The Storyteller's Candle / La velita de los cuentos, Story / Lucía González, Illustrations / Illustraciones Lulu Delacre, published by Children's Book Press, has been named an Honor Book in the Books for Younger Children category.

One of many immigrant children in New York City in the 1930's,sprited Hildamar lives with her family in close-knit community as they face weather, language, food and customs so unlike those of their beloved Puerto Rico. Their community widens and deepens when Hildamar and her cousin meet Pura Belpre, the librarian at the local public library who not only speaks Spanish but invites families to the library to celebrate Three King's Day!

With text in Spanish and English and sepia-toned illustrations with qualities of folk art, this picture book pays tribute to Pura Belpre, the first Puerto Rican librarian for New York Public Library-a woman who instinctively understood the importance of culture and language in building community, acted upon those instincts and brought countless children into the circle of light and literacy shed by her storyteller's candle.


Print Version