Pura's Cuentos: How Pura Belpré Reshaped Libraries with Her Stories

by Annette Bay Pimentel (Author) Magaly Morales (Illustrator)

Pura's Cuentos: How Pura Belpré Reshaped Libraries with Her Stories
Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade

Pura's abuela always has a cuento to share. She crows ¡Qui-qui-ri-quí! for Señor Gallo, booms Borom, Borom for Señor Zapo, and tells of a beautiful cockroach who loves a mouse. Pura clings to these stories like coquíes cling to green leaves.

When Pura grows up and moves from Puerto Rico to Harlem, she gets a job at the library, where she is surrounded by stories--but they're only in English. Where is Señor Gallo? Where is Pérez the mouse? Where is Puerto Rico on these shelves? She decides to tell children the tales of her homeland in English and in Spanish.

Lyrically written, with lively illustrations, Pura's Cuentos captures the exuberant spirit and passion of Pura Belpré celebrated storyteller, author, folklorist, and the first Latina librarian in New York City. A pioneer of bilingual storytimes, she welcomed countless new families to the library, formed cultural bridges in her community, and broke the rules by telling stories that weren't printed in books--at least, not yet.

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Hardcover
$18.99

Kirkus

Starred Review
"A vibrant portrayal of an important figure."

Review quotes

**STARRED REVIEW**
"The accompanying illustrations are vibrant, with rich, saturated colors. Dynamic double-page illustrations often consist of vignettes that blend into one another, adding depth to the narration. . .A vibrant portrayal of an important figure." — "Kirkus Reviews"
Annette Bay Pimentel
Annette Bay Pimentel has published several picture book biographies, including All the Way to the Top; Girl Running, which was a Junior Library Guild pick and received a starred review; and Mountain Chef, winner of the Carter G. Woodson Book Award. She lives in Moscow, Idaho.

Magaly Morales is the illustrator of What Can You Do with a Paleta?, a Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children's Book Award winner, as well as the picture books Chavela and the Magic Bubble and A Piñata in a Pine Tree. She was born in Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico.
Classification
Non-fiction
ISBN-13
9781419749414
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Harry N. Abrams
Publication date
September 07, 2021
Series
-
BISAC categories
JNF007050 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Biography & Autobiography | Cultural Heritage
JNF007030 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Biography & Autobiography | Literary
JNF018030 - Juvenile Nonfiction | People & Places | United States - Hispanic/Latino
JNF063000 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Books & Libraries
Library of Congress categories
Storytelling
New York (N.Y.)
Harlem (New York, N.Y.)
Librarians
Puerto Ricans
Belprae, Pura

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