Center for Children’s Literature

Best Spanish Language Picture Book Award

The Best Spanish Language Picture Book prize is a biennial prize given to a book that was published or translated into Spanish. Award candidates are identified from the annual Best Spanish Language Picture Book of the Year list, which is prepared by the Spanish Language Affiliate (SLA) of the Children’s Book Committee. The award jury is comprised of Spanish speaking members of the SLA, CBC, Bank Street College, New York Public Library, and City University of New York.

As with its English language prizes and lists, the SLA of the CBC aims to help parents, teachers, and librarians choose books that children will find captivating and transforming. The award is meant to encourage more publishers to create high quality materials in Spanish for children.

KidLit’s Livestream: Best Spanish Language Picture Book Awards.
Six time Pura Belpré award winner and Caldecott honoree, Yuyi Morales keynotes | March 10, 2020
The Best Spanish Language Picture Book of the Year 2020

Author Isabel Quintero, Best Spanish Language Picture Book of the Year 2020 Acceptance Speech. | March 10, 2020
The Best Spanish Language Picture Book of the Year 2020

Illustrator Zeke Peña, Best Spanish Language Picture Book of the Year 2020 Acceptance Speech. | March 10, 2020
The Best Spanish Language Picture Book of the Year 2020

my papi rides a motorcycle

2020 Best Spanish Language Picture Book Award

Mi Papi Tiene Una Moto / My Papi Has a Motorcycle
Gold Medal

  • Author: Isabel Quintero
  • Illustrator: Zeke Peña
  • Translator: Andrea Montejo
  • Publisher: Kokila, Penguin/Random House

2020 Silver Medals

  • ¿De dónde eres? / Where Are You From? By Yamile Saied Méndez; Illustrated by Jaime Kim (Harper Collins)
  • Sembrando historias: Pura Belpré: bibliotecaria y narradora de cuentos / Planting Stories: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpré; by Anika Aldamuy Denise; Illustrated by Paola Escobar; Translated by Omayra Ortiz (Harper Collins)
  • Mario y el agujero en el cielo: Cómo un químico salvó nuestro planeta / Mario and the Hole in the Sky: How a Chemist Saved Our Planet by Elizabeth Rusch; Illustrated by Teresa Martínez; Translated by Carlos E. Calvo (Charlesbridge)
where are you from?
 planting stories mario and the hole in the sky

2020 Honorable Mentions

  • Soñadores / Dreamers by YuYi Morales (Holiday House)
  • Alma y como obtuvo su nombre / Alma and How She Got Her Name by Juana Martinez Neal (Candlewick)