Américas Award.Latin American Latino Caribbean book awards. Winners

Amazon.com Widgets

The Américas Award for Children's and Young Adult Literature is given in recognition of U.S. works of fiction, poetry, folklore, or selected non-fiction (from picture books to works for young adults) published in the previous year in English or Spanish that authentically and engagingly portray Latin America, the Caribbean, or Latinos in the United States. By combining both and linking the Americas, the award reaches beyond geographic borders, as well as multicultural-international boundaries, focusing instead upon cultural heritages within the hemisphere. The award is sponsored by the national Consortium of Latin American Studies Programs (CLASP).

The award winners and commended titles are selected for their:1) distinctive literary quality2) culturalcontextualization 3) exceptional integration of text, illustration and design; and 4) potential for classroom use.

2009 Américas Award Winners

Just In Case: A Trickster Tale and Spanish Alphabet Book by Yuyi Morales. Roaring Brook Press (A Neal Porter Book), 2008. 32 pgs. ISBN 978-1-59643-329-8

The Surrender Tree: Poems of Cuba's Struggle for Freedom by Margarita Engle. Holt, 2008. 169 pgs. ISBN 978-0-8050-8674-4

Américas Award Honorable Mentions

El mejor regalo del mundo: La Leyenda De La Vieja Belen / The Best Gift of All: The Legend of La Vieja Belen (Bilingual Edition) (Spanish Edition) by Julia Alvarez. Illustrated by Ruddy Nuñez. Alfaguara/Santillana, 2008. 32 pgs. ISBN 978-1-60396-325-1

Dark Dude by Oscar Hijuelos. Atheneum, 2008. 440 pgs. 978-1-4169-4804-9

The Storyteller's Candle/La velita de los cuentos (Spanish Edition) by Lucía González. Illustrated by Lulu Delacre. Children's Book Press, 2008. 32 pgs. ISBN 978-0-89239-222-3

Américas Award Commended Titles

Animal Poems of the Iguazu/Animalario del Iguazu by Francisco X. Alarcón. Illustrated by Maya Christina González. Children's Book Press, 2008. 32 pgs. ISBN 978-0-89239-225-4

Arco Iris De Poesia/ Rainbow of Poetry (Spanish Edition) selected by Sergio Andricaín. Illustrated by Olga Cuellar. Lectorum, 2008. 40pgs. ISBN 978-1-930332-59-1

Dance, Nana, Dance/Baila, Nana, Baila: Cuban Folktales in English and Spanish [SPA/ENG-DANCE NANA DANCE/BAILA] retold by Joe Hayes. Illustrated by Mauricio Trenard Sayago. Cinco Puntos, 2008. 128 pgs. ISBN 978-1-933693-17-0

Cesar Chavez: Crusader for Social Change (Signature Lives: Modern America series) e by Brenda Haugen. Compass Point, 2008. 112 pgs. 978-0-7565-3321-2

The Disappeared by Gloria Whelan. Dial / Penguin, 2008. 136 pgs. 978-0-8037-3275-9

Divali Rose by Vashanti Rahaman. Illustrated by Jamel Akib. Boyds Mills, 2008. 32 pgs.

Dolores Huerta: Labor Leader and Civil Rights Activist (Signature Lives) by Robin S. Doak. Compass Point, 2008. 112 pgs. 978-0-7565-3477-6

Down to the Bone by Mayra Lazara Dole. HarperCollins, 2008. 351 pgs. 978-0-06-084311-3

Facts of Life: Stories by Gary Soto. Harcourt, 2008. 174 pgs. 978-0-15-206181-4

He Forgot to Say Goodbye by Benjamin Alire Sáenz. Simon & Schuster, 2008. 321 pgs. 978-1-4169-4963-3

Kitchen Dance by Maurie J. Manning. Clarion. 2008. 32 pgs. ISBN 978-0-618-99110-5

Pablo (Cuando Los Grandes Eran Pequenos/ When the Grown-Ups Were Children) (Spanish Edition) by Georgina Lázaro. Illustrated by Marcela Donoso. Lectorum, 2008. 32 pgs. ISBN 978-1-930332-09-2

Suvanjieff, Ivan & Engle, Dawn Gifford. Peace-Jam; a billion simple acts of peace. by Ivan Suvanjieff and Dawn Gifford Engle. Puffin/Penguin, 2008. 197 pgs. ISBN 978-0-14-241234-3

A Perfect Season for Dreaming / Una temporada perfecta para soñar (Bilingual Edition) (Spanish Edition) by Benjamin Alire Sáenz. Illustrated by Esau Andrade Valencia. Cinco Puntos, 2008. 36 pgs. ISBN 978-1-933693-01-9

Reaching Out by Francisco Jiménez. Houghton Mifflin, 2008. 194 pgs. 978-0-618-03851-0

The Secret Legacy by Rigoberta Menchú. Illustrated by Domi. Groundwood, 2008. 64 pgs ISBN978-0-88899-8965

The Smell of Old Lady Perfume by Claudia Guadalupe Martínez. Cinco Puntos, 2008. 249 pgs. 978-1-933693-18-7

Voices in First Person: Reflections on Latino Identity by Lori Marie Carlson. Photographs by Manuel Rivera-Ortiz. Illustrated by Flavio Morais. Atheneum, 2008. 84 pgs. ISBN 978-1-4169-0635-3

The Walls of Cartagena by Julia Durango. Illustrated by Tom Pohrt. Simon & Schuster, 2008. 150 pgs. 978-1-4169-4102-6

What Can You Do With a Rebozo? by Carmen Tafolla. Illustrated by Amy Córdova. Tricycle Press, 2008. 28 pgs. ISBN 978-1-58246-220-2

2008 Américas Award Winners- April 25th, 2008
Red Glass by Laura Resau. New York: Delacorte, 2007. 275 pgs. ISBN 978-0-385-90464-3
Yum! Mmmm! Que Rico!: America's Sproutings by Pat Mora. Pictures by Rafael López. New York: Lee & Low, 2007. 32 pgs. ISBN 978-1-58430-271-1
2008 Américas Award Honorable Mentions
Nochecita (Neal Porter Books) / Little Night by Yuyi Morales. New York: Roaring Brook Press/A Neal Porter Book, 2007. 32 pgs. ISBN 978-1-59643-232-1 Spanish / ISBN 978-1-59643-088-4 English (simultaneous editions)
Raining Sardines (A Deborah Brodie Book) by Enrique Flores-Galbis. NewYork: Roaring Brook Press, 2007. 160 pgs. ISBN 978-1-59643-166-

Américas Award Commended Titles
Abuelita Full of Life/Abuelita Llena de Vidaby Amy Costales. Illustrated by Martha Avilés. Flagstaff: Luna Rising, 2007. 32 pgs. ISBN 978-0-87358-914-7
Alfredito regresa volando a su casa / Alfredito Flies Home (Groundwood Books) by Jorge Argueta. Illustrated by Luis Garay. Toronto: Groundwood, 2007. 36 pgs. ISBN 978-0-88899-586-5 Spanish / ISBN 978-0-88899-585-8 English (simultaneous editions)
Angelina's Island By Jeanette Winter. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux / Frances Foster Books, 2007. 32 pgs. ISBN: 978-0-374-30349-5
Capoeira: Game! Dance! Martial Art! by George Ancona. New York: Lee & Low, 2007. 48 pgs. ISBN 978-1-58430-268-1
Caribbean Journey from A to Y (Read and Discover What Happened to the Z) by Mario Picayo. Illustrated by Earleen Griswold. NewYork: Campanita, 2007. 64 pgs. ISBN 978-0-9725611-8-1
Come Look With Me, Latin American Art by Kimberly Lane. Watertown: Charlesbridge, 2007. 32 pgs. ISBN 978-1-890674-20-5
Frida: Viva La Vida! Long Live Life! by Carmen T. Bernier-Grand. Tarrytown: Marshall Cavendish, 2007. 64 pgs. ISBN 978-0-7614-5336-9
Hip Hip Hooray, It's Monsoon Day! / ¡AJUA, YA LLEGO EL CHUBASCO! by Roni Rivera-Ashford. Illustrated by Richard Johnsen. Tucson: Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum Press, 2007. 42 pgs. ISBN 1-886679-36-8 (bilingual) back to top
Martina Una Cucarachita Muy Linda / Martina the Beautiful Cockroach: Un Cuento Cubano / A Cuban Folktale by Carmen Agra Deedy. Illustrated by Michael Austin. Atlanta: Peachtree, 2007. 32 pgs. ISBN 978-1-56145-399-3 English / ISBN 978-1-56145-425-9 Spanish (simultaneous editions)
My Colors, My World / Mis colores, mi mundo by Maya Christina González. San Francisco: Children’s Book Press, 2007. 24 pgs. ISBN 978-0-89239-221-6 (bilingual)
My Name Is Gabito/Mi Llamo Gabito: The Life of Gabriel Garcia Marquez/La Vida De Gabriel Garcia Marquez by Monica Brown. Illustrated by Raúl Colón. Flagstaff: Luna Rising, 2007. 32 pgs. ISBN: 978-0-87358-908-6 (bilingual)
N is for Navidad by Susan Middleton Elya and Merry Banks. Illustrated by Joe Cepeda. San Francisco: Chronicle, 2007. 40 pgs. ISBN 978-0-8118-5205-0

Nana's Big Surprise/Nana, Que Sorpresa! by Amada Irma Pérez. Illustrated by Maya Christina González. San Francisco: Children’s Book Press, 2007. 32 pgs. ISBN 978-0-89239-190-5 (bilingual)
Old Dog by Teresa Cárdenas. Translated by David Unger. Toronto: Groundwood, 2007. 104 pgs. ISBN 978-0-88899-757-9 (First published in Cuba as Perro Viejo, 2006)
Sacred Leaf: The Cocalero Novels by Deborah Ellis. Toronto: Groundwood,2007. 206 pgs. ISBN: 978-0-88899-751-7
A Small Nativity by Aquiles Nazoa. Illustrated by Ana Palmero Cáceres. Translated by Hugh Hazelton. Toronto: Groundwood, 2007. 32 pgs. ISBN: 978-0-88899-839-2
Touching Snow by M. Sindy Felin. New York: Atheneum, 2007. 234 pgs. ISBN 978-1-4169-1795-3
Tricycle by Elisa Amado and Alfonso Ruano. Toronto: Groundwood, 2007. 32 pgs. ISBN 978-0-88899-614-5

2008 Review Committee
Charline J. Barnes (West Virginia University)
Kristel Foster (Sunnyside Unified School District, Arizona)
Jamie Campbell Naidoo (University of South Carolina)
M. Rosalind Santavicca (University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
Patricia Velasco (Teachers College, Columbia University, New York)

Americas Award Winners for Children's and Young Adult Literature Presented in Spring 2007 for 2006 Were.......

Authors Margarita Engle (right) and Jennifer Riesmeyer Elvgren (left)and illustrators Sean Qualls (bottom left) and Nicole Tadgell (bottom right)) received the 2006 Americas Award for Children’s and Young Adult Literature at the 14th annual award presentation hosted by the Library of Congress from Oct. 6, 2007.

The award, sponsored by the Consortium of the Latin American Studies Program (CLASP) at the University of Wisconsin in Milwaukee., was hosted by the Library’s Hispanic Division and Center for the Book.

Engle and Qualls were honored for their book The Poet Slave of Cuba: A Biography of Juan Francisco Manzano (Henry Holt, 2006). Elvgren and Tadgell were recognized for their book Josias, Hold the Book (Boyds Mill, 2006). At the event, which was free to the public, the authors discussed and sign copies of their books.

Engle is a Cuban American poet, novelist and journalist whose work has won such awards as a San Diego Book Award and a Willow Review Poetry Award. Qualls is the illustrator of "The Baby on the Way" and "Powerful Words." Elvgren has been published in Ladybug and Highlights for Children. Tadgell has illustrated a number of books, including "Fatuma’s New Cloth," winner of the Children’s Africana Book Award.

The Americas Award recognizes outstanding U.S. works of fiction, poetry, folklore or selected nonfiction published in the previous year. The works must "authentically and engagingly portray Latin America, the Caribbean or Latinos in the United States."

The Hispanic Division, established in 1939, is the Library’s center for the study of the cultures and societies of Latin America and the Caribbean, the Iberian Peninsula and other areas with significant Spanish and Portuguese influence.

Created by law as a public-private partnership in 1977, the Center for the Book uses the resources of the Library of Congress to stimulate public interest in books and reading. For information about its projects and publications and the activities of its affiliates in 50 states and the District of Columbia, visit www.loc.gov/cfbook/.

Past Winners 1993- 2005

Cinnamon Girl: letters found inside a cereal box by Juan Felipe Herrera (HarperCollins, Joanna Cotler Books, 2005)

My Name is Celia/Me llamo Celia (Bilingual): The Life of Celia Cruz/la vida de Celia Cruz by Monica Brown; illustrated by Rafael López (Luna Rising, 2004)
Sammy & Juliana in Hollywood by Benjamin Alire Sáenz (Cinco Puntos, 2004)

Just a Minute!: A Trickster Tale and Counting Book (Pura Belpre Medal Book Illustrator (Awards)) by Yuyi Morales (Chronicle, 2003)
The Meaning of Consuelo: A Novel (Americas Award for Children's and Young Adult Literature. Winner (Awards)) by Judith Ortiz Cofer (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2003)

Before We Were Free (Readers Circle) by Julia Alvarez (Knopf, 2002)

A Movie in My Pillow/Una pelicula en mi almohada by Jorge Argueta; illustrated by Elizabeth Gómez (Children's Book Press, 2001)
Breaking Through by Francisco Jiménez (Houghton Mifflin, 2001)

The Color of My Words by Lynn Joseph (HarperCollins, 2000)
The Composition by Antonio Skármeta; illustrated by Alfonso Ruano (Groundwood, 2000)

CrashBoomLove: A Novel in Verse by Juan Felipe Herrera (University of New Mexico Press, 1999)

Barrio: José’s Neighborhood by George Ancona (Harcourt Brace, 1998)
Mama and Papa Have a Store by Amelia Lau Carling (Dial, 1998)

The Circuit by Francisco Jiménez (University of New Mexico Press, 1997)
The Face at the Window by Regina Hanson; illustrated by Linda Saport (Clarion, 1997)

In My Family/En Mi Familia by Carmen Lomas Garza (Children’s Book Press, 1996)
Parrot in the Oven: Mi vidas by Victor Martínez (HarperCollins, 1996)

Tonight, by Sea by Frances Temple (Orchard, 1995)

The Mermaid’s Twin Sister by Lynn Joseph (Clarion, 1994)

Vejigante Masquerader by Lulu Delacre (Scholastic, 1993)