FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

2005 LATINO BOOK AWARDS - WINNING ENTRIES

A list of winners of the 2005 Latino Book Awards

New York, June 3, 2005 - In recognition of the many positive contributions being made to the world of Latino literature by publishers and writers, Latino Literacy Now has created its Annual Latino Book Awards. A call for nominations was announced at the beginning of the year. A record number of entries followed from publishers and authors from throughout the United States and Latin America. The entries were then sent out to judges from a wide range of backgrounds across the country.

The ballots were tabulated and the awards were presented on June 3rd at the Club Restaurant in Madison Square Garden. Many of the award winners were present as they were already in New York City for publishing industry tradeshow BookExpo America, which took place at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center from June 2-5.

The 2005 Latino Book Award Winners:

Category A.
Children and Young Adult Books

Best Educational Children’s Book - Spanish or Bilingual
Title: Alexander Hamilton
Author: Aleine Degraw         
Publisher: Rosen Publishing/Buenas Letras

Best Children’s Picture Book - English
Title: Elena's Serenade         
Author: Campbell Geeslin                       
Illustrator: Ana Juan
Publisher: Anne Schwartz Books/Atheneum Books for Young Readers

Best Children’s Picture Book - Spanish
Title: Harry, el perrito sucio               
Author: Gene Zion                  
Illustrator: Margaret Bloy Graham
Publisher: Rayo

Best Children’s Picture Book – Bilingual (Tie)
Title: La Llorona                  
Author: Joe Hayes
Illustrator: Vicki Trego Hill & Mona Pennypacker               
Publisher: Cinco Puntos Press

Best Children’s Picture Book – Bilingual (Tie)
Title: Poetry Zoo/Zoológico de Poemas      
Author: Margarita Montalvo        
Illustrator: Margarita Montalvo        
Publisher: Scholastic

Best Young Adult Fiction - Spanish or Bilingual
Title: El Bosque de los Pigmeos                                        
Author: Isabel Allende             
Publisher: Rayo

Best Young Adult Nonfiction - Spanish or Bilingual
Title: Paul Revere    
Author: Rose McCarthy                   
Publisher: Rosen Publishing/Buenas Letras

Category B.
Nonfiction - English-language

Best Arts Book (includes art, music or photography)
Title: And It Don't Stop    
Author: Raquel Cepeda           
Publisher: Faber & Faber (Farrar Straus & Giroux)          

Best Biography (includes memoirs and autobiographies)
Title: Burro Genius 
Author: Victor Villaseñor                   
Publisher: Rayo

Best Cookbook
Title: Puerto Rico Grand Cuisine of the Caribbean       
Author: José L. Díaz de Villegas                      
Illustrator: Jochi Melero
Publisher: La Editorial de la Universidad de PR

Best Health Book (includes wellness, nutrition and beauty)
Title: Yajé The New Purgatory                                           
Author: Jimmy Weiskopf                   
Publisher: Villegas Editores

Best History Book (includes political)
Title: Opening Mexico                       
Author: Julia Preston & Samuel Dillon             
Publisher: Farrar Straus & Giroux

Best Self-help Book
Title: The Power of Self Dependence                
Author: Jorge Bucay               
Publisher: Rayo

Best Reference Book
Title: Parenting With Pride Latino Style               
Author: Carmen Inoa Vazquez                      
Publisher: Rayo

Best Religious Book
Title: Keys to the Kingdom: Jesus & the Mystic Kabbalah                    
Author: Migene Gonzalez-Wippler                      
Publisher: Llewellyn

Category C.
Nonfiction -Spanish-language or Bilingual

Best Biography (includes memoirs and autobiographies)
Title: Celia   
Author: Celia Cruz w/Ana Cristina Reymundo                  
Publisher: Rayo

Best Business Book
Title: La Ola Latina  
Author: Jorge Ramos              
Publisher: Rayo

Best Health Book
Title: Orientación Para Niños, Adolescentes & Pediatrics               
Author: American Academy of Pediatrics                                
Publisher: AAP: American Academy of Pediatrics

Best History Book
Title: Loteria                                   
Author: Ilan Stavans                
Illustrator: Teresa Villegas
Publisher: University of Arizona Press

Best New Age Book
Title: La Conexíon Atlante
Author: Santiago Martínez Concha                       
Publisher: Villegas Editores

Best Religious Book
Title: El Amante Cosmico                     
Author: Paramahansa Yogananda                  
Publisher: Self-Realization Fellowship

Best Self-help Book
Title: El Camino a la Grandeza Financiera                   
Author: Louis Barajas             
Publisher: Rayo

Category D.
Fiction - English-language

Best Drama (published)
Title: Noise of Infinite Longing          
Author: Michelle Herrera Mulligan                     
Publisher: Rayo

Best Historical Fiction Novel
Title: Tale of the Dispossessed             
Author: Laura Restrepo                       
Publisher: Rayo

Best Mystery Novel
Title: Crimson Moon             
Author: Lucha Corpi               
Publisher: Arte Publico Press

Best Poetry Book
Title: On Tuesday, When the Homeless Disappeared                                       
Author: Marcos McPeek Villatoro                     
Publisher: University of Arizona Press

Category E.
Fiction - Spanish-language

Best Adventure Novel
Title: La Rueda de Chicago                      
Author: Armando Romero                      
Publisher: Villegas Editores

Best Drama (published)
Title: El Fuego de Chango                       
Author: Ernesto Quiñonez                    
Publisher: Rayo

Best Historical Fiction Novel
Title: Aguas Bravías             
Author: Antonio Montaña                     
Publisher: Villegas Editores

Best Mystery Novel
Title: La Muerte de Madame Taconcitos
Author: L. E. Gilibert  
Publisher: Villegas Editores

Best Poetry Book (individual or collection)
Title: On the Blue Shore of Silence
Author: Pablo Neruda             
Illustrator: Mary Heebner
Publisher: Rayo

Best Romance Novel
Title: Frecuentar el Fuego             
Author: Luz Peña Tovar              
Publisher: Villegas Editores

Category F.
Design

Best Cover Design
Title: When I Am/Cuando Estoy  
Illustrator: Dana Regan
Author: Gladys Rosa-Mendoza                    
Publisher: Me + Mi Publishing

Best Cover Illustration
Title: Imagen y Palabra
Illustrators: John Betancourt, Carlos Díaz, Julio Cesar Laboy, Javier Rivera
Author: Marta Aponte Asina              
Publisher: La Editorial de la Universidad de PR      

Best Interior - color illustrations or photographs
Title: Negret Escultor
Author & Illustrator: Carlos Jiménez                       
Publisher: Villegas Editores

Category G.
The Mariposa Award

This award is made to a writer who has achieved excellence with his or her first book.

Best First Book
Title: Grover Canyon                                   
Author: Samuel P. Echeveste                    
Publisher: Hispanic Institute of Social issues

Latino Literacy Now is a non-profit organization that supports and promotes literacy and literary excellence within the Latino community. It also provides educational services related to the book publishing industry. In addition to these book awards, the organization also awards the Latino Literacy Now Lifetime Achievement Award for publishing excellence and holds the Latino Book & Family Festival in several key Latino markets. Background information is available online at http://www.LBFF.us.

For more information contact:

Jim Sullivan
jim@LBFF.us

Latino Literacy Now
2777 Jefferson St. Ste 200
Carlsbad, CA 92008
760-434-4484
Fax: 760-434-7476