Pat Mora's Blog, page 61

Sharing a Rich Cultural Tradition: Day 3

Today’s image is a hand-painted suitcase by Mark Molvado.

See over 500 images on the Pinterest board.

See more about Pat’s picture books, The Beautiful Lady: Our Lady of Guadalupe and La hermosa Señora: Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, illustrated by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher and published by Knopf/Random House for Young Readers.

The post Sharing a Rich Cultural Tradition: Day 3 appeared first on Pat Mora.

Sharing a Rich Cultural Tradition: Day 2

Today’s image is a handmade quilt by Doris in San Antonio, Texas.

See over 500 images on the Pinterest board.

See more about Pat’s picture books, The Beautiful Lady: Our Lady of Guadalupe and La hermosa Señora: Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, illustrated by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher and published by Knopf/Random House for Young Readers.

The post Sharing a Rich Cultural Tradition: Day 2 appeared first on Pat Mora.

Roses in December: Sharing a Rich Cultural Tradition

Last December, the picture books, The Beautiful Lady: Our Lady of Guadalupe and a Spanish language edition, La hermosa Señora: Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe were published just in time for the Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe on December 12. One of Mexico’s most-loved stories is told as a story-within-a-story, making it more accessible to children and framing it within a contemporary celebration of the “special” day. The image of Our Lady of Guadalupe is a powerful symbol for Mexicans, peopl...

Visiting Davidson College

What an energizing visit I had at Davidson College. North Carolina was autumn beautiful, and I learned from my hosts, both faculty and students. I thought you would enjoy reading about the Wall Poems in nearby Charlotte and be as inspired as I was by my visit to LEARN Words at the Ada Jenkins Center. I wish that all our underserved children could experience the caring of Director Diane Means. Her commitment and excitement make her glow. When I asked if they’d be celebrating Día in April, Dia...

2013 Mora Award Honors

I am always inspired when I read the annual applications for the Mora Award. How wonderful that my good friends Kay and Dan Moore, both educators, wanted to honor a few of the other libraries which, in the opinion of the REFORMA Mora Award Committee, also merited special recognition. Congratulations again to all the libraries that applied.

“Joliet Public Library staff is beyond excited to receive this honor! Our heartfelt thanks to the Mora Award Committee, Kay and Dan Moore, W.K. Kellogg Foun...

Interview with the 2013 Mora Award Winner

For the third year, I’m honored to interview the winner of the Estela and Raúl Mora Award on my blog. Congratulations, Dr. Jim Blasingame and Tracey Flores, to you and the English Education Program at Arizona State University/Tempe. I was inspired by every application I read, but I don’t select the winner nor the Honor Awards started last year.

Libraries all over the country are curious to know what you did that prompted the REFORMA Mora Award Committee to select your library as the 2013 winne...

November 2, El día de los muertos

El día de los muertos, The Day of the Dead, also known as All Souls Day, is a time for remembering and honoring loved ones. This is not another Halloween. Many cultures have traditions for honoring their deceased family and friends. As I mentioned recently at a reading at Davidson College (NC), although I too enjoy the Mexican humor about skeletons and enjoy annually bringing out my ceramic musicians, I can get frustrated at the level of commercialization (skeletons, skulls, liquor) that igno...

Coca-Cola Company and HSF “Share Possibilities/Comparte Possibilidades”

All three of my children received help in their under-grad years from the Hispanic Scholarship Fund. Each remembers how much receiving those HSF funds helped pay bills. Let’s promote this important opportunity! Let’s alert parents with high school students about this initiative.

From the press release:

The Share Possibilities program grants a total of $200,000 in scholarships to college-bound Hispanic students. Nationally, the grand prize winner will receive $20,000; four students will be awar...

Mini-grants for Día Programs

The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) is now accepting applications for mini-grants intended to allow libraries to initiate Día Family Book Club programs. Up to 15 mini-grants will be awarded at $2,000 each to public libraries that demonstrate a need to better address diversity within their communities through Día Family Book Club programs. The deadline for applications is November 30, 2013.

For more information, and the application form, please visit http://dia.ala.org/dia-2...

REFORMA Announces 2013 Mora Award

As Hispanic Heritage Month comes to a close, REFORMA, the National Association to Promote Library & Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish Speaking, has announced that Arizona State University (Tempe, Arizona) is the winner of the 2013 Estela and Raúl Mora Award for the most exemplary culminating celebration of El día de los niños, El día de los libros/Children’s Day, Book Day. The Mora award is presented annually, in partnership with REFORMA.

It is the second year Mora honor awards...