This book tells of how Pura came to NYC in the early 20^th century. She used her gift of storytelling to share the stories her grandmother used to tell Pura from her native land of Puerto Rico because their “cuentos” (stories) were nowhere to be found in the NYPL. Eventually she went from telling the stories to writing them so they could be read by children everywhere.

Sprinkled with some Spanish terms, Anika Aldamuy Denise paints such a lovely, lyrical picture of the growth Pura Belpré brings to the children in her community, and later the world, when she becomes a bridge between the library and the Spanish-speaking families who thought libraries weren’t for them. Pura’s passion, dedication and creativity paved the way for the NYPL to become “cultural community hubs.”

Illustrator Paola Escobar’s gorgeous artwork is the perfect counterpart to Anika’s “seed” imagery and their ending got me choked up (which is always a good sign of a living book*).

I can go on and on about this trailblazing storyteller, author, librarian, puppeteer and activist. There’s even an award given in Pura Belpré’s name that’s presented every year to Latino writers and illustrators whose work best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in an outstanding work of literature for children and youth.

But I’ll end with that this book is a wonderful introduction to who Pura was and the power of words, whether written or spoken, in the life of a child. 

P.S.

“The Author’s Note” is a must read too!  AND there’s a Spanish edition as well, which is always a bonus for me!