Introduce your little ones to the first Puerto Rican librarian in New York City, Pura Belpré, in both English and Spanish! Pura Belpré was born on February 2, 1899 in Cidra, Puerto Rico. A gifted puppeteer and storyteller, Belpré captivated millions of bilingual readers across New York City - and worldwide. Her children's book, Perez y Martina , became the first Spanish language children's book published by a mainstream U.S. press. She left such a lasting impact on the reading world and Latino community that the Pura Belpré Award is named in honor her legacy.