Pura Belpré Medal Award Big Celebración

René Colato Laínez

Pictures from timomeara@gmail.com

Award winners from left to right: Carmen T. Bernier-Grand -Frida: ¡Viva la vida! Long Live Life!, Margarita Engle -The Poet Slave of Cuba: A Biography of Juan Francisco Manzano, Yuyi Morales -Los Gatos Black on Halloween, Marisa Montes -Los Gatos Black on Halloween, Carmen Agra Deedy -Martina the Beautiful Cockroach: A Cuban Folktale, Raúl Colón - My Name is Gabito: The Life of Gabriel García Márquez/Me llamo Gabito: la vida de Gabriel García Márquez, and Dana Goldberg representing Maya Christina Gonzalez- My Colors, My World.


ALSC and REFORMA organized a big fiesta to celebrate the Pura Belpré Award Winners on Sunday, June 29th at ALA Annual Conference in Anaheim, CA. The speeches were full of memories, family and corazón. Yuyi Morales revealed her childhood espantos of la Llorona, Cucuy, and the hairy hand. Carmen Agrada Deedy talked how she got inspired to tell her Martina Cockroach story to a group of elementary students after her saw a big cockroach crawling in the school auditorium. Carmen T. Bernier-Grand discussed many similarities in the life of her mother and the Mexican painter Frida Kahlo.

Here are a few more pictures of the Celebracíon.

Marisa Montes talking about Los Gatos Black on Halloween.
Determination is the main key. Editors did not get the idea of some black gatos speaking Spanish and celebrating Halloween. Does the gatos from Latin America know about Halloween? But she did not give up and now has a beautiful picture book. Yes, los gatos know about Halloween and Día de los muertos, too. They are bilingual!



Raul Colon received an honor award in illustration for his book My Name is Gabito: The Life of Gabriel García Márquez/Me llamo Gabito: la vida de Gabriel García Márquez. This was written by la famosa Monica Brown. Order her new picture book Pelé, King of soccer/ Pelé, el rey del fútbol which is coming out in December.






Yuyi Morales receiving her award... At the end of her speech, she had a little sorpresita, she sang La llorona while her son played the guitar. To read Yuyi's report about Pura Belpré Award visit her blog at www.yuyimorales.blogspot.

Here is the list of all the winners.

Margarita Engle, Medal winner for text- The Poet Slave of Cuba: A Biography of Juan Francisco Manzano.

Yuyi Morales, Medal winner for illustration- Los Gatos Black on Halloween.

Carmen T. Bernier-Grand - Honor for text- Frida: ¡Viva la vida! Long Live Life!

Carmen Agra Deedy - Honor for text- Martina the Beautiful Cockroach: A Cuban Folktale.

Marisa Montes - Honor for text- Los Gatos Black on Halloween.

Raúl Colón - Honor for illustration- My Name is Gabito: The Life of Gabriel García Márquez/Me llamo Gabito: la vida de Gabriel García Márquez.

Maya Christina Gonzalez- Honor for illustration- My Colors, My World/ Mis colores, mi mundo.

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Read Monica Brown's new interview
Author of My Name is Gabito: The Life of Gabriel García Márquez/Me llamo Gabito: la vida de Gabriel García Márquez.

Author Monica Brown discusses the links between literacy and culture and highlights the importance of bilingual books. She also talks about her own writing and why she loves writing picture book biographies...

Read more at www.papertigers.org.