How one Puerto Rican librarian transformed the New York Public Library and children’s literature forever
Pura Belpré arrived in New York City in 1921 intending to stay for a wedding. She ended up changing what American libraries could be. As the first Puerto Rican librarian hired by the New York Public Library, Belpré didn’t just shelve books, she created the library’s first bilingual story hours, built Spanish-language collections for immigrant families, and published Puerto Rican folktales that had never before appeared in print. Her debut book, Pérez and Martina (1932), was the first Puerto Rican folk story published in the United States. This This Month™ Close-up guide introduces K–5 students to her life, her books, and her legacy through grade differentiated reading passages, a biographical timeline, discussion questions, and Explore More writing activities. Published for Latino Books Month and aligned to Georgia GSE, North Carolina, Common Core, New York State, and New Jersey ELA standards.
Pair this guide with our Pura Belpré Award Book Recommender to help students find their next read.
Who was Pura Belpré and why does she matter in children’s literature?
Pura Belpré (1899–1982) was a Puerto Rican author, storyteller, and librarian who became the first Puerto Rican librarian hired by the New York Public Library in 1921. She used that position to host bilingual Spanish-English story hours, collect and retell Puerto Rican folktales, and ensure Spanish-speaking immigrant families felt welcomed by a public institution, long before bilingual services were standard. Her work helped establish the foundation for bilingual library programming across the United States.
Belpré’s significance goes beyond firsts. She worked at a time when New York’s Puerto Rican community was growing rapidly, and the library (which was one of the few free public institutions in the city), was often inaccessible to families who didn’t speak English. By hosting story hours in Spanish, performing traditional puppet shows, and insisting that libraries carry Spanish-language books, she made the case that a public library truly belongs to everyone. That argument still resonates in library policy today.
How did Pura Belpré become the first Puerto Rican librarian at the NYPL?
Pura Belpré emigrated from Puerto Rico to New York City in 1921 to attend her sister’s wedding and ended up staying when she was hired as a library assistant at the 135th Street branch of the New York Public Library. She trained formally as a librarian and served at multiple NYPL branches in Harlem and the South Bronx, organizing the library’s first bilingual story hours and building Spanish-language collections for immigrant communities.
The 135th Street branch where Belpré first worked sat in the heart of Harlem during the Harlem Renaissance – a neighborhood buzzing with cultural energy and a rapidly growing Puerto Rican population. Her supervisor at the NYPL recognized that the library needed someone who could reach Spanish-speaking families, and Belpré threw herself into the role. She didn’t just learn the job – she invented much of it, organizing the first bilingual children’s program the library had ever offered. She went on to serve branches in East Harlem and the South Bronx over a career spanning more than four decades.
What books did Pura Belpré write and why are they important?
Pura Belpré’s most celebrated book is Pérez and Martina (1932), a Puerto Rican folktale about a cockroach and a mouse – the first Puerto Rican folk story published in the United States. She also wrote Ote: A Puerto Rican Folk Tale, Juan Bobo and the Queen’s Necklace, and The Tiger and the Rabbit. Her books preserved oral storytelling traditions that might otherwise have been lost, making Puerto Rican folklore accessible to generations of children.
What is the Pura Belpré Award and who is it for?
The Pura Belpré Award is given annually by the American Library Association to a Latino or Latina writer and illustrator whose work best portrays and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in children’s literature. Established in 1996 and co-sponsored by REFORMA and ALSC, it honors Belpré’s pioneering role as a storyteller and librarian. It is one of the most prestigious awards in Latino children’s publishing, awarded separately to an author and an illustrator each year.
By AKL 121
