Seales, Stephanie. My Daddy is a Cowboy. Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2024. 978-1-419-76081-5. 40 p. $18.99. Grades K-3. 

When a father wakes his daughter for a pre-dawn horse riding adventure, she is excited to have some “just us time.” The pair dress quietly, retrieve a bag of apple slices from Abelita, and ride a motorcycle across the city to a ranch. They feed the horses the snack they’ve brought, gently brush and saddle them, and set off for their ride. The narrator explains how she usually rides after school at the ranch with the other kids, and her father usually rides in the early mornings on the streets with his friends. But today, he takes her out on the streets for the first time, just the two of them. They ride together through dark neighborhoods, laughing and telling stories. These small shared moments celebrate the father-daughter bond and also provide loving opportunities to pass down cultural tales and traditions. Bright oil painted illustrations echo the love between father and daughter, and small details, like Abuelita’s mug and a Mola blanket wall hanging, offer nods to the family’s Panamanian heritage. 

THOUGHTS: This story is reminiscent of My Papi Has a Motorcycle and will attract a similar audience. It will also be an excellent narrative writing mentor text for upper elementary classrooms. 

Picture Book