Awards & Recognition
Honored for Stories That Matter
Lupe Ruiz-Flores has received some of the most prestigious honors in children's literature, recognizing her commitment to authentic cultural storytelling and the power of bilingual voices.
Pura Belpré Award
The Pecan Sheller
The Pura Belpré Award is presented to a Latino/Latina writer and illustrator whose work best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in literature for children and youth. Named after the first Latina librarian at the New York Public Library, it is one of the most distinguished honors in children's literature.
American Library Association
Texas Institute of Letters
The Texas Institute of Letters is a literary organization that recognizes the extraordinary talent and diversity of writers with Texas roots. Membership is by invitation and represents the highest honor the Texas literary community can bestow.
Texas Institute of Letters
TIL Literary Award
Multiple Titles
The TIL Literary Award for Children's Literature honors authors and illustrators who create literature that depicts and captures the Mexican American experience with authenticity, beauty, and depth.
Texas Institute of Letters
Kirkus Best Middle-Grade Book
The Pecan Sheller
Kirkus Reviews, one of the most respected voices in book criticism, named The Pecan Sheller among the best middle-grade books of the year — a testament to its literary craft and emotional resonance.
Kirkus Reviews
Junior Library Guild Selection
The Pecan Sheller
The Junior Library Guild Selection is awarded to books that meet the highest standards of literary quality and are recommended for school and public library collections across the country.
Junior Library Guild
What Critics Are Saying
“A luminous, deeply felt story that honors the complexity of growing up between two cultures. Ruiz-Flores writes with the precision of a poet and the warmth of a storyteller who truly loves her characters.”
“Ruiz-Flores has a rare gift for finding the universal in the specific. Her books don't just represent Latinx children — they speak to every child who has ever felt like they didn't quite belong.”
“Essential reading for every classroom and library. These are the stories that stay with children long after the last page.”
Bring These Stories to Your School
Lupe is available for virtual school visits, library programs, and literary festivals. Contact her to discuss how she can inspire your students.