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, 2005, or 2003. In 2009, it became an annual award. Like the Coretta Scott King Award, there are awards for both authors and illustrators.
The links in the book titles take you either to Amazon or (more recently) to IndieBound, as you will see if you hover over them; if you prefer you can simply search for a book on IndieBound, the website of the independent booksellers. Scroll down past the book lists for links for more information.
- 2020 Pura Belpré Author Award winner: Sal and Gabi Break the Universe, by Carlos Hernandez.
- 2020 Pura Belpré Illustrator Award winner: Dancing Hands: How Teresa Carreño Played the Piano for President Lincoln, illustrated by Rafael López, written by Margarita Engle.
- 2020 Pura Belpré Author Honor books:
- Lety Out Loud, by Angela Cervantes.
- The Other Half of Happy, by Rebecca Balcárcel.
- Planting Stories: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpré, by Anika Aldamuy Denise.
- Soldier for Equality: José de la Luz Sáenz and the Great War, by Doncan Tonatiuh.
- 2020 Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor books:
- Across the Bay, illustrated and written by Carlos Aponte.
- My Papi Has a Motorcycle, illustrated by Zeke Peña, written by Isabel Quintero.
- ¡Vamos! Let's Go to the Market, illustrated and written by Raúl Gonzalez.
- 2019 Pura Belpré Author Award winner: The Poet X, by Elizabeth Acevedo. You can also find The Poet X at IndieBound. A personal note: this was one of the best books I read in 2018.
- 2019 Pura Belpré Illustrator Award winner: Dreamers, by Yuyi Morales. You can also find Dreamers at Amazon.
- 2019 Pura Belpré Author Honor book:
- They Call Me Güero: A Border Kid's Poems, by David Bowles.
- 2019 Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor books:
- Islandborn, illustrated by Leo Espinosa, written by Junot Díaz.
- When Angels Sing: The Story of Rock Legend Carlos Santana, illustrated by Jose Ramirez, written by Michael Mahin.
- 2018 Pura Belpré Author Award winner: Lucky Broken Girl, by Ruth Behar.
- 2018 Pura Belpré Illustrator Award winner: La Princesa and the Pea, illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal, written by Susan Middleton Elya.
- 2018 Pura Belpré Author Honor books:
- The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora, by Pablo Cartaya.
- The First Rule of Punk, by Celia C. Pérez.
- 2018 Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor books:
- All Around Us, illustrated by Adriana M. Garcia, written by Xelena González.
- Frida Kahlo and Her Animalitos, illustrated by John Parra, written by Monica Brown.
- 2017 Pura Belpré Author Award winner: Juana & Lucas, by Juana Medina.
- 2017 Pura Belpré Illustrator Award winner: Lowriders to the Center of the Earth, illustrated by Raúl the Third, written by Cathy Camper.
- 2017 Pura Belpré Author Honor books:
- The Only Road, by Alexandra Diaz.
- 2017 Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor books:
- Esquivel!: Space-Age Sound Artist, illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh, written by Susan Wood.
- The Princess and the Warrior: A Tale of Two Volcanoes, written and illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh.
- 2016 Pura Belpré Author Award winner: Enchanted Air: Two Cultures, Two Wings: A Memoir, by Margarita Engle.
- 2016 Pura Belpré Illustrator Award winner: Drum Dream Girl: How One Girl's Courage Changed Music, illustrated by Rafael López, written by Margarita Engle.
- 2016 Pura Belpré Author Honor books:
- The Smoking Mirror, by David Bowles.
- Mango, Abuela, and Me, by Meg Medina.
- 2016 Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor books:
- My Tata's Remedies/Los remedios de mi tata, illustrated by Antonio Castro L., written by Roni Capin Rivera-Ashford.
- Mango, Abuela, and Me, illustrated by Angela Dominguez, written by Meg Medina.
- Funny Bones: Posada and His Day of the Dead Calaveras, written and illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh. Also a Sibert Informational Award winner.
- 2015 Pura Belpré Author Award winner: I Lived on Butterfly Hill, by Marjorie Agosín.
- 2015 Pura Belpré Illustrator Award winner: Viva Frida, illustrated and written by Yuyi Morales.
- 2015 Pura Belpré Author Honor books:
- Portraits of Hispanic American Heroes, by Juan Felipe Herrera.
- 2015 Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor books:
- Little Roja Riding Hood, illustrated by Susan Guevara, written by Susan Middleton Elya.
- Green Is a Chile Pepper, illustrated by John Parra, written by Roseanne Greenfield Thong.
- Separate Is Never Equal: Sylvia Mendez & Her Family's Fight for Desegregation, written and illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh.
- 2014 Pura Belpré Author Award winner: Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass, by Meg Medina.
- 2014 Pura Belpré Illustrator Award winner: Niño Wrestles the World, illustrated and written by Yuyi Morales.
- 2014 Pura Belpré Author Honor books:
- The Lightning Dreamer: Cuba's Greatest Abolitionist, by Margarita Engle.
- The Living, by Matt de la Peña.
- Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote: A Migrant's Tale, written and illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh.
- 2014 Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor books:
- Maria Had a Little Llama / María Tenía una Llamita Pequeña, illustrated and written by Angela Dominguez.
- Tito Puente: Mambo King / Rey del Mambo, illustrated by Rafael López, written by Monica Brown.
- Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote: A Migrant's Tale, written and illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh.
- 2013 Pura Belpré Author Award winner: Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, by Benjamin Alire Saenz. Also a Printz Honor Book.
- 2013 Pura Belpré Illustrator Award winner: Martin de Porres: The Rose in the Desert, illustrated by David Diaz, written by Gary D. Schmidt.
- 2013 Pura Belpré Author Honor book:
- The Revolution of Evelyn Serrano, by Sonia Manzano.
- 2013 Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor books:
- No Illustrator Honor books were named this year.
- 2012 Pura Belpré Author Award winner: Under the Mesquite, by Guadalupe Garcia McCall.
- 2012 Pura Belpré Illustrator Award winner: Diego Rivera: His World and Ours, written and illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh.
- 2012 Pura Belpré Author Honor books:
- Hurricane Dancers: The First Caribbean Pirate Shipwreck, by Margarita Engle.
- Maximilian and the Mystery of the Guardian Angel, written by Xavier Garza.
- 2012 Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor books:
- The Cazuela that the Farm Maiden Stirred, illustrated by Rafael López, written by Samantha R. Vamos.
- Marisol McDonald Doesn’t Match / Marisol McDonald no combina, illustrated by Sara Palacios, written by Monica Brown.
- 2011 Pura Belpré Author Award winner: The Dreamer, by Pam Muñoz Ryan, illustrated by Peter Sís.
- 2011 Pura Belpré Illustrator Award winner: Grandma's Gift, illustrated and written by Eric Velasquez.
- 2011 Pura Belpré Author Honor books:
- Ole! Flamenco, written and illustrated by George Ancona.
- The Firefly Letters: A Suffragette's Journey to Cuba, written by Margarita Engle.
- 90 Miles to Havana, written by Enrique Flores-Galbis.
- 2011 Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor books:
- Fiesta Babies, illustrated by Amy Cordova, written by Carmen Tafolla.
- Me, Frida, illustrated by David Diaz, written by Amy Novesky.
- Dear Primo: A Letter to My Cousin, illustrated and written by Duncan Tonatiuh.
- 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, illustrated by David Diaz, written by Carmen T. Bernier-Grand.
- 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.
