Pura Belpré Illustrator Award

The Dream Catcher by Marcelo Verdad (text) & illus. by Marcelo Verdad. Little, Brown. May 2024. 40p. Tr $18.99. ISBN 9780316330664.
Gr 1-4–Miguel and his abuelito wake early to prepare for their day of selling coconuts and dream catchers. Making dream catchers reminds Miguel of his parents, who are pictured only in a photograph in Miguel and Abuelito’s home; he saves the coins he earns from sales with the hope of one day buying an airplane. As Miguel and Abuelito make their way through their seaside town, they speculate about what dreams others might have; throughout their conversation, Abuelito affirms Miguel’s dreams for the future, but also expresses his own joy in sharing the present with his grandson. Created using acrylic paint, paper, and digital collage, the illustrations are reminiscent of the works of Christian Robinson. The scenes are evocative and layered, bringing both the characters’ quiet home and their bustling town to life. In addition, the way the color palette evolves throughout the story, culminating in a vibrant, glowing sunset, is lovely. Small details and several airplanes nestled throughout the art also complement the text well and invite discussion and multiple readings. All characters have brown skin, and Miguel is identified as Mexican in the summary on the copyright page. VERDICT A gentle, contemplative tale that speaks beautifully to themes of empathy, family, community, and the power of dreams.-Reviewed by Lauren Strohecker 

Pura Belpré Illustrator Honors 

A Maleta Full of ­Treasures by Natalia Sylvester (text) & illus. by Juana Medina. Dial. Apr. 2024. 32p. Tr $18.99. ISBN 9780593462423.
PreS-Gr 3–Sylvester tells the story of a girl excited to get to see her grandmother, who is coming from far away. Her grandmother asks what Dulce would like from their home country, Peru. Dulce says she doesn’t need things, just Abuela is enough. However, Abuela brings many things from her home—alpaca blankets, delicious candies and cakes—that fill the home with a scent of Peru. The best present of all is spending time with Abuela. Sylvester has recreated an experience that many children will understand: a visit from a relative has sensory details—the crinkly sound of candy wrappers—and grace notes, like taking the floor in Dulce’s parents’ room so that Abuela can have her bed. Medina perfectly captures the warmth of this family with her adorable, charismatic art. The pictures and context clues will help the non-Spanish speakers figure out the meaning of Spanish words that are lovingly woven into the text. This book has charming themes of family and connecting to family culture, even if it’s far away. VERDICT Distance does not diminish the love of family. This is a wonderful book that will be highly relatable to many families. A must-have for any picture book collection.-Reviewed by Debbie Tanner

Abuelo, the Sea, and Me by Ismée Williams (text) & illus. by Tatiana Gardel. Roaring Brook. May 2024. 40p. Tr $19.99. ISBN 9781250848772.

Pura Belpré Children's (Author) Award

Lola by Karla Arenas Valenti. Knopf. Sept. 2024. 256p. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9780593177006.
Gr 4-7–In this wonderfully woven tale, a sister’s love is all that stands between the “Stillness” and her brother. Lola and Alex have grown up in a house with a magical tree at its center. With the magical tree comes things that cannot be explained, like flowers that bloom only at certain times of the year and Lola’s ability to see the creatures who tend to the tree. One day, Lola and Alex notice a gray patch spreading on the tree and the plants around it. Then the worst happens when Lola sees the same gray patch on Alex. Lola and Cualli, one of the magical creatures called the chaneques, are told they must travel to Floresta, where the magical tree came from, and heal it from there. But with a queen who cannot let go, this is not as easy as it seems. Will Lola be able to save the tree and her brother? With the story set in Mexico City, readers can feel the vibrance of Mexican culture coming off the pages. Between the descriptions of the magical world, as well as the artwork throughout, readers will be taken on the adventure right alongside Lola. Each character is complex and adds their own light to the story. Readers will be lining up to get this book. VERDICT A must-read for all upper elementary and middle school fantasy fans.-Reviewed by Heather Lassley 

Pura Belpré Children's (Author) Honors

Cruzita and the Mariacheros by Ashley Granillo. Lerner. Apr. 2024. 248p. Tr$19.99. ISBN 9798765608500.
Gr 5-7–The summer before middle school is not going as Cruzita expected. Instead of preparing for the Rising Star Contest at Encore Island amusement park, she is stuck working in her family’s struggling bakery. Things go from bad to worse, when her mother tells her she can no longer listen to the CDs of 1990s boy bands and pop stars that she loves and must focus solely on work. In an effort to give her back some music, her grandmother enrolls her in mariachi lessons. As Cruzita attends the classes, she gains more than music; she finds friends and a newfound respect for her culture and family. Readers will empathize with Cruzita, who feels like she doesn’t quite fit in as a Mexican American who does not speak Spanish. The recent passing of her great-uncle, the only family member who understood her, has left Cruz and her family dealing with their grief in different ways. Readers will root for Cruzita to embrace her new love of her mariachi family and her attempts to save the family business. Back matter includes Cruzita’s CD playlist and questions for discussion. VERDICT Mariachi, family, and pan dulce are the ingredients for this perfect middle grade novel. Highly recommended for all middle grade collections.-Reviewed by Ashley Leffel

Ultraviolet by Aida Salazar. Scholastic. Apr. 2024. 304p. Tr $18.99. ISBN 9781338775655.
Gr 5 Up–What does it mean to grow up and become a man? Salazar seeks to answer this question through sensitive eighth grader Elio in this companion to her celebrated novel in verse The Moon Within. The term “ultraviolet” refers to how he visualizes the depths of his emotions, especially when it comes to Camelia, the object of his affection. Yet relationship drama and pressure from his macho Pops make Elio question his manhood and sets him into a tailspin that threatens his tenderhearted nature. Salazar writes from a place of abundant empathy for all her characters—from rascally little sisters to wounded bullies—none more so than Pops, who needs to understand the reality of true masculinity the most of all. Her frank but thoughtful approach to puberty and sexuality, both from the perspective of public school students and from Indigenous Mexican traditions, further grounds Elio’s story and provides valuable life lessons to young readers without tilting into preachiness. Although this book stands on its own, parents and teachers could inspire in-depth conversations on the broad spectrum of coming-of-age narratives and experiences by pairing this with The Moon Within. VERDICT Yet another heartfelt and accessible tale of growing up from one of the best in modern children’s literature.-Reviewed by Alexandra Quay

Pura Belpré YA (Author) Award

Shut Up, This Is Serious by Carolina Ixta. HarperCollins/Quill Tree. Jan. 2024. 368p. Tr $19.99. ISBN 9780063287860.
Gr 9 Up–This novel explores the coming-of-age of two Latina girls during their senior year of high school in East Oakland. Both Leti and Belén navigate a terrain that is saturated in casual racism, belittlement, sexism, and daily toxicity, but for Belén, all of these plus her father’s abandonment have sent her into an emotional tailspin. As related by Belén, everyone else’s lives and upheavals function as distraction from the heaviness of her own depression. Ixta explores the shortcomings of underfunded public education and a higher education system that wants trauma porn to inform student applications. For Leti’s college essay, she must divulge her teen pregnancy. But Ixta upends the notion that teen girls who get pregnant have thrown away their futures. Readers see that Leti, for all of her shrinking self-consciousness, is a fighter. This realistic novel lays bare the ways in which some of the most harmful damage a young girl can experience happens in the home. Belén witnesses the infidelity of her father and that of Leti’s father, as well as the abuse visited upon Leti’s body. Belén, the observant one, is belittled and treated with contempt for the behavior of the father. Yet she can still love deeply and begin the act of forgiving and healing. This novel explores the effects of family strife, the behaviors children learn from their own parents, and what catalysts spark their evolution and journey away from those damaging situations. VERDICT Readers will be inspired by Belén’s path to healing but not before it makes them ugly cry.-Reviewed by Stephanie Creamer 

Pura Belpré YA (Author) Honors

Wild Dreamers by Margarita Engle. S. & S./Atheneum. Apr. 2024. 224p. Tr $18.99. ISBN 9781665939751.
Gr 8 Up–Seventeen-year-olds Leandro and Ana are struggling to make sense of their lives. While fleeing Cuba with his family, Leandro was devastated when his father drowned trying to protect him. Living with his mother and uncle in California, he attempts to get through his panic attacks and grief. Ana and her mother are on the run from her criminal father. Forced to use their car as a home, they wait patiently until her mother makes enough money to afford a place of their own. When Leandro spots Ana in a wilderness park in San Francisco one night, he feels an immediate connection with her. The moment becomes more intense when they see a mountain lion nearby. The teens continue to be drawn to one another and to the natural world around them. They start a rewilding club at their high school to restore the natural habitats of native animal species, and begin to gain confidence as they explore ideas together. Written in verse, the story has a dreamlike vibe that is mesmerizing. With alternating POVs—including a dog’s—the plot covers all angles. Engle writes poetically about the natural world, including sharp details about animals, plants, and landscapes. The affection between the young characters is dynamic, as they bond over their shared interest in nature and their life experiences. Though a few mentions of political events briefly disrupt the flow of the narrative, the overall tone is one of warmth and positivity. VERDICT An engaging novel in verse that touches on serious issues but is uplifting and hopeful. Recommended for middle and high school libraries.-Reviewed by Karin Greenberg 

Libertad by Bessie Flores Zaldívar. Dial. Aug. 2024. 432p. Tr $19.99. ISBN 9780593696125.
Gr 9 Up–In 2017, Libertad, a high school senior living in the Honduran capital of Tegucigalpa, is considering her future and evolving relationships in an atmosphere of political turbulence. After sharing a kiss with her best friend Camila, Libertad worries about being accepted amid the homophobic culture and conservative gender norms in Honduras. As a contentious presidential election nears, protests form across Tegus (as the capital is nicknamed) to denounce the incumbent right-wing government. The tension exacerbates already challenging living conditions, marked by power outages, corruption, and limited career options for people like Libertad’s older brother. Libertad finds solace by writing poetry, which she shares from a secret social media account, gaining followers who connect with her powerful words. Surrounding Libertad is a strong cast of family and friends of varying and complex political and social perspectives, which the author depicts with authenticity and empathy. Zaldívar, who based the novel on real events, provides historical context via flashbacks and dialogue, and concludes with an update on the political state in Honduras. VERDICT An empowering and multifaceted debut novel of queer love and identity, devotion to family, political activism, and personal freedom. Highly recommended.-Reviewed by Jessica Agudelo