Pura Belpré Book Award Winners

Updated January 27, 2024
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Shut up, this is serious
Ixta, Carolina
Paper Book
WINNER OF THE PURA BELPRÉ YA AUTHOR AWARD *  A Morris Award Finalist * Parade Best Young Adult Books of All Time * Indie Next List Pick * An unforgettable YA debut about two Latina teens growing up in East Oakland as they discover that the world is brimming with...
Frizzy
Ortega, Claribel A.
Paper Book
Winner of the Pura Belpré Award for Children's Text Winner of the Eisner for Best Publication for Kids Indie Bestseller New York Times-bestselling author Claribel A. Ortega and star debut artist Rose Bousamra's Frizzy is about Marlene, a...
Where wonder grows
González, Xelena
Paper Book
Pura Belpré Illustrator Award Winner 2023 - American Library Association (ALA) A 2023 Pura Belpré Illustrator Award Winner From the creators of the award-winning picture book All Around Us comes another lyrical intergenerational story exploring our connections to...
Burn down, rise up
Tirado, Vincent
Paper Book
The 2023 Pura Belpré Award-winning young adult novel! Mysterious disappearances. An urban legend rumored to be responsible. And one group of friends determined to save their city at any cost. Stranger Things meets Jordan Peele in this acclaimed novel from an incredible new voice. ...
The last cuentista
Higuera, Donna Barba
Paper Book
Winner of the John Newbery Medal Winner of the Pura Belpré Award From Pura Belpré Award winner and Newbery Medalist, Donna Barba Higuera--a brilliant journey through the stars, to the very heart of what makes us...
¡Vamos! Let's cross the bridge
Raúl the Third
Paper Book
Winner of the Pura Belpré Medal! A New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book! Little Lobo and Bernabé return in ¡Vamos! Let's Cross the Bridge, a joyful paper-over-board picture book follow-up to ¡Vamos! Let's Go Eat about coming together and celebrating community from New York...
Efrén divided : a novel
Cisneros, Ernesto
Paper Book
Winner of the Pura Belpré Award! "We need books to break open our hearts, so that we might feel more deeply, so that we might be more human in these unkind times. This is a book doing work of the spirit in a time of darkness." --Sandra Cisneros, author of The House on...
Enchanted air : two cultures, two wings : a memoir
Engle, Margarita
Paper Book
In this poetic memoir, which won the Pura Belpré Author Award, was a YALSA Nonfiction Finalist, and was named a Walter Dean Myers Award Honoree, acclaimed author Margarita Engle tells of growing up as a child of two cultures during the Cold War. Margarita is a girl from two...
¡Vamos! Let's go eat!
Raúl the Third
Paper Book
Winner of the Pura Belpré Medal! Little Lobo returns to share his love of food and wrestling in ¡Vamos! Let's Go Eat, a paper-over-board picture book follow-up to ¡Vamos! Let's Go to the Market from New York Times bestselling, three-time Pura Belpré Award-winning author-illustrator Raúl...
Furia
Méndez, Yamile Saied
Paper Book
A REESE WITHERSPOON x HELLO SUNSHINE BOOK CLUB YA PICK Recipient of the 2021 Pura Belpré Young Adult Author Medal One of BuzzFeed's Must-Read YA Books of 2020 A Best Book of the Year: Cosmopolitan * Kirkus...
Sal & Gabi break the universe
Hernandez, Carlos Alberto
Paper Book
Best-selling author Rick Riordan presents a brilliant sci-fi romp with Cuban influence by Carlos Hernandez, winner of the 2020 Pura Belpré Award. "I love this book in every possible universe! With a surprise on every page and two of the most cosmically awesome, vividly unique...
Dancing hands : how Teresa Carreño played the piano for President Lincoln
Engle, Margarita
Paper Book
Winner of the Pura Belpré Illustrator Award A Kirkus Reviews Best Picture Book In soaring words and stunning illustrations, Margarita Engle and Rafael López tell the story of Teresa Carreño, a child prodigy who played piano for Abraham Lincoln. ...
Dreamers
Morales, Yuyi
Paper Book
We are resilience. We are hope. We are dreamers. Yuyi Morales brought her hopes, her passion, her strength, and her stories with her, when she came to the United States in 1994 with her infant son. She left behind nearly everything she owned, but she didn't come empty-handed.<...
The poet X
Acevedo, Elizabeth
Paper Book
Winner of the National Book Award for Young People's Literature, the Michael L. Printz Award, and the Pura Belpré Award! Fans of Jacqueline Woodson, Meg Medina, and Jason Reynolds will fall hard for this astonishing New York Times-bestselling novel-in-verse by an award...
La princesa and the pea
Elya, Susan Middleton
Paper Book
The Princess and the Pea gets a fresh twist in this charming retelling with Spanish sprinkled throughout, winner of the PuraBelpreMedal for Illustration. El principe knows this girl is the one for him, but, as usual, his mother doesn't agree. The queen...
Juana & Lucas
Medina, Juana
Paper Book
Winner of the 2017 Pura Belpré Author Award Fans of Judy Moody and Clarice Bean will love Juana, the spunky young Colombian girl who stars in this playful, abundantly illustrated new series. Juana loves many things -- drawing, eating Brussels sprouts, living...
How Moon Fuentez fell in love with the universe
Vasquez Gilliland, Raquel
Paper Book
"Breathlessly atmospheric...A gorgeous, hopeful book." --Rachel Lynn Solomon, author of Today Tonight Tomorrow The Hating Game meets I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter in this Pura Belpré Award-winning novel that's an irresistible romance starring a...
Lowriders to the center of the Earth
Camper, Cathy
Paper Book
2017 Pura Belpré Illustrator Award Winner The lovable trio from the acclaimed Lowriders in Space are back! Lupe Impala, Elirio Malaria, and El Chavo Octopus are living their dream at last. They're the proud owners of their very own garage. But when their beloved cat Genie goes...
Drum dream girl : how one girl's courage changed music
Engle, Margarita
Paper Book
Girls cannot be drummers. Long ago on an island filled with music, no one questioned that rule--until the drum dream girl. In her city of drumbeats, she dreamed of pounding tall congas and tapping small bongós. She had to keep quiet. She had to practice in secret. But when at...
Viva Frida
Morales, Yuyi
Paper Book
A 2015 Caldecott Honor Book A 2015 Pura Belpré (Illustrator) Award Distinguished author/illustrator Yuyi Morales illuminates Frida's life and work in this elegant and fascinating book, Viva Frida. Frida Kahlo, one of the world's most famous and...
Yaqui Delgado wants to kick your ass
Medina, Meg
Paper Book
Winner of the 2014 Pura Belpré Author Award In Meg Medina's compelling new novel, a Latina teen is targeted by a bully at her new school - and must discover resources she never knew she had.One morning before school, some girl tells Piddy Sanchez that Yaqui Delgado hates her and wants to kick her...
Ni?no wrestles the world
Morales, Yuyi
Paper Book
Señoras y señores, put your hands together for the fantastic, spectacular, one of a kind . . . Niño! Fwap! Slish! Bloop! Krunch! He takes down his competition in a single move! No opponent is too big a challenge for the cunning skills of Niño--popsicle eater, toy...
Aristotle and Dante discover the secrets of the universe
Sáenz, Benjamin Alire
Paper Book
Now a major motion picture starring Max Pelayo, Reese Gonzales, and Eva Longoria! A Time Best YA Book of All Time (2021) This Printz Honor Book is a "tender, honest exploration of identity" (Publishers Weekly) that distills lyrical truths about...
Lucky broken girl
Behar, Ruth
Paper Book
Winner of the 2018 Pura Belpre Award! "A book for anyone mending from childhood wounds."--Sandra Cisneros, author of The House on Mango Street   In this unforgettable multicultural coming-of-age narrative--based on the author's childhood in the 1960s--a...
Martain de Porres : the rose in the desert
Schmidt, Gary D.
Paper Book
2013 Pura Belpre Award for Illustration As the illegitimate son of a Spanish nobleman and a former slave, Martin de Porres was born into extreme poverty. Even so, his mother begged the church fathers to allow him into the priesthood. Instead, Martin was accepted as a servant boy. But...
Diego Rivera : his world and ours
Tonatiuh, Duncan
Paper Book
This charming book introduces one of the most popular artists of the twentieth century, Diego Rivera, to young readers. It tells the story of Diego as a young, mischievous boy who demonstrated a clear passion for art and then went on to become one of the most famous painters in the world. ...
Book fiesta! : celebrate Children's Day/book day = Celebremos el d?ia de los ni?nos/el d?ia de los libros
Mora, Pat
Paper Book
This Pura Belpré Award-winning picture book is a bilingual ride through the joyous history of Children's Day/El día de los niños. Children's Day/Book Day; El día de los niños/El día de los libros has been observed on April 30th for over twelve years. Founder Pat Mora's jubilant celebration...
Los gatos black on Halloween
Montes, Marisa
Paper Book
Follow los monstruos and los esqueletos to the Halloween party Under October'sluna, full and bright, the monsters are throwing a ball in the Haunted Hall.Las brujas come on their broomsticks.Los muertos rise from their coffins to join in the fun.Los...
Mexikid : a graphic memoir
Martin, Pedro
Paper Book
NEWBERY HONOR AWARD WINNER * An unforgettable graphic memoir about a Mexican American boy's family and their adventure-filled road trip to bring their abuelito back from Mexico "One of those books that kids will pass to their friends as soon as they have finished it."-...

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