Book Bag
Planting Stories: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpré
Author
Illustrator
Paola Escobar
Publication Date
January 15, 2019
Genre / Grade Band
Non-fiction / 2nd − 3rd
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Description
RECIPIENT OF THE PURA BELPRÉ HONOR
* A Today Show's Best Kids' Books of 2019 * Indie Next List Pick * Junior Library Guild Selection * "An appealing tribute and successful remedy to the lack of titles about the groundbreaking librarian...a must-have for all libraries." --School Library Journal (starred review)
An inspiring picture book biography of storyteller, puppeteer, and New York City's first Puerto Rican librarian, who championed bilingual literature.
When she came to America in 1921, Pura Belpré carried the cuentos folklóricos of her Puerto Rican homeland. Finding a new home at the New York Public Library as a bilingual assistant, she turned her popular retellings into libros and spread story seeds across the land. Today, these seeds have grown into a lush landscape as generations of children and storytellers continue to share her tales and celebrate Pura's legacy.
Brought to colorful life by Paola Escobar's elegant and exuberant illustrations and Anika Aldamuy Denise's lyrical text, this gorgeous book is perfect for the pioneers in your life.
Informative backmatter and suggested further reading included.
A Spanish-language edition, Sembrando historias: Pura Belpré bibliotecaria y narradora de cuentos, is also available."
Anika Aldamuy Denise's intimate telling captures the magical, folk-tale feeling of Belpré's own stories. Her lyrical text, sprinkled like fairy dust with Spanish words, begs to be read aloud, while Paola Escobar's stylishly detailed and warmly expressive illustrations capture the joy of sharing stories." --New York Times Book Review
Publication date
January 15, 2019
Classification
Non-fiction
Page Count
-
ISBN-13
9780062748683
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
HarperCollins
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
JNF007030 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Biography & Autobiography | Literary
JNF018030 - Juvenile Nonfiction | People & Places | United States - Hispanic/Latino
Library of Congress categories
-
ALA/Booklist
Denise and Escobar pay tribute to the legacy of librarian Pura Belpré in this vibrant picture-book biography...Planting Stories is a glossy immigration tale of dreams coming true, and the lyrical language lends itself to being read aloud.
Kirkus
In Belpré, children will find an affirmation of the importance of seeing their own culture in books.
Publishers Weekly
Readers may know Pura Belpré as the name of an award given to books about the Latin American cultural experience. But who was Belpré herself? Denise (Starring Carmen!) celebrates the first Latina New York City librarian, born in 1899, who seeds the folktales of her native Puerto Rico in her new home. As a library assistant, Belpré makes puppets to enhance her storytelling performances, which introduce the elegant cockroach Martina, the dashing mouse Pérez, and other beloved characters from Puerto Rican folklore, then goes on to publish the tales for wider distribution. Colombian illustrator Escobar represents the biography’s central image of “planting” story seeds in detailed, retro-style spreads with flowers that float around Belpre as she weaves her tales (“Her eyes dance! Her voice sings!”). Sepia tones contribute a feeling of age and a sense of warmth. Denise plants an idea of her own—that telling stories is a crucial activity for keeping culture alive. Ages 4–8.
Copyright 2018 Publishers Weekly LLC Used Wtih Permission
Hornbook
Denise's descriptive language moves between English and Spanish seamlessly, without italics used or translations needed, and portrays a lively Pura...Expressive digital illustrations in earthy colors portray warm and radiant characters.
School Library Journal
Starred Review
An appealing tribute and successful remedy to the lack of titles about the groundbreaking librarian...a must-have for all libraries.
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