Illustrator and children's author Lulu Delacre creates stories about her Latin American heritage to help bridge cultural gaps among young readers. By painting pictures of Latin American people and places, in English-language books, Delacre empowers Latino children to share their heritage with their English-speaking classmates. Delacre will share her stories and illustrations during a Teton County Library presentation from 6p.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, May 16 in the Ordway Auditorium. Delacre will describe how she became a writer, what it takes to illustrate her books and how others can pursue a similar path. The bilingual presentation is free and open to the public.
Delacre's books not only introduce English speakers to Latino culture but also help young Latinos maintain ties to their heritage, says Patricia Rocha, the library's Latino Services Assistant. Keeping Latino traditions and folklore alive gives our children roots,especially as they grow up in two cultures and learn to cherish the language and culture of the United States, Rocha said.
Delacre grew up chasing lizards and climbing tamarind trees in Puerto Rico. She received her first art lessons in Argentina, where her family lived for a year when she was 10 years old. She later studied art at the University of Puerto Rico and L'Ecole Supérieure d'Arts Graphiques in France. The multi-talented author sets a high standard for both the text and art in her books. She has written and illustrated nine books, including Golden Tales: Myths, Legends and Folktales from Latin America and Salsa Stories. This program has been made possible through funding from the Matthew and Virgie O. Dragicevich Foundation and through the general support of the Teton County Library Foundation. For information about the presentation, contact Patricia Rocha at 733-2164 ext. 237.
