My Daddy Is a Cowboy

Starred review from April 8, 2024
When Daddy wakes this picture book’s young narrator before dawn, the two grin at each other: “Today, we get to ride together—just me and Daddy.” Taking Daddy’s motorcycle to the ranch where their horses live, the two observe the early morning quiet. The duo next brush and feed horses Power and Clover before saddling up (“If I’m lucky, people will see us ride and we’ll make them smile like the cowboys do”). Esperanza’s thick-stroked oil paintings depict the landscape and the duo’s early morning route (“We pass Mommy’s favorite coffee shop and the place where Abuelita sends money to her sister”), while the narrator’s father reflects on how riding makes him feels (“stronger, safer, and happier”). Together, the creators expertly capture the open feel of early morning alongside the beauty of one-on-one time in this visually immersive story about a child whose “Daddy is a cowboy.... And so am I.” Characters cue as Afro-Latinx. Ages 4–8.

Starred review from October 4, 2024

PreS-Gr 3-An early morning wake-up call is an exciting adventure for the young narrator here, who goes with Father on a horseback ride through the usually busy city where they live. After greeting and caring for their horses, the pair saddle up and ride, relishing the quiet and each other's company, especially Daddy's stories about riding when he was little. The beautiful sunrise reveals other people out, who smile and wave at the pair. It's a wonderful example of a narrative about a family doing interesting things together in their community. The Afro-Panamanian community ties are evident and will provide opportunities for some readers to compare and contrast this experience to their own. It would also make an excellent mentor text for narrative writing. Vividly hued oil paintings are a perfect accompaniment to the text, adding visual details and cultural elements to the story. The pictures also reflect a deep love between the father and child as well as for the horses. VERDICT This is a lovely depiction of a parent sharing their culture with their child in a way that will feel refreshingly new and happily familiar.-Debbie Tanner

Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 15, 2024
An Afro-Latine father and child awaken before sunrise for an early-morning horse ride together. The child, who narrates the story, kisses Abuelita goodbye. Then Daddy and the little one head to the ranch on his motorcycle. They greet their horses: a shiny black mare called Power for Daddy and a spunky brown pony named Clover for the child. They ride their horses through the quiet streets of the city, and the child relishes Daddy's undivided attention as well as the thrill of being the only ones awake. Daddy tells stories about learning to ride as a child, and they see the city begin to wake up. Feeling safe, strong, and happy, the child beams with pride. As the sun rises, painting the sky in hues of pink and gold, the bond between father, child, and their beloved horses is illuminated, and the narrator declares them both cowboys. Seales' quiet yet energetic text brims with details sure to resonate with children, while Esperanza's richly textured oil paintings breathe life and movement into each page. Vibrant colors and abstract design embellishments convey the immense pleasure and freedom felt by both father and child as they connect over horseback riding. A magical celebration of family, freedom, and Black joy. (Picture book. 4-8)

COPYRIGHT(2024) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Starred review from June 1, 2024
Preschool-Grade 2 *Starred Review* Saddle up for the absolute joyride of this exuberant father-daughter adventure, perfect for fans of My Papi Has a Motorcycle (2019) and G. Neri. Dad wakes the young girl long before dawn, the strength of their bond and mutual excitement as palpable as the promise of the day. They cross the city first on a motorcycle, through "a new kind of quiet" while "the sky is midnight black, and the stars are still twinkling," to reach a ranch where their horses await. "But today we ride together, and today I get to ride on the street, like a cowboy." Through a seamless melding of lyrical text and high-spirited full-bleed illustrations, the pair sets out with sheer delight on their neighborhood horseback ride. Using oils on watercolor paper, Esperanza (Boogie Boogie, Y'all, 2021) renders this memorable multigenerational "'just us' time" story through euphoric colors and dynamic movement; the portraiture--both human and horse--particularly transfixes. Nods to the family's Panamanian roots pepper the text and are included in visual touches like Abuelita's coffee cup and a horse's mola blanket. Landmarks in their vibrant urban community ground the family identity, while the horsemanship offers an extra layer of rarefied membership to the girl's pride. A blue-ribbon pick for both story time and home use, sure to delight cowboys both real and imagined.

COPYRIGHT(2024) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

January 1, 2025
A Panamanian American girl and her daddy get up before dawn to ride horses through their town in this atmospheric picture book that celebrates a close bond between a father and daughter as well as contemporary Black cowboys. After Abuelita hands the girl a bag of apple slices for the horses, the duo takes off on Daddy's motorcycle. They leave amidst "a new kind of quiet" while the stores are "dark and empty," and upon arrival at the ranch, the girl's joy as she greets her pony radiates off the page. She is excited to ride through the streets; usually, her rides are confined to the ranch. While riding, she feels "high as the clouds" and "strong as a horse's back." Esperanza's vibrant, detailed oil-paint illustrations feature boldly colored backgrounds that infuse even the pre-sunrise scenes with energy. The sky goes from "midnight black" to "deep ocean blue" and "swirly sherbet colors" as the pair enjoys "just us" time together. The girl's face is particularly expressive and full of light. Seales showcases the respect the two have for horses and their love for each other. The family's Central American roots are highlighted in Abuelita's Panamanian-flag coffee cup, in her traditional dress, and in the girl's use of Spanish and English. Back home, the child triumphantly declares, "My Daddy is a cowboy...and so am I." Marva Anne Hinton

(Copyright 2025 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

January 1, 2025
A Panamanian American girl and her daddy get up before dawn to ride horses through their town in this atmospheric picture book that celebrates a close bond between a father and daughter as well as contemporary Black cowboys. After Abuelita hands the girl a bag of apple slices for the horses, the duo takes off on Daddy's motorcycle. They leave amidst "a new kind of quiet" while the stores are "dark and empty," and upon arrival at the ranch, the girl's joy as she greets her pony radiates off the page. She is excited to ride through the streets; usually, her rides are confined to the ranch. While riding, she feels "high as the clouds" and "strong as a horse's back." Esperanza's vibrant, detailed oil-paint illustrations feature boldly colored backgrounds that infuse even the pre-sunrise scenes with energy. The sky goes from "midnight black" to "deep ocean blue" and "swirly sherbet colors" as the pair enjoys "just us" time together. The girl's face is particularly expressive and full of light. Seales showcases the respect the two have for horses and their love for each other. The family's Central American roots are highlighted in Abuelita's Panamanian-flag coffee cup, in her traditional dress, and in the girl's use of Spanish and English. Back home, the child triumphantly declares, "My Daddy is a cowboy...and so am I."

(Copyright 2025 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)