Denis O’Leary. Courtesy photos.
OXNARD — California retired educator and longtime Oxnard School Board Member, Denis O’Leary will receive the International Latino Book Award. His book “Popol Vuh Stories for Children” is a finalist for the top prize in the category of Best Educational Children’s Picture Book – Bilingual in a ceremony at Los Angeles Community College on August 20, 2022.
Popol Vuh Stories for Children (published by Floricanto Press) is the first English, Spanish, and Yucatec Maya trilingual children version of The Popol Vuh. The Popol Vuh is the story of creation according to the Quiche Maya. The Popol Vuh was probably written c. 1554-1558 CE. Translated as `The Book of the People’ the book has been referred to as “The Mayan Bible.” It is regarded as an account of “the ancient word” and of the creation of the world. Many of the transcripts of the Popol Vuh were destroyed by the Europeans who wished to bring Christianity to the new founded Americas. Popol Vuh Stories for Children narrates the exploits of the hero twins Hunahpu and Xbalanque in the underworld and their triumph over the Lords of Death, and the creation of humans.
The book can be purchased on Amazon and many on line independent book stores. Also available at Bank of Books in Ventura and Santa Paula.
“I wrote this story to enlighten students that there was indeed a rich history and belief system in the lands before the arrival of Europeans to what is often called the “New World.” History and pride should not be exclusive to convenient dogma.” O’Leary said. “As a teacher, I wanted to show that there was a rich belief system before Cortes and la Malinche changed the lands forever.”
O’Leary has written twelve books, ranging from one adult novel to children’s books about leaders such as Cesar Chavez, Dolores Huerta, and Gabriela Mistral. Other subjects have been about Dreamers, fieldworkers and the detention of children seeking asylum in this country. “Gabriela Mistral: teacher, poet and diplomat” is being recognized with an Honorable Mention by the International Latino Book Awards in the category of Best Children’s Nonfiction Picture Book – Spanish or Bilingual.
His book, “Esteban’s Caravan” was awarded the Gold Medal in the category of Best Young Adult Fiction Book by the International Latino Book Awards in 2021.
The 2022 Winners of the 24rd Annual International Latino Book Awards are another reflection of the growing quality of books by and about Latinos. The Awards celebrates books in English, Spanish and Portuguese. Finalists are from across the USA, Puerto Rico, and 14 other countries.
The Awards are produced by Empowering Latino Futures, a nonprofit organization co-founded in 1997 by Edward James Olmos and Kirk Whisler.
