Pura Belpré: Her Life and Legacy
Pura Belpré was the first Puerto Rican librarian to be hired by the New York Public Library system. A gifted storyteller and puppeteer, she celebrated the stories that had been handed down across generations of her family, and her story "Pérez and Martina," which she published in 1932, has become a classic of children's literature.
Pura Belpré also believed in welcoming everyone to the library, offering numerous programs and titles in Spanish to her neighbors at a time when such "community outreach" — especially to the Spanish-speaking community — was unheard of.
Learn more about Pura Belpré, her legacy of librarianship, and the children's book award in her honor from the following resources!
The Pura Belpré Book Award
Celebrating Latino Cultural Experiences
The Pura Belpré Award, established in 1996, is presented annually 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 REFORMA, the National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish-Speaking, an ALA affiliate.
A list of Previous winners of Pura Belpre Award is availabe on the ALSC website.
More diverse perspectives
For additional awards that celebrate diverse perspectives, see the award list in our multicultural literature section.
2025 Pura Belpré Winners
Author Award Winner
- Lola, written by Karla Arenas Valenti
Author Award Honor Books
- Cruzita and the Mariacheros, written by Ashley Granillo
- Ultraviolet, written by Aida Salazar
Illustrator Award Winner
- The Dream Catcher, illustrated and written by Marcelo Verdad
Illustrator Award Honor Books
- Abuelo, the Sea, and Me, illustrated by Tatiana Gardel and written by Ismée Williams
- A Maleta Full of Treasures, illustrated by Juana Medina and written by Natalia Sylvester
Young Adult Author Award Winner
- Shut Up, This Is Serious, written by Carolina Ixta
Honor Books
- Libertad, written by Bessie Flores Zaldívar
- Wild Dreamers, written by Margarita Engle
Booklist: The Life and Legacy of Pura Belpré
Meet Pura Belpré in these books by and about her! These books include stories by her, picture book biographies of her, historical accounts of her contributions to librarianship, and collections in which she is featured among groups of notable Latinos/Latinas who helped shape the United States.
Interviews with Lucía González, Lulu Delacre, and Meg Medina
Learn more about Pura Belpré from the author and illustrator of The Storyteller's Candle — Lucía González and Lulu Delacre!
The full interviews with Lucía, Lulu, and Meg are available in our Meet the Authors section.
