Arturo Alfonso Schomburg In yesterday's post, we learned about trailblazing librarian and storyteller Pura Belpre. Today I want to present another monumental figure of the Puerto Rican diaspora, noted book collector, historian, researcher, writer, and activist Arturo Alfonso Schomburg. Often recognized as one of the fathers of Black history, his enormous book collection formed the … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Month 2020: Afro Puerto Rican Bibliophile Arturo Alfonso Schomburg
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#WorldKidLit Month 2020: Traiblazing Puerto Rican Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpré
Photograph of Pura Belpré Avid picture book readers, close followers of the children's publishing industry, and librarians may very well be familiar with the Pura Belpré Medal, given annually to Latinx illustrators and writers whose book "best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experience." However, how much do we about the trailblazing librarian and storyteller … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Month 2020: Traiblazing Puerto Rican Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpré
#WorldKidLitWednesday: Bicki-Books (Set 2)
What a wonderful concept! This series of pocket-sized picture books, originally published in Latvian, pairs a classic or modern poem with artwork commissioned from a contemporary illustrator. I originally highlighted the Bicki-Books (Set 2) in my recommended list of reads for infants and preschoolers, but a two-line mention does not do them justice. These six … Continue reading #WorldKidLitWednesday: Bicki-Books (Set 2)
#WorldKidLit Month 2020: Shadowshaper (Shadowshaper Cypher Series, Book 1)
Note from Klem-Marí Cajigas, GLLI blog Guest Editor for #WorldKidLit Month 2020: Today I want to welcome writer Ruth Terry to the blog. I really appreciate her contributions. Welcome! Daniel José Older’s novel Shadowshaper, released in 2015, is an urban fantasy embedded with real-world commentary about the nature of art and the lived experiences of … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Month 2020: Shadowshaper (Shadowshaper Cypher Series, Book 1)
#WorldKidLit Month 2020: The Coquí and the Iguana
If you've been reading this blog during #WorldKidLit Month, you know that we've already discussed some of Puerto Rico's rich natural world. Today I want to introduce you to more of the island's distinct natural features, specifically its bioluminescent bays. While nonfiction kid lit titles about bioluminescence are relatively easy to come by, it is … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Month 2020: The Coquí and the Iguana
#WorldKidLit Month 2020: Mis abuelos y yo
Based in the state of Texas, Arte Público Press has long contributed to making books written by Hispanic and Latinx authors, including Puerto Rican writers, much more available to the reading and purchasing public. Their children's books are often published in bilingual editions, lending a linguistic authenticity to their books focusing on U.S. Hispanic culture. … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Month 2020: Mis abuelos y yo
#WorldKidLit Month 2020: Call Me Maria
Call Me Maria by Judith Ortiz Cofer is about a teenaged Puerto Rican girl named Maria and how she processes her changing world. Ortiz Cofer artfully creates a soap opera-like feel in this work, which she accomplishes by using various genres – part novel, part poetry – to her advantage, as she shifts between scenes and changes … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Month 2020: Call Me Maria
#WorldKidLit Month 2020: The Education of Margot Sanchez
The Education of Margot Sanchez by Lilliam Rivera features the title character’s plight to fit in with new friends, while reconciling where she comes from and who she is, with where she wants to go and who she wants to become. Set in New York, the story begins with a Puerto Rican teenaged girl working at one of … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Month 2020: The Education of Margot Sanchez
#WorldKidLitWednesday: Bear and Fred: A World War II Story
“Many years ago,in a faraway land called Holland, in a city named Delft, I was Fred’s teddy bear. I never had a name. Fred never gave me one. I lived in his bedroom with other toys. I was a happy bear. Little Fred loved me more than any other toy. He took me everywhere he … Continue reading #WorldKidLitWednesday: Bear and Fred: A World War II Story
#WorldKidLit Month 2020: The Disturbed Girl’s Dictionary
The Disturbed Girl’s Dictionary by NoNieqa Ramos is both heart-wrenching and masterfully crafted. Ramos’s teenage protagonist, Macy Cashmere, is a character who, like many young people who experience tough circumstances, could be easily glossed over or written off by the casual observer as lacking the desire or capacity to succeed. Yet, readers will learn as they read Macy’s … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Month 2020: The Disturbed Girl’s Dictionary
