The Storyteller's Candle / La Velita de Los Cuentos

The winter of 1929 feels especially cold to cousins Hildamar and Santiago they arrived in New York City from sunny Puerto Rico only months before. Their island home feels very far away indeed, especially with Three Kings' Day rapidly approaching. But then a magical thing happened. A visitor appears in their class, a gifted storyteller and librarian by the name of Pura Belpre. She opens the children's eyes to the public library and its potential to be the living, breathing heart of the community. The library, after all, belongs to everyone whether you speak Spanish, English, or both. The award-winning team of Luc a Gonzalez and Lulu Delacre have crafted an homage to Pura Belpre, New York City's first Latina librarian. Through her vision and dedication, the warmth of Puerto Rico came to the island of Manhattan in a most unexpected way.