Alma Flor Ada & F. Isabel Campoy

Alma Flor Ada

almafloradaProfessor Emerita at the University of San Francisco, has devoted her life to advocacy for peace by promoting a pedagogy oriented to personal realization and social justice. A former Radcliffe Scholar at Harvard University and Fulbright Research Scholar she is an internationally re-known speaker. Dr Ada’s professional books for educators, include A Magical Encounter: Latino Children’s Literature in the Classroom, and Authors in the Classroom: A Transformative Education Process co-authored with F. Isabel Campoy, about their work promoting authorship in students, teachers, and parents.

Alma Flor’s numerous children’s books of poetry, narrative, folklore and non fiction have received prestigious awards; among many: Christopher Medal (The Gold Coin), Pura Belpré Medal (Under the Royal Palms), Once Upon a World (Gathering the Sun), Parents’ Choice Honor (Dear Peter Rabbit), NCSS and CBC Notable Book (My Name is María Isabel), Marta Salotti Gold Medal (Encaje de piedra). In 2012 she received the Virginia Hamilton Literary Award in recognition of her body of work for children. Dr Ada is also the author of a book of memoirs, Vivir en dos idiomas, two novels for adults, En clave de sol and A pesar del amor.

She has been awarded the Distinguished Professor Award at the University of San Francisco, the American Education Research Association [AERA] Hispanic Issues Award for Research in Elementary, Secondary and Postsecondary Education; the California Association for Bilingual Education [CABE] Life Long Award; the California Council for Higher Education 2011 Award; the 2012 Literary Award of the American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education, and the OHTLI Award from the Mexican Government. Dr. Ada has also established an endowment for the California Association for Bilingual Education (CABE) to provide scholarships for future teachers.

More info: www.almaflorada.com / Facebook Fanpage / Wikipedia

F. Isabel Campoy

isabelcampoyCould be described in her own words as a venturous, adventurous, international, multilingual, multicultural, mestiza. She obtained her degree in Philology from University Complutense of Madrid. For her post graduate work she was a Ford Scholar at Reading University in England, and a Fulbright Scholar at UCLA. She is the author of over 150 titles in Spanish and English, including children’s books in the areas of poetry, theatre, stories, biographies, and art, as well as books for educators in the areas of Transformative Education, Second Language Acquisition and Authentic Writing. Her work aims at providing children keys to interpret the world in a fun, challenging, and affirmative way.

As a researcher she has also published extensively bringing to the curriculum an awareness of the richness of the Hispanic culture. Her educational specializations are in the area of literacy and home school interaction, topics on which she lecturers nationally and internationally. CABE (The American Association for Bilingual Education) has established in her name an endowment to provide scholarships for future teachers.

Among numerous awards she has been recognized with the Laureate Award from the San Francisco Public Library; the 2005 Reading the World Award from the University of San Francisco, and the ALA Notable Book Award; has been six times a Junior Library Guild Selection, included in Kirkus Best Books, and Nick Jr. Best Book of the Year. She is a Contributing Member of the North American Academy of the Spanish Language and member of the American Academy of Poets, as well as several organizations for the advancement of multicultural awareness and world peace.

More info: www.isabelcampoy.com / Facebook Fanpage