Celebrating poetry month: Margarita Engle
Above all, I admire how Margarita Engle advocates for forgotten heroes through verse. Her skill lies in unpacking pertinent issues for children without talking down to them, yet her poetry is engaging enough for their parents to enjoy, too.
Margarita Engle is a Cuban poet for children’s books. Engle’s prolific contributions have received numerous honors and awards, including a Newbery Honor. She is a Neustadt Prize Laureate Emeritus and a Young People Poet Laureate Emeritus. She writes historical fiction verse novels to empower children in their identities and heritage, whether it be rooted in feminism or stories that raise awareness about Cuba. Thanks to Engle’s talented pen, historical heroes that were once neglected are being recognized for their contributions to the world.
-Avalon Felice Lee
Margarita Engle
Samples of poetry
Tula [“Books are door-shaped”]
Poetry Foundation, 2013 excerpted poem from The Lightning Dreamer
Tula [“City life is a whirl of poetry readings”]
Poetry Foundation, 2013 excerpted poem from The Lightning Dreamer
Poetry Foundation, 2014 excerpted poem from Silver People: Voices from the Panama Canal
Poetry Foundation, 2014 excerpted poem from Silver People: Voices from the Panama Canal
Poetry Foundation, 2014 excerpted poem from Silver People: Voices from the Panama Canal
Poetry Foundation, 2015 excerpted poem from Drum Dream Girl
Poetry Foundation, 2015 excerpted poem from Enchanted Air
Poetry Foundation, 2015 excerpted poem from Enchanted Air
Poetry Foundation, 2015 excerpted poem from Enchanted Air
Poetry Foundation, 2015 excerpted poem from Enchanted Air
Interviews
An Interview with Multicultural Children’s Author Margarita Engle!
Multicultural Children's Book Day, 2014
Publishers Weekly, 2009 interview
Video interviews with Margarita Engle
Colorín Colorado, 2012 video interviews
5Q Poet Interview Series: Margarita Engle
Poetry for Children, 2012 interview
National Poetry Month: Interview with Margarita Engle
Radio, Rhythm & Rhyme, 2015
Margarita Engle: One voice, two countries
Book Page, 2015 interview
20 Questions: An Interview with Margarita Engle
Toasted Cheese, 2015 interview
An Américas Award Interview: Margarita Engle
Vamosa a Leer, 2017 interview
Author & Illustrator Interview: Margarita Engle and Raúl Colón
Peach Tree, 2017 interview
An Interview with Margarita Engle
Orange County Library System, 2017 interview
INTERVIEW WITH MARGARITA ENGLE
Pitch América, 2017 interview
KitaabWorld, 2018 interview
Two Cultures, Two Wings: The 2019 NSK Prize Lecture
World Literature Today, 2019 speech
Exclusive Cover Reveal & Interview with Margarita Engle: A SONG OF FRUTAS
School Library Journal, 2020 interview
Margarita Engle’s Love Letter From Cuba
Kirkus Media, 2021 interview
Verse Novels
The Poet Slave of Cuba: A Biography of Juan Francisco Manzano [2006]
Pura Belpré Medal
Américas Award
International Reading Association Children’s Book Award
International Reading Association Teachers’ Choice
ALA Best Books for Young Adults
NCTE Notable Children’s Books in the Language Arts
Bank Street College of Education Best Books of the Year
Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books Blue Ribbon Book
Cooperative Children’s Book Center Choice
Booklist Editor’s Choice
CCBC Global Reading List
Junior Library Guild Selection
The Surrender Tree: Poems of Cuba’s Struggle for Freedom [2008]
Newberry Honor
Pura Belpré Award
Américas Award
Jane Addams Award
Claudia Lewis Poetry Award
Lee Bennett Hopkins Honor
ALA Best Books for Young Adults
Amelia Bloomer Book
Booklist Editor’s Choice
Junior Library Guild Selection
ALSC Notable Books
NCSS-CBC Notable Social Studies Book
Tropical Secrets: Holocaust Refugees in Cuba [2009]
Sydney Taylor Award
Paterson Prize
Américas Award
Jane Addams Award Commendation
ALA Best Books for Young Adults Nominee
The Firefly Letters: A Suffragette’s Journey to Cuba [2010]
Pura Belpré Award
Jane Addams Award Finalist
California Book Award Finalist
Américas Award
Amelia Bloomer Book
TAYSHAS Choice
Junior Library Guild Selection
ALSC 2011 Notable Children's Book
NCSS-CBC Notable Social Studies Book
Summer Birds: The Butterflies of Maria Merian [2010]
NCSS-CBC Notable Social Studies Book
Amelia Bloomer Book
Hurricane Dancers: The First Caribbean Pirate Shipwreck [2011]
2012 Pura Belpré Author Honor
2012 Américas Award Winner
ALSC 2012 Notable Children's Book for older readers
ALA Best Books for Young Adults nominee
2012 Notable Social Studies Trade Books
The Wild Book [2012]
2012 Kirkus Reviews New & Notable Books for Children
2013 Bank Street's Best Children's Book of the Year
The Lightning Dreamer: Cuba’s Greatest Abolitionist [2013]
Nebraska Golden Sower finalist for 2015-2016
International Reading Association Top Chapter Book for 2013
ALSC Notable Children's Book for 2013
2014 Cooperative Children's Book Center Choice
2014 Pura Belpré Honor Book
2014 Notable Trade Books for Social Studies
International Reading Association's Notable Books for a Global Society
2014 NCTE Notable Book for the Language Arts
From Bank Street Best Children’s Books of the Year 2014 Historical Fiction, 12-14 category
Silver People: Voices from the Panama Canal [2014]
Américas Award
Junior Library Guild selection, Spring 2014
CCBC Global Reading List
Bank Street Center for Children's Literature 2015 Best Children's Books of the Year
NCTE Notable Children's Book in the Language Arts
ALSC Notable Books in the Social Sciences
CCBC Choices Fiction for Young Adults
CCBC Global Reading List
Distinguished Books of 2014 list, Association of Children's Librarians of Northern California
2015 International Reading Association Notable Books for a Global Society
Drum Dream Girl: How One Girl's Courage Changed Music [2015]
CCBC Choices 2016
Charlotte Zolotow Award for best picture book written in 2015
2016 Pura Belpré Award for illustration (Rafael Lopez)
ALA Notable Children's Book
APALA Award Honor
International Latino Book Award, Most Inspirational Children’s Picture Book
2016 CBC Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People
The Sky Painter: Louis Fuertes, Bird Artist [2015]
2016 Bank Street Best Books of the Year
International Latino Book Award, Best Educational Children’s Picture Book
Enchanted Air: Two Cultures, Two Wings [2015]
2016 Pura Belpré Award for text
2018-2019 Tejas Star Reading List
William Allen White Award Master List
Voice in Verse: Four Outstanding Mentor Texts, NCTE
CCBC Choices 2016
SCBWI Golden Kite Award winner in non-fiction
International Latino Book Award, Second Place, Best Nonfiction Young Adult Book
Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award
Walter Award Honor
ALA Notable Children's Books
Arnold Adoff Teen Poetry Award
Américas Award Commended Book
Skipping Stones Honor Award
2016 CBC Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People
Bank Street 2015 Best Books of the Year
2015 Eureka! Gold Award by the California Reading Association
2015 Cybils Award Nominee
Lion Island: Cuba's Warrior of Words (Isla de Leones) [2016]
International Latino Book Award for Youth Chapter Book
Social Studies (NCSS) Notable Book
CCBC Choices 2017
Nerdie Award 2016
Morning Star Horse [2016]
Bravo! Poems about Amazing Hispanics [2017]
2018-2019 Texas Bluebonnet Award Master List
Banks Street Best Books 2018
NCSS Notable Books 2018
CCBC Choices 2018 2018 International Latino Book Awards
1st Prize in the Best Educational Picture book category
Nerdy Book Club Award Winner
All the Way to Havana [2017]
Américas Award Honor Book
Banks Street Best Books 2018: Outstanding Merit Star
CCBC Choices 2018
2018 International Latino Book Award for the Most Inspiring Picture Book category
Distinguished Books, Association of Children’s Literature of Northern California
2017 Cybils Award Nominee
Forest World [2017]
Green Earth Book Award
Américas Award Commended Title
NCSS Notable Book
2018 International Latino Book Award for the Most Inspiring Chapter Book category
Winner of the 2018 Green Earth Book Award for Children's Fiction
Walter Awards Honor Book, from We Need Diverse Books
Miguel’s Brave Knight [2017]
2018 Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People
Banks Street Best Books 2018
NCTE/CLA Notable Children’s Books in the Language Arts, 2018
2018 International Latino Book Awards: 2nd Prize in the Best Nonfiction Picture Book
The Flying Girl: How Aida de Acosta Learned to Soar [2018]
Junior Library Guild Selection
2018 International Latino Book Award for the Best Nonfiction Picture Book
Bank Street Best Children’s Books
Eureka! Award Honor, California Reading Association
Jazz Owls: A Novel of the Zoot Suit Riots [2018]
Honor Award for Arnold Adoff Poetry Award for Teens
2019 Américas Award Commended Title
Bank Street Best Children’s Books
CCBC Choice
Soaring Earth: A Companion Memoir to Enchanted Air [2019]
Bank Street's 2020 Best Children's Books of the Year
Golden Leaves Award
2019 Nerdy Book Club Award Winner, Poetry and Verse Novels
2020 NCSS-CBC Notable Social Studies Trade Books
CCCB Choices
Dancing Hands: How Teresa Carreño Played the Piano for President Lincoln [2019]
International Latino Book 2nd Place Award for children non-fiction picture book
Bank Street's 2020 Best Children's Books of the Year
2020 NCSS-CBC Notable Social Studies Trade Books
2020 ALSC Notable Books
2019 Nerdy Award for Nonfiction
Dreams from Many Rivers: A Hispanic History of the United States Told in Poems [2019]
2020 Latino Books of the Year, Las Comadres National Latino Book Club
ILA’s Notable Books for a Global Society 2020
2020 NCSS-CBC Notable Social Studies Trade Book
With a Star in My Hand: Rubén Darío, Poetry Hero [2020]
International Latino Book 2nd Place Award for best YA fiction book
2020 Nerdies Award
Your Heart, My Sky: Love in a Time of Hunger [2021]
A Song of Frutas [2021]
Junior Library Guild Selection
Light for All [2021]
Rima's Rebellion: Courage in a Time of Tyranny [2022]
Examples of Recognition
2017-2019 Young People’s Poet Laureate
2019 NSK Neustadt Prize for Children's Literature
