Other literary forms
Pat Mora is noted as a poet and a writer of children’s work. Both personally and as a writer, she is an advocate for education, literacy, and cultural appreciation. She often publishes her works as bilingual editions with Spanish and English on facing pages. Her works for children include collections of poetry, picture books, and retellings of Mayan, Mexican, and Latino folktales. Her writings for children are subtly infused with the values of cultural diversity and cultural memory, and her nonfiction essays in Nepantla: Essays from the Land in the Middle (1993) explicitly draw the connection between diversity and democracy.
Achievements
Pat Mora is one of the most widely recognized and acclaimed writers and poets in the United States, having earned the respect of adults as well as young readers. Although she often writes about Latin American characters, culture, history, mythology, and religion, her appeal transcends boundaries, and her work is widely read, anthologized, and studied. She is also well known as an activist and lecturer. She has worked extensively to promote libraries and literacy and founded El día de los niños/El día de los libros (Children’s Day/Book Day), a national celebration of children, families, and reading that occurs on April 30 every year. The event is widely celebrated, especially by schools, libraries, community organizations, and booksellers.
Mora’s awards, fellowships, and grants for writing are numerous. She received the Poetry Award, New America from the Women Artists and Writers of the Southwest (1982), the Poetry Award from the Conference of Cincinnati Women (1990), the Ohioana Award for children’s literature (2000), the National Hispanic Cultural Center Literary Award (2006), the Roberta Long Medal (2007), the Luis Leal Award for Distinction in Chicano/Latino Letters (2008), and the University of Southern Mississippi Medallion for Outstanding Contributions to Children’s Literature, Hattiesburg (2008). She won the Harvey L. Johnson Book Award from the Southwest Council of Latin American Studies (1984), and the Southwest Book Award from the Border Regional Library Association (1985), both for Chants; the Southwest Book Award (1987) for Borders; the Southwest Book Award and the Premio Aztlán Literature Award (both in 1997) for House of Houses; the International Latino Book Award, Best Poetry in English (2007), the WILLA Literary Award Finalist, Women Writing the West (2007), the Bronze Medal in Poetry, Independent Publisher Book Awards (2007), and the Mountains and Plains Independent Booksellers Association Poetry Award (2008) for Adobe Odes. Her children’s and young adult books are frequently listed among the American Library Association’s Notable Books and New York Public Library’s recommended books lists and have won such major awards as the Pura Belpré Honor Award (2005) and the International Latino Book Award for Best Children’s Picture Book (2009). Yum! Mmmm! Qué Rico! Americas’ Sproutings was selected to the lists of Lasting Connections by Book List (2007), Best of the Best Books by Chicago Public Library (2008), Best Children’s Books of the Year by Bank Street (2008), and Notable Books by the American Library Association (2008). It also received the Amérias Award (2008). Mora holds honorary doctorates of letters from the State University of New York, Buffalo, and North Carolina State University, and she was given a prestigious honorary membership in the American Library Association.
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