¹ú²úÊÓƵÍø

2021 Young Adult Author Award Winner

Furia, written by Yamile Saied Méndez and published by Algonquin Young Readers, an imprint of Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill.

Furia brings us a story about Camila “La Furia” Hassan, a young Argentine girl and fútbol player with monumental talent. Living in a household that considers fútbol a boys’ sport and a society fighting for gender equality, Camila goes against all odds to follow her dreams and her heart.



“Yamile Saied Méndez’s irrepressible protagonist, Camila, is empowered by her passion for fútbol and inspired by the resilience and strength in the women around her,” said Agudelo.

2021 Young Adult Author Honor Books

Never Look Back, written by Lilliam Rivera and published by Bloomsbury YA.



In Never Look Back, Lilliam Rivera depicts the diverse culture of the Bronx and its people through the nascent romance of Eury and Pheus. This retelling of Orpheus and Eurydice evokes the smooth sounds of bachata, joys of Caribbean heritage, and the trauma caused by grief and loss.

We Are Not from Here, written by Jenny Torres Sanchez and published by Philomel Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House.



We Are Not from Here is a compelling and realistic story of teenage friends, Pulga, Pequeña and Chico, forced to leave their homes in Guatemala and embark upon a dangerous and uncertain journey to the U.S. hoping for safety. An eye-opening and timely read.

Members of the 2021 Pura Belpré Award Selection Committee are: Chair Jessica Agudelo, New York Public Library, Queens, New York; Martín Blasco, Washington County Cooperative Library Services, Hillsboro, Oregon; Mara Cota, San Diego State University, San Diego, California; Priscilla K. Delgado, TeachingBooks.net, San Marcos, Texas; Rosa Diaz, Rochester City School District, Rochester, New York; Elisa Anais Garcia, New York Public Library, Bronx, New York; Rebecca M. King, Arlington Heights Memorial Library, Arlington Heights, Illinois.