An accomplished storyteller,
puppeteer, and children's
librarian, Gonzalez started her career in library services to children in 1987 after receiving the Bachelor of Arts Degree in History from the
University of California, Santa Barbara, and while pursuing her Masters in Library Science at the
University of South Florida. She is the author of the
bilingual books The Bossy Gallito[4] winner of the
Pura Belpré Award for Children's Literature Honor Medal and named one of
New York Public Library's 100 Picture Books Everyone Should Know; and Señor Cat's Romance and Other Favorite Stories from Latin America, an Americas Award Commended Title. Gonzalez was named the 1998 Jean Key Gates Distinguished Alumna by the University of South Florida School of Library and Information Science. Her book, The Storyteller's Candle[5] is a bilingual picture book illustrated by
Lulu Delacre, winner of the 2008
Pura Belpré Children's Literature Honor Medal.
REFORMA (The National Association to Promote Library & Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish Speaking)
Presentations highlights
2021 University of South Florida School of Information
Alice G. Smith Lecture "Changing the Face of Librarianship: REFORMA and Library Services to Latino Communities," with Alicia K. Long.
ALA Annual Conferences (1995, 1997, 1998; 2006, 2008) – Presentations included participation in panels discussing Latino children’s literature, bilingual books, bilingual programs and multicultural services in libraries, as well as storytelling performances and multiple author events.[9]
REFORMA National Conference III (2008) – Panel presenter, The Bilingual Mind. Noche de Cuentos @ the Border, program coordinator and performer.[10]
Texas Woman’s University Children’s Literature Conferences (1997).
Awards and honors
2024. "Lucia Martinez Gonzalez Tot Lot," a children's playground, dedicated by City of North Miami adjacent to the North Miami Public Library where Gonzalez served as director until 2023.[17]
2023 Elizabeth Martinez Lifetime Achievement Award. [18]
2021-2022 President of the Association of Library Service to Children.
2008 Pura Belpré Children’s Literature Honor Medal for The Storyteller's Candle/La velita de los cuentos.[19]
1996 ALA/ALSC Pura Belpré Children’s Literature Honor Medal for The Bossy Gallito.[20]
Selected by the USF/SLIS Alumni Society as the School’s 1998 "Outstanding Graduate."
Publications
The Storyteller's Candle / La velita de los cuentos.[21]
Picture Books in Spanish: A Best of the Best Backlist. Criticas Magazine. May/June, 2002.[22]
"Cultural Integration at the Library". Library Services to Youth of Hispanic Heritage: Proceedings from the Trejo Foster Foundation Fourth National Institute. McFarland & Company Inc., 1999.
Señor Cat’s Romance and other Favorite Stories from Latin America.[23]
^Bossy Gallito / El gallo de bodas: (Bilingual) (Spanish Edition): Lucia M. Gonzalez, Lulu Delacre: 9780439067577: Amazon.com: Books. 1999-06-01.
ISBN043906757X.,
^González, Lucía M. (2012-06-01). The Storyteller's Candle / La Velita De Los Cuentos: Lucia Gonzalez, Lulu Delacre: 9780892392377: Amazon.com: Books.
ISBN978-0892392377.,
An accomplished storyteller,
puppeteer, and children's
librarian, Gonzalez started her career in library services to children in 1987 after receiving the Bachelor of Arts Degree in History from the
University of California, Santa Barbara, and while pursuing her Masters in Library Science at the
University of South Florida. She is the author of the
bilingual books The Bossy Gallito[4] winner of the
Pura Belpré Award for Children's Literature Honor Medal and named one of
New York Public Library's 100 Picture Books Everyone Should Know; and Señor Cat's Romance and Other Favorite Stories from Latin America, an Americas Award Commended Title. Gonzalez was named the 1998 Jean Key Gates Distinguished Alumna by the University of South Florida School of Library and Information Science. Her book, The Storyteller's Candle[5] is a bilingual picture book illustrated by
Lulu Delacre, winner of the 2008
Pura Belpré Children's Literature Honor Medal.
REFORMA (The National Association to Promote Library & Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish Speaking)
Presentations highlights
2021 University of South Florida School of Information
Alice G. Smith Lecture "Changing the Face of Librarianship: REFORMA and Library Services to Latino Communities," with Alicia K. Long.
ALA Annual Conferences (1995, 1997, 1998; 2006, 2008) – Presentations included participation in panels discussing Latino children’s literature, bilingual books, bilingual programs and multicultural services in libraries, as well as storytelling performances and multiple author events.[9]
REFORMA National Conference III (2008) – Panel presenter, The Bilingual Mind. Noche de Cuentos @ the Border, program coordinator and performer.[10]
Texas Woman’s University Children’s Literature Conferences (1997).
Awards and honors
2024. "Lucia Martinez Gonzalez Tot Lot," a children's playground, dedicated by City of North Miami adjacent to the North Miami Public Library where Gonzalez served as director until 2023.[17]
2023 Elizabeth Martinez Lifetime Achievement Award. [18]
2021-2022 President of the Association of Library Service to Children.
2008 Pura Belpré Children’s Literature Honor Medal for The Storyteller's Candle/La velita de los cuentos.[19]
1996 ALA/ALSC Pura Belpré Children’s Literature Honor Medal for The Bossy Gallito.[20]
Selected by the USF/SLIS Alumni Society as the School’s 1998 "Outstanding Graduate."
Publications
The Storyteller's Candle / La velita de los cuentos.[21]
Picture Books in Spanish: A Best of the Best Backlist. Criticas Magazine. May/June, 2002.[22]
"Cultural Integration at the Library". Library Services to Youth of Hispanic Heritage: Proceedings from the Trejo Foster Foundation Fourth National Institute. McFarland & Company Inc., 1999.
Señor Cat’s Romance and other Favorite Stories from Latin America.[23]
^Bossy Gallito / El gallo de bodas: (Bilingual) (Spanish Edition): Lucia M. Gonzalez, Lulu Delacre: 9780439067577: Amazon.com: Books. 1999-06-01.
ISBN043906757X.,
^González, Lucía M. (2012-06-01). The Storyteller's Candle / La Velita De Los Cuentos: Lucia Gonzalez, Lulu Delacre: 9780892392377: Amazon.com: Books.
ISBN978-0892392377.,