Pat Mora (born January 19, 1942) She has produced writing for all age groups, creating picture books, poetry and biographies. Her writing highlights the human and cultural diversity of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. Mora celebrates diversity and is opposed to the idea of an American monoculture; therefore, she is very concerned with preserving cultural heritage: "I write because I believe that Mexican Americans need to take their rightful place in U.S. literature. We need to be published and to be studied in schools and colleges so that the stories and ideas of our people won't quietly disappear." As a writer, she allows a free-flow of ideas in her first draft: she doesn't question her motivation for writing and writes using "as little conscious analysis as possible."

Children's Day, Book Day

In the mid-nineties, Mora founded the community-based, family literacy initiative, El día de los niños, El día de los libros/Children's Day, Book Day (Día). In 1997, she received the official endorsement of REFORMA, the National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish-Speaking for the project. The two part celebration of Día includes a commitment to promote literacy and bookjoy, and culminates in book celebrations that unite communities. When choosing a date to kick off Día, she chose April 30 because it was the last day of National Poetry month.

  • National Hispanic Cultural Center Literary Award (2006).
  • Arizona Governor's Book Award: Confetti: Poems for Children, (2004).

Mora has received Honorary Doctorates in Letters from North Carolina State University and SUNY Buffalo and is an Honorary Member of the American Library Association. She was a recipient of a Civitella Ranieri Fellowship to write in Umbria, Italy. She was a Visiting Carruthers Chair at the University of New Mexico, a recipient and judge of the Poetry Fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, and a recipient and advisor of the Kellogg National Fellowships.

Bibliography

Adult Books: Nonfiction

Young Adult Books: Poetry

  • La Migra

Children's Books:

  • Bravo, Chico Canta! Bravo!
  • The Desert Is My Mother/El desierto es mi madre(bilingual)
  • Abuelos
  • The Bakery Lady/La señora de la panaderia (bilingual)
  • Listen to the Desert: Oye al desierto
  • My Family/Mi Familia series: Here Kitty, Kitty/¡Ven gatita, ven! (bilingual)
  • The Night the Moon Fell

Family

Pat Mora raised her 3 children and worked in El Paso until 1989, when she moved to Cincinnati, Ohio. She lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

References