I am incredibly honored to receive this year’s Pura Belpré Award. I walk in the shoes of giants who have made the world a better place with their gorgeous storytelling. What a privilege to be in their company. 🤩

Thanks to all who have boosted my #IndustryPolls! So far: 200 illustrators, 41 editors/ADs/others who hire illus, & 17 agents who rep illus or illus-writers have responded. I'll share aggregate results (keeping all participants anonymous unless they give explicit permission) in late Feb/early Mar.

"Esperanza Caramelo, the Star of Nochebuena is a magical realist story about a long-forgotten sugar figurine in a bakery on Christmas Eve." — @karlavalenti.bsky.social mrschureads.blogspot.com/2023/02/espe...