The Pura Belpré Award

This award, established in 1996, goes 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 was first given every two years, so there are no entries for 2007 or 2005, for example. In 2009, it became an annual award. Like the Coretta Scott King Award, there are awards for both authors and illustrators.

• 2010 Pura Belpré Author Award winner: Return to Sender, by Julia Alvarez.
• 2010 Pura Belpré Illustrator Award winner: Book Fiesta!: Celebrate Children’s Day/Book Day; Celebremos El día de los niños/El día de los libros, illustrated by Rafael López, written by Pat Mora.
• 2010 Pura Belpré Author Honor books:
  
  • Diego: Bigger Than Life, written by Carmen T. Bernier-Grand, illustrated by David Diaz.
  • Federico García Lorca, written by Georgina Lázaro, illustrated by Enrique S. Moreiro.
• 2010 Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor books:
  • Diego: Bigger Than Life, written by Carmen T. Bernier-Grand, illustrated by David Diaz.
  • My Abuelita, illustrated by Yuyi Morales, written by Tony Johnston.
  • Gracias Thanks, illustrated by John Parra, written by Pat Mora

• 2009 Pura Belpré Author Award winner: The Surrender Tree: Poems of Cuba's Struggle for Freedom, by Margarita Engle (also a Newbery Honor book).
• 2009 Pura Belpré Illustrator Award winner: Just In Case, illustrated and written by Yuyi Morales.
• 2009 Pura Belpré Author Honor books:
  
  • Just In Case, by Yuyi Morales.
  • Reaching Out, by Francisco Jiménez.
  • The Storyteller’s Candle / La velita de los cuentos, written by Lucía González, illustrated by Lulu Delacre.
• 2009 Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor books:
  • Papá and Me, illustrated by Rudy Gutierrez, written by Arthur Dorros.
  • The Storyteller’s Candle / La velita de los cuentos, illustrated by Lulu Delacre, written by Lucía González.
  • What Can You Do With a Rebozo? illustrated by Amy Córdova, written by Carmen Tafolla.

• 2008 Pura Belpré Author Award winner: The Poet Slave of Cuba: A Biography of Juan Francisco Manzano written by Margarita Engle, illustrated by Sean Qualls.
  
• 2008 Pura Belpré Illustrator Award winner: Los Gatos Black on Halloween, illustrated by Yuyi Morales, written by Marisa Montes.
• 2008 Pura Belpré Author Honor books:
  
  • Frida: ¡Viva la vida! Long Live Life!, by Carmen T. Bernier-Grand
  • Martina the Beautiful Cockroach: A Cuban Folktale, retold by Carmen Agra Deedy, illustrated by Michael Austin
  • Los Gatos Black on Halloween, written by Marisa Montes, illustrated by Yuyi Morales
• 2008 Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor books:
  • My Name is Gabito: The Life of Gabriel García Márquez/Me llamo Gabito: la vida de Gabriel García Márquez, illustrated by Raúl Colón, written by Monica Brown
  • My Colors, My World/Mis colores, mi mundo, written and illustrated by Maya Christina Gonzalez

• 2006 Pura Belpré Author Award winner: The Tequila Worm, by Viola Canales
  
• 2006 Pura Belpré Illustrator Award winner: Doña Flor: A Tall Tale about a Giant Woman with a Great Big Heart, illustrated by Raul Colón, written by Pat Mora.
• 2006 Pura Belpré Author Honor books:
  
  • César: ¡Sí, Se Puede! Yes, We Can!, by Carmen T. Bernier-Grand, illustrated by David Diaz.
  • Doña Flor: A Tall Tale about a Giant Woman with a Great Big Heart, by Pat Mora, illustrated by Raul Colón.
  • Becoming Naomi León, by Pam Muñoz Ryan.
• 2006 Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor books:
  
  • Arrorró, Mi Niño: Latino Lullabies and Gentle Games, selected and illustrated by Lulu Delacre.
  • César: ¡Sí, Se Puede! Yes, We Can!, illustrated by David Diaz, written by Carmen T. Bernier-Grand.
  • My Name Is Celia/Me Llamo Celia, illustrated by Rafael López, written by Monica Brown.

• 2004 Author winner: Before We Were Free, by Julia Alvarez
  
• 2004 Illustrator winner: Just a Minute: A Trickster Tale and Counting Book, written and illustrated by Yuyi Morales
• 2004 Author Honor books:
  
  • Cuba 15, by Nancy Osa
  • My Diary from Here to There/ Mi diario de aquí hasta allá, written by Amada Irma Pérez, illustrated by Maya Christina Gonzalez
• 2004 Illustrator Honor books:
  • First Day in Grapes, illustrated by Robert Casilla, written by L. King Pérez
  • The Pot That Juan Built, illustrated by David Diaz, written by Nancy Andrews-Goebel
  • Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez, illustrated by Yuyi Morales, written by Kathleen Krull
    

• 2002 Author winner: Esperanza Rising, Pam Muñoz Ryan
• 2002 Illustrator winner: Chato and the Party Animals, illustrated by Susan Guevara, written by Gary Soto
• 2002 Author Honor books:
  • Iguanas in the Snow/ Iguanas en la nieve, by Francisco X. Alarcón
  • Breaking Through by Francisco Jiménez
• 2002 Illustrator Honor book: Juan Bobo Goes to Work, illustrated by Joe Cepeda, retold by Marisa Montes

More information about the Pura Belpré Award: this link leads to the official site for the Award, which includes a complete list of past winners.

Children's Book Awards Index page

Newbery Medal | Caldecott Medal | Coretta Scott King Award | Lifetime Achievement Awards
Young Adult Book Awards | Sibert Informational Book Award | Scott O'Dell Award

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