What do you think?
Rate this book
She Persisted: Pura Belpré
Inspired by the #1 New York Times bestseller She Persisted by Chelsea Clinton and Alexandra Boiger, a chapter book series about women who spoke up and rose up against the odds--including Pura Belpré!
Pura Belpré moved from Puerto Rico to New York City and became a librarian at a time when libraries were filled with only English language books. But she knew that Spanish speakers would love to make use of the libraries too, and so she persisted in implementing bilingual programming and offerings in libraries across the city. She also wrote stories of her own and translated Puerto Rican tales into English to bring them to wider audiences. She changed the way libraries reach readers and gave Spanish speakers across the city and the country the opportunity to read and find community in ways they never had before.
In this chapter book biography by bestselling and award-winning author Meg Medina, readers learn about the amazing life of Pura Belpré--and how she persisted.
Complete with an introduction from Chelsea Clinton, black-and-white illustrations throughout, and a list of ways that readers can follow in Pura Belpré's footsteps and make a difference! A perfect choice for kids who love learning and teachers who want to bring inspiring women into their curriculum.
And don't miss out on the rest of the books in the She Persisted series, featuring so many more women who persisted, including Sonia Sotomayor, Diana Taurasi, Malala Yousafzai, and more!
Pura Belpré moved from Puerto Rico to New York City and became a librarian at a time when libraries were filled with only English language books. But she knew that Spanish speakers would love to make use of the libraries too, and so she persisted in implementing bilingual programming and offerings in libraries across the city. She also wrote stories of her own and translated Puerto Rican tales into English to bring them to wider audiences. She changed the way libraries reach readers and gave Spanish speakers across the city and the country the opportunity to read and find community in ways they never had before.
In this chapter book biography by bestselling and award-winning author Meg Medina, readers learn about the amazing life of Pura Belpré--and how she persisted.
Complete with an introduction from Chelsea Clinton, black-and-white illustrations throughout, and a list of ways that readers can follow in Pura Belpré's footsteps and make a difference! A perfect choice for kids who love learning and teachers who want to bring inspiring women into their curriculum.
And don't miss out on the rest of the books in the She Persisted series, featuring so many more women who persisted, including Sonia Sotomayor, Diana Taurasi, Malala Yousafzai, and more!
96 pages, Hardcover
Published September 5, 2023
About the author
Meg Medina
32 books690 followersMeg Medina served as the 2023-2024 National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. She is the author of the Newbery Medal–winning book Merci Suárez Changes Gears, which was also a 2018 Kirkus Prize finalist, and which was followed by two more acclaimed books about the Suárez family: Merci Suárez Can’t Dance and Merci Suárez Plays It Cool. Her young adult novels include Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass, which won the 2014 Pura Belpré Author Award, and which was published in 2023 as a graphic novel illustrated by Mel Valentine Vargas; Burn Baby Burn, which was long-listed for the National Book Award; and The Girl Who Could Silence the Wind. She is also the author of picture books No More Señora Mimí / No más Señora Mimí, Evelyn Del Rey Is Moving Away / Evelyn del Rey se muda, illustrated by Sonia Sánchez, Jumpstart’s 2020 Read for the Record selection; Mango, Abuela, and Me, illustrated by Angela Dominguez, which was a Pura Belpré Author Award Honor Book; and Tía Isa Wants a Car, illustrated by Claudio Muñoz, which won the Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Award; and biographies for young readers She Persisted: Sonia Sotomayor and She Persisted: Pura Belpré, the latter with Marilisa Jiménez García.
The daughter of Cuban immigrants, she grew up in Queens, New York, and now lives in Richmond, Virginia.
The daughter of Cuban immigrants, she grew up in Queens, New York, and now lives in Richmond, Virginia.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
March 11, 2025
How many of us grew up going to story time at the library or bringing our kids to the once a hour guaranteed to give them a fun time? Better yet, how many of us have been going to the library from the time we were old enough to walk? At the turn of the 20th century, libraries existed but only for adults. Until a youth entered high school or equivalent, they could not even obtain a library card. Children were supposed to be seen not heard and that trickled to public society, even in libraries. Libraries give pre schoolers an advantage not just through the socialization provided by story time but by allowing these youngsters a chance to read even before entering school. My mom took me to our local library at least once a week prior to entering school. My favorite subject was marine biology and persists to this day. I could not imagine not being able to use a library, but if I had grown up in my great grandparents generation, this would not have been the case. This changed when a New York public library branch in South Harlem hired a woman named Pura Belpré to run the branch. Belpré’s forward thinking ideas would revolutionize the library experience for children going forward.
Meg. Medina and Marilisa Jiménez García wrote a youth biography of Pura Belpré as part of the She Persisted series. Before highlighting Belpré’s life, I want to spotlight this series started hy Chelsea Clinton. She began She Persisted with a biography of Sally Ride and developed it to focus on women who excelled in professions once dominated by men. Astronaut, scientist, reporter, judge, and athlete are all fields considered men’s professions as recently as the 1980s. Women in each of these fields have had to work hard and not give up, inspiring generations of young girls that they too can obtain a job in these professions. I harken to the board game Barbie: We Girls Can Do Anything that Mattel produced in the 1980s. My mom found this game for work and brought it home. In the format of a Candy Land, Barbie made her way from start to finish collecting cards for various professions. She Persisted books take this idea a step farther because the books feature women who entered into these fields and excelled. They persisted that they were just as good as men and persevered. Pura Belpré might not have experienced gender discrimination at her job. She did not even experience much racial discrimination because her job was in essence created for her; however, she changed libraries for children and made them into community centers. This is how Pura Belpré persisted, and both Meg Medina and Marilisa Jiménez García were honored to tell her story.
Born on February 2, 1899 in Puerto Rico, Pura Belpré came into this world just as Puerto Rico became a United States territory. Coming from a family of sisters, their parents were well to do enough that they insisted that their children attend college. Her father had French roots, so Pura spoke Spanish, French, and some English. On the cusp of attending college, Pura sailed to New York to attend one of her sister’s weddings. While there, she heard of a job at a public library in South Harlem. This area used to be a Jewish enclave, but during the 1920s, the first wave of African American and Hispanic immigrants became to move into the neighborhood. The branch manager foresaw the need for a Spanish speaking associate, so she asked about Pura’s sister. At the time, married women did not work; that was the societal norm. Unmarried, Pura interviewed for and earned the job. She would not return to Puerto Rico and attend college there; later the public library paid for her to train as a librarian. Some things are divinely ordained, and Pura Belpré was made to be a youth librarian. Growing up hearing oral folk tales filled with magical realism (shameless plug), Pura started telling these stories to children who came to the library with their parents, paving the way for libraries, starting with her branch in Harlem, to include a children’s section. The library experience for young people would improve tremendously thanks to Pura.
Over the course of her long, illustrious life, Pura Belpré published a number of books for children based on the folk tales she grew up hearing from her family. Her story about a cockroach and mouse was the first Hispano-centric story for children published in the United States. Until libraries began to purchase children’s collections, Pura introduced story time to families by telling the same folk tales that she grew up hearing. They were successful and families kept coming to the library so children’s collections emerged and expanded. In her personal life, Pura married Clarence Cameron White. Over twenty years her senior, he espoused the view that married women should not work, so Pura stayed away from the library for twenty years. The couple lived on Sugar Hill, and Pura encountered a number of famous neighbors including Duke Ellington and Thurgood Marshall. Attending her husband’s conferences, Pura came up with more ideas for the library and wrote more books. After Clarence’s passing, Pura returned to the library as though he job waited for her for those twenty years. She continued to reinvent the way a library would partner with a community and introduced literacy classes for immigrants and free lunches for families who needed them. Additionally she championed the idea of bilingual immersion programs in public schools as means of helping immigrants learn English and American born children learn Spanish (we must be related) over the course of her long, illustrious career as a librarian.
After her passing in 1982 at the age of 91, the literary community bestowed many honors on Pura Belpré. There is a street in Harlem named after her, but more importantly the Pura Belpré Award honors the best Hispanic book written for young people each year. Meg Medina won the award for Merci Suarez Switches Gears, which is the first book in a wonderful series for middle grade readers. Growing up reading the little orange and blue biographies left over from my parents’ generation, I am impressed with the She Persisted series. Authors must relate details and insights from the subject’s life over the course of fifty pages plus illustrations. Readers get a feel for the subject’s life and think wow I can do that too. Pura Belpré instituted many wonderful ideas to libraries over the course of the 20th century. These ideas changed the ways libraries functioned for children. I think sbout the hours I spent in the library as a kid and shudder at the thought that these magical places were once only available to adults. A library is magic, even now. Pura Belpré changed libraries for the better so that families would become more literate and enjoy reading. I hope the kids reading these biographies get as much out of her life as I did because Pura Belpré is an example of someone who persisted.
4 stars
Meg. Medina and Marilisa Jiménez García wrote a youth biography of Pura Belpré as part of the She Persisted series. Before highlighting Belpré’s life, I want to spotlight this series started hy Chelsea Clinton. She began She Persisted with a biography of Sally Ride and developed it to focus on women who excelled in professions once dominated by men. Astronaut, scientist, reporter, judge, and athlete are all fields considered men’s professions as recently as the 1980s. Women in each of these fields have had to work hard and not give up, inspiring generations of young girls that they too can obtain a job in these professions. I harken to the board game Barbie: We Girls Can Do Anything that Mattel produced in the 1980s. My mom found this game for work and brought it home. In the format of a Candy Land, Barbie made her way from start to finish collecting cards for various professions. She Persisted books take this idea a step farther because the books feature women who entered into these fields and excelled. They persisted that they were just as good as men and persevered. Pura Belpré might not have experienced gender discrimination at her job. She did not even experience much racial discrimination because her job was in essence created for her; however, she changed libraries for children and made them into community centers. This is how Pura Belpré persisted, and both Meg Medina and Marilisa Jiménez García were honored to tell her story.
Born on February 2, 1899 in Puerto Rico, Pura Belpré came into this world just as Puerto Rico became a United States territory. Coming from a family of sisters, their parents were well to do enough that they insisted that their children attend college. Her father had French roots, so Pura spoke Spanish, French, and some English. On the cusp of attending college, Pura sailed to New York to attend one of her sister’s weddings. While there, she heard of a job at a public library in South Harlem. This area used to be a Jewish enclave, but during the 1920s, the first wave of African American and Hispanic immigrants became to move into the neighborhood. The branch manager foresaw the need for a Spanish speaking associate, so she asked about Pura’s sister. At the time, married women did not work; that was the societal norm. Unmarried, Pura interviewed for and earned the job. She would not return to Puerto Rico and attend college there; later the public library paid for her to train as a librarian. Some things are divinely ordained, and Pura Belpré was made to be a youth librarian. Growing up hearing oral folk tales filled with magical realism (shameless plug), Pura started telling these stories to children who came to the library with their parents, paving the way for libraries, starting with her branch in Harlem, to include a children’s section. The library experience for young people would improve tremendously thanks to Pura.
Over the course of her long, illustrious life, Pura Belpré published a number of books for children based on the folk tales she grew up hearing from her family. Her story about a cockroach and mouse was the first Hispano-centric story for children published in the United States. Until libraries began to purchase children’s collections, Pura introduced story time to families by telling the same folk tales that she grew up hearing. They were successful and families kept coming to the library so children’s collections emerged and expanded. In her personal life, Pura married Clarence Cameron White. Over twenty years her senior, he espoused the view that married women should not work, so Pura stayed away from the library for twenty years. The couple lived on Sugar Hill, and Pura encountered a number of famous neighbors including Duke Ellington and Thurgood Marshall. Attending her husband’s conferences, Pura came up with more ideas for the library and wrote more books. After Clarence’s passing, Pura returned to the library as though he job waited for her for those twenty years. She continued to reinvent the way a library would partner with a community and introduced literacy classes for immigrants and free lunches for families who needed them. Additionally she championed the idea of bilingual immersion programs in public schools as means of helping immigrants learn English and American born children learn Spanish (we must be related) over the course of her long, illustrious career as a librarian.
After her passing in 1982 at the age of 91, the literary community bestowed many honors on Pura Belpré. There is a street in Harlem named after her, but more importantly the Pura Belpré Award honors the best Hispanic book written for young people each year. Meg Medina won the award for Merci Suarez Switches Gears, which is the first book in a wonderful series for middle grade readers. Growing up reading the little orange and blue biographies left over from my parents’ generation, I am impressed with the She Persisted series. Authors must relate details and insights from the subject’s life over the course of fifty pages plus illustrations. Readers get a feel for the subject’s life and think wow I can do that too. Pura Belpré instituted many wonderful ideas to libraries over the course of the 20th century. These ideas changed the ways libraries functioned for children. I think sbout the hours I spent in the library as a kid and shudder at the thought that these magical places were once only available to adults. A library is magic, even now. Pura Belpré changed libraries for the better so that families would become more literate and enjoy reading. I hope the kids reading these biographies get as much out of her life as I did because Pura Belpré is an example of someone who persisted.
4 stars
August 28, 2023
I received an electronic ARC from Philomel Books through Edelweiss+.
Powerful entry in this series. Medina shares about Belpre's life from childhood through death. Readers see her overcome struggles and unfair practices to become a brilliant storyteller and librarian. Her gentle spirit comes through as she shares about her culture and encourages others to share too. It will be interesting to see how readers adapt this message and make it their own.
Powerful entry in this series. Medina shares about Belpre's life from childhood through death. Readers see her overcome struggles and unfair practices to become a brilliant storyteller and librarian. Her gentle spirit comes through as she shares about her culture and encourages others to share too. It will be interesting to see how readers adapt this message and make it their own.
February 3, 2024
4 stars (I really liked it)
This series is just so great! I loved learning more about Pura Belpre, especially since I have a Pura Belpre Award poster hanging up in my school library! :)
I think Medina did a great job of making all the information understandable and impactful for young readers. The only thing I didn't love was the amount of name dropping as I found it a bit overwhelming.
This series is just so great! I loved learning more about Pura Belpre, especially since I have a Pura Belpre Award poster hanging up in my school library! :)
I think Medina did a great job of making all the information understandable and impactful for young readers. The only thing I didn't love was the amount of name dropping as I found it a bit overwhelming.
March 3, 2026
A short overview of Pura Belpré’s life and career. From her beginnings in Puerto Rico to her career as a librarian, storyteller, and puppeteer, this gives the reader an idea of the vibrant ecosystem of librarianship in New York at the time.
Reference to other big names in New York: Arturo Schomburg, Anne Carroll Moore, and Augusta Baker.
Reference to other big names in New York: Arturo Schomburg, Anne Carroll Moore, and Augusta Baker.
December 31, 2025
I picked this up the last time I was at the Library of Congress because one of my profs from my grad program won the Pura Belpré award a couple years ago and I knew almost nothing about her. this is a nice introduction to her life and legacy. I want to learn more!
October 16, 2023
I love this series! I learn something new with each one I read - and I learned a lot about Pura Belpré. What an amazing woman. The writing and the illustrations bring her to life.
July 14, 2024
Excellent! Everyone should know about this amazing woman. Highly recommended!
July 27, 2024
A wonderful story about a puerto rican woman, a Pioneer for the libraries for puerto rican and other culture stories for children and for books.
February 6, 2025
I was super excited to read this not just because I'm trying to read more Meg Medina books for my National Ambassador for Young People's Literature Reading Challenge but because I've been fascinated with Pura Belpre and all that she has contributed to the literary scene.
December 16, 2024
Ella de origen puertorriqueño desarrolla un sistema de librerías la dedicación a la lectura de los niños y de los libretos para jóvenes
May 18, 2024
Pure Belpre (accent on 2nd E) was from Puerto Rico and was thrilled to tell stories to multicultural and multilingual kids in NYC through her job at the New York Public Library.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews