Pura Belpre (1899–1982)

When Señor Lion and Señora Lioness find themselves facing hard times, the hungry couple decide to throw a party, inviting all their animal friends, including Señor and Señora Goat. But their carefully laid plans - featuring a large pit, some surreptitious pushing, and a juicy goat-meat meal - begin to go awry when thin Señor Goat arrives with his friend, Señor Dog, rather than his plump wife; and come to nothing when the two friends catch on to the scheme, and slip discreetly away. show more Will they be able to escape hungry Señor Lion, who pursues them...?

Originally published in Pura Belpré's The Tiger and the Rabbit and Other Tales, this Puerto Rican folktale is the kind of humorous animal adventure that young readers enjoy, although particularly sensitive children may be put off by the idea of the lions eating their "friends." Like Belpré's Oté: A Puerto Rican Folk Tale, the artwork here is done by Paul Galdone, who manages to capture the sly intentions of the leonine characters with his expressive illustrations. show less

Pura Belpré's second collection of folktales, following upon The Tiger and the Rabbit and Other Tales, Once in Puerto Rico contains sixteen stories taken from the indigenous Taino and settler Spanish traditions of the author's native island. A brief introduction outlines the history of "Boriquen" (The Land of Brave Men), originally settled by Arawak Indians from South America, then colonized by the Spaniards under Christopher Columbus - a violent, and often tragic process that eventually show more resulted in the mixed culture of modern-day Puerto Rico.

The selections presented here range from pourquoi tales like The Legend of the Royal Palm, which tells of the Taino singer Milomaki, whose fame aroused the jealousy of the gods, leading to his persecution at the hands of his fellow men, and his eventual transformation (as a means of escape) into the first Royal Palm; to historical legends such those recorded in the Three Tales of Old San Juan, explaining how The Chapel on Cristo Street came to be built, how The Cistern of San Cristóbal reclaimed its stone figure, and how The Rogativa saved San Juan from the invading English in 1797.

A few of these stories, like The Legend of the Hummingbird - a "Romeo and Juliet" type tale, in which a Taino girl and Carib boy fall in love, and are eventually transformed into a red flower and a hummingbird - were already known to me, through other retellings, but this was my first encounter with the majority of the tales in Once in Puerto Rico. I was fascinated by Amapola and the Butterfly, which tells of a young woman who almost comes to a terrible end when she is tricked by the forest witch - in the guise of a butterfly - into entering the dangerous caves up in the hills. The narrative concludes with the information that mothers still use this story to warn their children away from the caves, and I found myself thinking of Little Red Riding Hood, another cautionary tale meant to keep children out of danger.

Many of the tales here are set during the tumultuous early days of Spanish settlement, and while some turn out better than others, there is a terrible note of violence to them. Yuisa and Pedro Mexias, another cross-cultural love story, involves a Taino woman and Spanish man who fight together against a Carib invasion, Iviahoca concerns a Taino woman who must carry a message from Don Diego de Salazar to Don Ponce de León, in order to free her captive son, and The Legend of the Ceiba of Ponce presents the story of a group of Taino who are saved from the pursuing Spaniards by a massive Ceiba tree.

Here are marvels like The Little Blue Light, which saves a group of Franciscan friars from massacre, or The Miracle of Hormigueros, in which a young girl lost in the mountains of western Puerto Rico is saved by our Lady of Montserrate. Here is the trickster Pedro Animala, who, in Pedro Animala and the Carrao Bird, manages to convince a housewife that his bird can foretell the future, and here is hidden treasure and a restless spirit, in Pablo and the Pirate's Ghost. Finally, the selections also include Guani, a charming Taino tale in which a simple shepherd is given a flute by the Spirit of the Cave, and the humorous The Parrot Who Wouldn't Say Cataño, in which a sailor finally gets his bird to do what he wants, by giving him away.

I enjoyed Once in Puerto Rico immensely, from the historical legends of Old San Juan (I've visited San Cristóbal!) to the tales set in the highland rainforest, which reminded me of our trip to El Yunque. I also learned a little something, about the history and culture of Puerto Rico. I'm glad I requested this through inter-library loan, and look forward to reading Belpré's earlier anthology. show less

In this poignant picture-book exploration of a young boy's sense of displacement, when his family moves from Puerto Rico to New York City, the eponymous Santiago longs for the familiar, particularly his beloved pet hen, Selina, whom he had to leave behind. Will he ever convince his skeptical classmate, Ernie, that Selina was real? And why is it so important that he do so...?

Some of the details in Santiago seemed a little dated - I have difficulty imagining a teacher today having the show more authority to take her class to the home of one of her students, or down to the river to play; and many young readers probably won't know what a stereoscope is - but the emotional undercurrents are as relevant as they ever were. Young immigrant children, of all backgrounds, will identify with Santiago, described by his teacher as being "in two places at once," as will any child who has moved to a new town.

The ninth book I have read by Pura Belpré - a Puerto Rican librarian and author, whose work in advancing library services to Spanish-speaking patrons, as well as in promoting the folklore of her homeland, was recognized when the Pura Belpré Award was named after her - Santiago is the first which was not a folktale. I enjoyed this portrait of a (then) contemporary Puerto Rican boy, and wish that Belpré had written more like it. The evocative illustrations by Symeon Shimin - which look to be done in watercolor - accentuate the emotional impact of the story. All in all, a lovely little title! show less

Originally published in 1932, Perez and Martina marked the beginning of Pura Belpré's literary career, one that - like her work as a storyteller and children's librarian at the New York Public Library - was largely devoted to promoting the culture and folklore of her native Puerto Rico in the United States, and to improving library services for the Puerto Rican community of New York. Her pioneering role, in making the public library an institution accessible to the wider Latino community, show more was recognized in 1996 by the National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish-Speaking, who named their award for excellence in children's literature the Pura Belpré Award.

Don't expect a "happily ever after" ending from this Puerto Rican folktale, which follows the pretty little cockroach Martina, as she receives and rejects numerous marriage proposals, until finally the charming mouse Perez succeeds in making her a bride. All is well with the happy newlyweds, until Martina decides to try a new recipe, and Perez - seduced by the delicious odor, and longing to have a taste - leans too far over the kettle, falls in, and is cooked to death.

Yes. The newly wedded husband is accidentally cooked to death - in his wife's kettle. This surprise ending will undoubtedly shock and distress more sensitive younger readers, so parents should be aware of it. Oddly enough, I found it somewhat amusing, if only because it was so wholly unexpected. The accompanying illustrations by Carlos Sanchez (yes, there is a spread of Perez, with his feet sticking out of the kettle) have an old-fashioned charm, with their bright colors and bold design. I think any reader who can get through the Brothers Grimm, can probably handle Perez and Martina, which I would recommend to all folklore lovers and Pura Belpré fans. show less