reformadeflorida Chapter News

2025 Pura Belpré Donation Grant

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: REFORMA de Florida 2025 Pura Belpré Book Grant Committee

Submissions now open for REFORMA de Florida 2025 Pura Belpré Book Donation Grant

REFORMA de Florida announces its 2025 Book Donation Grant of Latinx children’s and YA books to a Florida library or organization serving Latinx youth. The grant consists of a donation of a collection of 150-200 children and YA books published in 2024, created by Latinx authors and illustrators portraying the Latino cultural experience in the lives of children. You do not have to be a member of REFORMA de Florida to apply.

Your application should explain how your Florida community will benefit from receiving the books, and include your name, email address, phone number, type of library, name of your library, your status as a REFORMA de Florida member (non-members are welcome to apply), and anything else you’d like the committee to know. The timeline for the 2025 Book Grant application is as follows:

  • February 10: Submission period opens in honor of Pura Belpre’s birthday.
  • March 31: Last day to submit grant applications.
  • April 7: Winners announced during National Library Week.
  • April 15-30: Winning library(s) receive donation of books in time for their April 30th celebration of El día de los niños/El día de los libros (Children’s Day/Book Day).

To apply by the March 31st deadline, send proposals to: redeflpurabelprebookgrant@gmail.com

About the REFORMA de Florida Pura Belpré Book Donation Grant

Applicants submit proposals to qualify to win a collection of 150-200 books published in 2024 that were among titles submitted by publishers for consideration to the 2025 Pura Belpré Award Selection Committee.

Applicants may include public libraries, school libraries, and/or other institutions providing literacy-based family programs to Latino communities in Florida.

The deadline for submitting applications is March 31, 2025.

reformadeflorida Book Reviews

“Call me Roberto: Roberto Clemente goes to bat for Latinos” Nathalie Alonso; art by Rudy Gutierrez

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Calkins Creek (Astra Books for Young Readers). 2024.

Reviewed by Alma Ramos-McDermott

Category: Elementary school

Rating: 5 stars

(Includes “Author’s note,” photographs, “Glossary,” “Timeline of Roberto Clemente’s life,” and a “Selected Bibliography.”) 2024.

Exciting, action-filled descriptions of Roberto Clemente’s incredible hits, throws, and leaps that lifted the Pirates to two World Series, are contrasted with the lows he experienced due to racism. Reporters, opposing players, and fans didn’t like that he was Black and spoke Spanish, while teammates ignored him. Roberto insisted on being called by his first name, while reporters wanted to call him “Bob” because it sounded “more American” and made fun of his accent by phonetically quoting him in newspapers. During spring training in segregated Florida Roberto couldn’t leave his far-away room in a hotel for Blacks that was nothing like that provided to his White teammates. The constant prejudices he endured made Roberto more determined to have Latino players be treated equally.

Roberto was proud to be from Puerto Rico, and they were proud of him. After his first World Series win hardly anyone in Pittsburgh cared that he’d had a hit in every game, but Puerto Rico threw him a huge parade. They were always ready to celebrate his talent when he returned home, but Pittsburgh and its reporters only saw his skin color. Roberto was interviewed after his second World Series win and shocked everyone when he spoke Spanish, giving his blessing to his children and asking his parents for theirs. Puerto Ricans were extra proud. 

Rudy Gutierrez’s lively and bold illustrations made with acrylic paint, colored pencils, and crayons fill each page. Scattered throughout are a series of Puerto Rican symbols like her elusive coquis, flag, palm trees, Flamboyan, and Taino petroglyphs, as well as musical instruments like the cuatro, bomba drum, maracas, pandero, and pandereta (tambourine). These hidden jewels, fun for young readers to discover, allow Roberto’s story to be interspersed with his island’s history and music.

From humble beginnings in Carolina, Puerto Rico, to the pinnacle of his success with the Pirates in 1972, young readers will learn about the phenomenon that was Roberto Clemente. Alonso’s phrases from the beginning and end of Roberto’s story states “He lives to swing and slide. To catch. To throw. To run.” These sentences summarize Roberto’s beginning and his end. Though tragically killed almost 53 years ago, Roberto’s baseball legacy in Pittsburgh, and the love he had for Puerto Rico, will live forever in the minds and hearts of his fans.

I really hope this book wins a Pura Belpré Author award as well as an Illustration Award at the January 2025 ALA Media Awards in Phoenix. As a Puerto Rican, it makes me proud. I will be in Phoenix that Monday morning to hope, scream, and shout if/when it wins. Stay tuned!

Highly recommended for ages 6-10.

Note: This review was originally posted in You Decide: Should I read it or not?

Reproduced here as a courtesy to Alma Ramos-McDermott.

reformadeflorida Book Reviews

“Mamá’s magnificent dancing plantitas” Jesús Trejo; illustrated by Eliza Kinkz

Little Jesús #2.

Minerva (Astra Books for Young Readers). 2024

Reviewed by Alma Ramos-McDermott

Category: Elementary school

Rating: 5 stars

Full-page, colorful, childlike illustrations fill every page as little Jesús recounts his happiness at being appointed caretaker of his mother’s beloved collection of plants. From the spider plant’s “bajillion legs” to the “baseball-mitt chair” of her peace lilies, all hold special places in his imagination.

Unfortunately, little Jesús’ happiness is short lived when he finds his mother’s favorite plant looking ill, throws it a dance party, and accidentally breaks its pot. Despite his fears, Jesús tells his mother and learns that breaking the plantita is a good thing.

This sequel to “Papá’s magical water-jug clock,” which won Trejo the 2024 Pura Belpré Author Honor Award and awarded Kinkz an Illustrator Honor, is funny and delightful. Kinkz’s illustrations light up the pages, bringing Little Jesús’ adventures to life. Trejo’s comedic style is interwoven in his memories, while illustrations of seed packets with titles like “Goldfish muerto seeds,” (showing a dead goldfish), “Magical bean seeds” (shown farting), and “Seed seeds” (with one asking “what was the point?) are sure to bring laughs to his young readers.

Recommended for ages 5-10.

Note: This review was originally posted in You Decide: Should I read it or not?

Reproduced here as a courtesy to Alma Ramos-McDermott.

reformadeflorida Chapter News

Delivery of Book Donation Grant titles to Lafe Allen Memorial Library

Saturday August 24, 2024

Former ReDeFL President Alicia K. Long drove down to North Miami from Tampa to personally deliver 100-200 Latinx children’s and YA titles to Edenia M. Hernandez at Lafe Allen Memorial Library in North Miami. Edenia is the 2024 winner of REFORMA de Florida’s Pura Belpré Book Donation Grant.

Alicia, along with ReDeFL’s current Vice-President/President-Elect Lucia Gonzalez, presented a delighted Edenia with the titles. More information about the presentation will be in our September newsletter. Congratulations to Edenia and the Lafe Allen Memorial Library!