Donna Barba Higuera Explained

Donna Barba Higuera
Nationality:American
Notable Works:
    Awards:

      Donna Barba Higuera is an American children's book author. Her debut novel, Lupe Wong Won't Dance, was a Pura Belpré Award honor book[1] and PNBA winner in 2021.[2] Her middle grade dystopian novel, The Last Cuentista, won the 2022 Newbery Medal and the Pura Belpré Medal.[3] [4] [5]

      Biography

      Donna grew up in Central California, surrounded by agricultural and oil fields. As a child, she could be found reading a good book. Her favorite hobbies were calling dial-a-story over and sneaking into cemeteries to inspire her spooky tales using the headstones.

      Donna's Middle Grade and Picture Books are about kids who find themselves in odd or scary situations. She explores themes such as: language and cultural differences and living a biracial life. Donna likes to write about all things funny, but also sad, and creepy, and magical.

      Donna lives in Washington State with her family, three dogs and two frogs.[6] [7] [8] Outside of writing, Higuera works in healthcare.

      Selected works

      Lupe Wong Won't Dance (2020)

      See main article: Lupe Wong Won't Dance. Lupe Wong Won't Dance is a middle-grade sports novel published September 8, 2020 by Levine Querido. Mason London illustrated the cover, and Libia Brenda translated the Spanish-language edition.

      Summary of the book: Lupe Wong is determined to be the first female pitcher in the Major Leagues. She’s also championed causes her whole young life. Some worthy…like expanding the options for race on school tests beyond just a few bubbles. And some not so much…like complaining to the BBC about the length between Doctor Who seasons. Lupe needs an A in all her classes in order to meet her favorite pitcher, Fu Li Hernandez, who’s Chinacan / Mexinese just like her. So, when the horror that is square dancing rears its head in gym? Obviously, she’s not gonna let that slide.

      The Last Cuentista (2021)

      See main article: The Last Cuentista. The Last Cuentista was published by Levine Querido and edited by Nick Thomas.[9] In Higuera's novel, 12-year-old Petra Peña and her family are among those chosen to escape Earth before Halley's comet collides with the planet;she will have to leave many things behind like her home, her friends, and of course her Abuelita or Grandmother. However, after waking up from a 357-year sleep, everyone's memories had been erased except Petra's. Previous Newbery winner Tae Keller said The Last Cuentista

      “certainly veers into the dark end of middle-grade fiction, with brainwashing, ‘purging’, and, yes, the destruction of our entire planet ... but it doesn’t dwell in the darkness, preferring to give its readers healthy doses of hope, wonder and page-turning action.”The inspiration for The Last Cuentista came from a writing exercise involving the fairy tale The Princess and the Pea.

      Awards and honors

      The Spanish-language translation of Lupe Wong Won't Dance (Lupe Wong No Baila) and The Last Cuentista are Junior Library Guild books.[10] [11]

      Booklist included Lupe Wong Won't Dance on their 2021 lists of the top ten "Best Middle-Grade Debuts"[12] and "Best Sports Books for Youth."[13]

      The Last Cuentista was named one of the best children's books of the year by BookPage,[14] The Boston Globe,[15] the Chicago Public Library,[16] Kirkus Reviews,[17] the New York Public Library,[18] Publishers Weekly,[19] School Library Journal,[20] TIME,[21] and The Wall Street Journal.[22]

      Awards for Higuera's writing!Year!Title!Award!Result!Ref.
      2020Lupe Wong Won't Dance ALSC Notable Children's BooksSelection[23] [24]
      Booklist Editors' Choice

      Books for Youth

      		Selection[25]
      2021Winner
      Pura Belpré Award for Children's AuthorHonor[26]
      Sid Fleischman Humor AwardWinner[27]
      Cybils Award for Elementary and Middle Grade Speculative FictionFinalist[28]
      2022Newbery MedalWinner[29] [30] [31] [32]
      Pura Belpré Award for Children's AuthorWinner
      2024AlebrijesPura Belpré Award for Children's AuthorHonor[33]

      Publications

      References

      1. Web site: Morales . Macey . 2022-01-24 . Raúl Gonzalez, Donna Barba Higuera and Raquel Vasquez Gilliland win Pura Belpré Awards . 2022-01-31 . . en . 2022-01-31 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220131155416/https://www.ala.org/news/press-releases/2022/01/ra-l-gonzalez-donna-barba-higuera-and-raquel-vasquez-gilliland-win-pura-belpr . live .
      2. Web site: 2021 Book Awards . 2022-01-31 . Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association . en . 2022-01-31 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220131155417/http://www.pnba.org/2021-ba.html . live .
      3. Web site: Collins Sullivan . Meghan . 2022-01-24 . 'The Last Cuentista' and 'Watercress' win top children's book awards . 2022-01-24 . . 2022-01-31 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220131013836/https://www.npr.org/2022/01/24/1075270242/the-last-cuentista-and-watercress-win-top-childrens-book-awards . live .
      4. News: Italie . Hillel . 'Last Cuentista,' 'Unspeakable' win children's book awards . The Washington Post . 24 January 2022 . 24 January 2022.
      5. Web site: Harris . Elizabeth A. . Donna Barba Higuera Wins Newbery Medal for 'The Last Cuentista' . The New York Times . 24 January 2022 . 24 January 2022 . 24 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220124175634/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/24/books/newbery-last-cuentista-caldecott-watercress.html . live .
      6. Web site: Grilo . Ana . 19 October 2021 . An Author Imagines the Future of Storytelling . 24 January 2022 . Kirkus Reviews . 24 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220124211522/https://www.kirkusreviews.com/news-and-features/articles/donna-barba-higuera-the-last-cuentista-interview/ . live .
      7. Web site: Dumpleton . Elise . Q&A: Donna Barba Higuera, Author of 'The Last Cuentista' . The Nerd Daily . 24 January 2022 . 7 October 2021 . 24 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220124211523/https://thenerddaily.com/donna-barba-higuera-author-interview/ . live .
      8. Web site: About. 24 January 2022. Donna Barba Higuera. 24 January 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220124211528/https://www.dbhiguera.com/. live.
      9. News: Kantor, Emma . Roback, Diane . January 24, 2022 . Barba Higuera, Chin, Boulley, win Newbery, Caldecott, Printz awards . Publishers Weekly . January 24, 2022 . January 24, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220124193121/https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-industry-news/article/88358-barba-higuera-chin-boulley-win-newbery-caldecott-printz-awards.html . live .
      10. Web site: Lupe Wong no baila (Lupe Wong Won't Dance) by Donna Barba Higuera . 2022-01-31 . Junior Library Guild . 2022-01-31 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220131155416/https://www.juniorlibraryguild.com/book/landing/detailedview?itemcode=9781646140329J&name=Lupe_Wong_Wont_Dance_(SP) . live .
      11. Web site: The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera . 2023-04-05 . Junior Library Guild.
      12. Web site: Khuri . Ronny . 2021-04-15 . Top 10 Middle-Grade Debuts: 2021 . 2022-01-31 . . 2022-01-31 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220131155417/https://www.booklistonline.com/ProductInfo.aspx?pid=9746811 . live .
      13. Web site: Khuri . Ronny . 2021-09-01 . Top 10 Sports Books for Youth: 2021 . 2022-01-31 . . 2022-01-31 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220131155419/https://www.booklistonline.com/ProductInfo.aspx?pid=9753026 . live .
      14. Web site: 2021-11-16 . Best Middle Grade & Chapter Books of 2021 . 2022-01-31 . BookPage . en-US . 2022-01-31 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220131150603/https://www.bookpage.com/features/best-middle-grade-chapter-books-2021/ . live .
      15. Web site: Sancken . Renata . The Best Books of 2021 . 2022-01-31 . Boston Globe . en .
      16. Web site: Best Fiction for Older Readers of 2021 . 2022-01-31 . Chicago Public Library . en-US . 2022-01-31 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220131150601/https://chipublib.bibliocommons.com/list/share/200049033_chipublib_kids/2006117409_best_fiction_for_older_readers_of_2021 . live .
      17. Web site: 2021-06-21 . The Last Cuentista . 2022-01-31 . Kirkus Reviews . 2022-01-31 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220131150601/https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/donna-barba-higuera/the-last-cuentista/ . live .
      18. Web site: Best Books for Kids 2021 . 2022-01-31 . The New York Public Library . en . 2023-03-08 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230308132527/https://www.nypl.org/books-more/recommendations/best-books/kids . live .
      19. Web site: Best Books 2021: Publishers Weekly Publishers Weekly . 2022-01-31 . Publishers Weekly . 2022-01-31 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220131150602/https://best-books.publishersweekly.com/pw/best-books/2021/middle-grade . live .
      20. Web site: Blair . Monisha . Speight . Myiesha . Williams . Ashleigh . Worley . Taylor . 2021-11-22 . Best Middle Grade Books 2021 SLJ Best Books . 2022-01-31 . School Library Journal . 2022-01-31 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220131150601/https://www.slj.com/?detailStory=best-middle-grade-2021-slj-best-books . live .
      21. The 10 Best YA and Children's Books of 2021 . 2022-01-31 . Time . en . 2022-01-28 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220128203100/https://time.com/6125916/best-ya-childrens-books-2021/ . live .
      22. News: Gurdon . Meghan Cox . 2021-12-10 . The Best Books of 2021: Children's Books . en-US . Wall Street Journal . 2022-01-31 . 0099-9660 . 2022-01-31 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220131032428/https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-best-books-of-2021-childrens-books-reviews-picture-books-middle-grade-young-adult-reading-11639155340 . live .
      23. Web site: 2021-03-15 . Notable Children's Books: 2021 . 2022-01-31 . Booklist . 2022-01-31 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220131155421/https://www.booklistonline.com/Notable-Children-s-Books/pid=9745857 . live .
      24. Web site: Schulte-Cooper . Laura . 2021-03-30 . ALSC names 2021 Notable Children's Books . 2022-01-31 . . en . 2022-02-01 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220201013437/https://www.ala.org/news/press-releases/2021/03/alsc-names-2021-notable-childrens-books . live .
      25. Web site: 2021-01-01 . Booklist Editors' Choice: Books for Youth, 2020 . 2022-01-31 . Booklist . 2022-01-31 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220131155419/https://www.booklistonline.com/Booklist-Editors-Choice/pid=9743352 . live .
      26. Web site: Morales . Macey . 2021-01-25 . ALA announces 2021 Youth Media Awards . 2022-01-31 . . en . 2022-01-31 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220131155426/https://www.ala.org/news/press-releases/2021/01/ala-announces-2021-youth-media-awards . live .
      27. Web site: 2021 Golden Kite Award Winners and Honor Recipients Announced . 2022-01-31 . Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators . en-US . 2021-04-19 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210419205408/https://www.scbwi.org/2021-golden-kite-winners/ . live .
      28. Web site: 2021 Finalists: Elementary and Middle Grade Speculative Fiction . 2022-01-31 . . en-US . 2022-01-31 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220131155109/http://www.cybils.com/2022/01/2021-finalists-elementary-and-middle-grade-speculative-fiction.html . live .
      29. Web site: Schaub . Michael . 2022-01-24 . ALA Announces Youth Media Award Winners for 2022 . 2022-01-31 . Kirkus Reviews . en . 2022-01-31 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220131005652/https://www.kirkusreviews.com/news-and-features/articles/ala-announces-youth-media-award-winners-for-2022/ . live .
      30. News: Sullivan . Meghan Collins . 2022-01-24 . 'The Last Cuentista' and 'Watercress' win top children's book awards . en . NPR . 2022-01-31 . 2022-01-31 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220131013836/https://www.npr.org/2022/01/24/1075270242/the-last-cuentista-and-watercress-win-top-childrens-book-awards . live .
      31. Web site: Morales . Macey . 2022-01-24 . American Library Association announces 2022 Youth Media Award winners . 2022-01-31 . American Library Association . en . 2022-01-28 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220128160845/https://www.ala.org/news/press-releases/2022/01/american-library-association-announces-2022-youth-media-award-winners . live .
      32. Web site: 2021-06-21 . The Last Cuentista . 2022-01-31 . Kirkus Reviews . 2022-01-31 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220131150601/https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/donna-barba-higuera/the-last-cuentista/ . live .
      33. Web site: American Library Association announces 2024 Youth Media Award winners . American Library Association . 22 January 2024.

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