award. Honor books may be named, but if suitable candidates are not found, the awards will not be presented in that year. One person may be selected to receive the awards in both categories.

Recipients

+ Pura Belpré Medal winners and honors Year Category Recipient Title ResultRef.1996AuthorWinnerHonorBaseball in April, and Other StoriesHonorIllustratorSusan GuevaraChato's KitchenWinnerPablo Remembers: The Fiesta of the Day of the DeadHonorHonorCuadros de FamiliaHonor1998AuthorParrot in the Oven: Mi Vida WinnerSpirits of the High MesaHonorJitomates Risueños y otros poemas de primaveraHonorIllustrator Snapshots from the Wedding Winner En mi familia HonorHonorGathering the Sun: an Alphabet in Spanish and EnglishHonor2000AuthorUnder the Royal Palms: A Childhood in Cuba WinnerDel Ombligo de la Luna y Otro Poemas de VeranoHonorLaughing out Loud, I Fly: Poems in English and SpanishHonorIllustratorMagic WindowsWinnerBarrio: José's NeighborhoodHonorHonorMama & Papa Have a Store Honor2002AuthorEsperanza RisingWinner Breaking Through HonorIguanas in the SnowHonorIllustrator Chato and the Party Animals Winner Juan Bobo Goes to Work Honor2004AuthorBefore We Were FreeWinnerCuba 15Honor Mi Diario de Aquí Hasta Allá HonorIllustratorJust a Minute: A Trickster Tale and Counting BookWinner First Day in Grapes HonorHonor Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez Honor2006AuthorWinnerHonorHonorBecoming Naomi LeónHonorIllustratorWinnerArrorró, Mi Niño: Latino Lullabies and Gentle GamesHonorHonor Me Llamo Celia: La Vida de Celia Cruz Honor2008AuthorWinnerMartina the Beautiful Cockroach: A Cuban FolktaleHonorFrida: ¡Viva la vida! Long Live Life!HonorHonorIllustratorWinnerMe llamo Gabito: la vida de Gabriel García MárquezHonorMis colores, mi mundoHonor2009AuthorWinnerJust In CaseHonorReaching OutHonorHonorIllustratorJust In CaseWinnerHonorHonorWhat Can You Do With a Rebozo?Honor2010AuthorReturn to SenderWinnerDiego: Bigger Than LifeHonorFederico García LorcaHonorIllustratorBook Fiesta!: Celebrate Children's Day/Book Day; Celebremos El día de los niños/El día de los librosWinnerDiego: Bigger Than LifeHonorMy AbuelitaHonorGracias • ThanksHonor2011AuthorWinnerHonor90 Miles to HavanaHonorHonorIllustratorGrandma's GiftWinnerFiesta BabiesHonorMe, FridaHonorDear Primo: A Letter to My CousinHonor2012AuthorUnder the MesquiteWinnerHurricane Dancers: The First Caribbean Pirate ShipwreckHonorMaximilian and the Mystery of the Guardian Angel: A Bilingual Lucha Libre ThrillerHonorIllustratorDiego Rivera: His World and OursWinnerHonorMarisol McDonald Doesn't Match / Marisol McDonald no combinaHonor2013AuthorAristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the UniverseWinnerHonorIllustratorMartín de Porres: The Rose in the DesertWinner2014AuthorMeg MedinaYaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your AssWinnerHonorHonorPancho Rabbit and the Coyote: A Migrant's TaleHonorIllustratorNiño Wrestles the WorldWinnerMaria Had a Little Llama/María Tenía una LlamitaHonorTito Puente: Mambo King/Rey del MamboHonorPancho Rabbit and the Coyote: A Migrant's TaleHonor2015AuthorI Lived on Butterfly HillWinnerPortraits of Hispanic American HeroesHonorIllustratorViva FridaWinnerGreen Is a Chile PepperHonorLittle Roja Riding HoodHonorSeparate Is Never Equal: Sylvia Mendez & Her Family's Fight for DesegregationHonor2016AuthorEnchanted Air: Two Cultures, Two Wings: A MemoirWinnerHonorMango, Abuela, and MeHonorIllustratorWinnerMy Tata's Remedies; Los remedios de mi tataHonorMango, Abuela, and MeHonorFunny Bones: Posada and His Day of the Dead CalaverasHonor2017AuthorJuana & LucasWinnerHonorIllustratorLowriders to the Center of the EarthWinnerEsquivel!: Space-Age Sound ArtistHonorHonor2018AuthorLucky Broken GirlWinnerHonorHonorIllustratorLa Princesa and the PeaWinnerAll Around UsHonorFrida Kahlo And Her AnimalitosHonor 2019AuthorWinnerThey Call Me GüeroHonorIllustratorDreamers / SoñadoresWinnerWhen Angels SingHonorIslandbornHonor2020AuthorSal and Gabi Break the UniverseWinnerHonorLety Out LoudHonorPlanting Stories: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura BelpréHonorSoldier for Equality: José de la Luz Sáenz and the Great WarHonorIllustratorDancing Hands: How Teresa Carreño Played the Piano for President LincolnWinnerAcross the BayHonorHonorMy Papi Has a MotorcycleHonor2021Children's AuthorEfrén DividedWinnerHonorLupe Wong Won't DanceHonorIllustratorWinnerSharuko: El Arqueólogo Peruano/Peruvian Archaeologist Julio C. TelloHonorYoung Adult AuthorFuriaWinnerNever Look BackHonorJenny Torres SanchezWe Are Not from HereHonor2022Children's AuthorWinnerBarefoot Dreams of Petra LunaHonorChild of the Flower-Song People: Luz Jiménez, Daughter of the NahuaHonorHonorIllustratorWinnerBoogie Boogie, Y’allHonorMay Your Life Be DeliciosaHonorBright StarHonorHonorYoung Adult AuthorHow Moon Fuentez Fell in Love with the UniverseWinnerFifteen Hundred Miles from the SunHonorSomewhere Between Bitter and SweetHonorWhere I BelongHonor2023Children's AuthorFrizzyWinnerHonorHonorTumble HonorIllustratorWhere Wonder GrowsWinnerHonorHonorMagic: Once Upon a Faraway LandHonorPhenomenal AOC: The Roots and Rise of Alexandria Ocasio-CortezHonorSrta. QuincesHonorStill Dreaming/Seguimos soñandoHonorYoung Adult AuthorBurn Down, Rise UpWinnerBreathe and Count Back from TenHonorHigh SpiritsHonorHonor2024Children's Author Mexikid: A Graphic Memoir Winner AlebrijesHonorAniana del Mar Jumps InHonorBenita y las Criaturas Nocturnas HonorPapá's Magical Water-Jug Clock HonorSomething Like Home HonorIllustrator Mexikid: A Graphic MemoirWinner Mi papá es un agrícola/My Father, the FarmworkerHonorPapá's Magical Water-Jug ClockHonorRememberingHonorYoung Adult AuthorSaints of the HouseholdWinner HonorWorm: A Cuban American OdysseyHonor2025Children's Author Karla Arenas Valenti Lola Winner Ashley GranilloCruzita and the MariacherosHonorAida SalazarUltravioletHonorIllustratorMarcelo Verdad The Dream CatcherWinner Tatiana GardelAbuelo, the Sea, and MeHonorJuana MedinaA Maleta Full of TreasuresHonorYoung Adult AuthorCarolina IxtaShut Up, This Is SeriousWinner Bessie Flores ZaldívarLibertadHonorMargarita EngleWild DreamersHonor

Recipients of multiple medals and honors George Ancona, Yuyi Morales, and Duncan Tonatiuh have received medals or honors for their roles as both author and illustrator. Duncan Tonatiuh is the only person to receive multiple awards in one year for two different works.

Belpré Medals

One person has won six Belpré Medals: Yuyi Morales, as illustrator 2004, 2008, 2009, 2014, 2015, 2019

Three people have won three Belpré Medals: Margarita Engle, as author 2008, 2009, 2016 Rafael López as illustrator 2010, 2016, 2020 Raúl Gonzalez, as illustrator 2017, 2021, 2022

Multiple people have won two Belpré Medals: Julia Alvarez as author, Susan Guevara as illustrator, and Pam Muñoz Ryan as author.

Belpré Honors

One person has won eight Belpré Honors: Duncan Tonatiuh, as illustrator 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016, and twice in 2017; as author 2014 and 2020

Three people won four Belpré Honors: David Diaz, as illustrator 2004, 2006, 2010, 2011 Margarita Engle, as author 2011, 2012, 2014, 2025 Yuyi Morales, as illustrator 2004, 2010; 2022; as author 2009

Multiple people have won three Belpré Honors: Francisco X. Alarcón, as author 1998, 2000, 2002 George Ancona, as illustrator 1996, 2000; as author 2011 Carmen T. Bernier-Grand, as author 2006, 2008, 2010 Lulu Delacre, as illustrator 1996, 2006, 2009 Rafael López, as illustrator 2006, 2012, 2014 John Parra, as illustrator 2010, 2015, 2018 David Bowles, as author, 2016, 2019, 2024

Multiple people have won two Belpré Honors. As illustrator: Amy Córdova, Angela Dominguez, and Carmen Lomas Garza. As author: Juan Felipe Herrera, and Francisco Jiménez as author.

Medal and Honor

Several authors have received both a Belpré Medal and a Belpré Honor: Raúl Colón, David Diaz, Margarita Engle, Carmen Lomas Garza, Susan Guevara, Rafael López, Meg Medina, Yuyi Morales, Pam Muñoz Ryan, and Duncan Tonatiuh.

Works with multiple awards

Diego: Bigger than Life was the subject of two honors for author and illustrator in 2010. The Storyteller's Candle was the subject of two honors for author and illustrator in 2009. Just In Case was the subject of a medal for illustrator and an honor for author in 2009. Los Gatos Black on Halloween was the subject of a medal for illustrator and an honor for author in 2008 Doña Flor: A Tall Tale About a Giant Woman with a Great Big Heart was the subject of a medal for illustrator and an honor for author in 2006. César: ¡Sí, Se Puede! Yes, We Can! was the subject of two honors for author and illustrator in 2006. 'El Gallo de Bodas: A Traditional Cuban Folktale was the subject of two honors for author and illustrator in 1996.

Pura Belpré Award

Bron en licentie