The Pura Belpré Award 1996-2016

This comprehensive retrospective celebrates two decades of the Pura Belpré Award, honoring outstanding children's and young adult literature that portrays the Latino cultural experience. Nathalie Beullens-Maoui curates a vital examination of the award's history, its celebrated authors and illustrators, and its profound impact on diversifying bookshelves. The collection serves as both an archive and a critical lens, tracing the evolution of Latino representation in American publishing through the lens of its most distinguished titles.

What makes this volume essential is its dual function as a scholarly resource and an inspiring roadmap for readers, educators, and aspiring creators. It not only chronicles past achievements but also illuminates the cultural conversations these award-winning books have sparked and sustained. For anyone invested in the landscape of multicultural literature, this retrospective offers a foundational understanding of how one award has championed authentic voices and reshaped the literary world for a generation.