C. G. Esperanza

My Daddy is a Cowboy blends urban living with western cowboy culture - and it does so masterfully. It juxtaposes modern machinery with beautiful horses, all while presenting a wonderful theme about family and community. The togetherness of daddy/daughter time, as well as the broader hint of a community to be supported by in a shared hobby are wonderfully shown here. The art is also very modern and urban, creating a fun mix of visual storytelling. This is one I would heavily recommend, show more especially for the broader horse loving reader community overall. It captures Black joy, horse girl joy, and reading joy all at once. show less

This book celebrates Black urban cowboy culture, highlighting the sweet bond between daughter and father. They wake up early to take a ride through town together, intentionally taking "just us time". The painted illustrations are gorgeous- with bright colors, unique embellishments, and genuine joy on everyone's faces.
I reread this one several times to more fully take in the illustrations. Just amazing. This book would be a great intro to conversations about racial stereotypes, family and show more community connection, and healthy internal dialogue. show less

A magical, rhyming response to why kicks (sneakers) ended up hanging on the electric wires. When a passing loud parade of motorbikes rattles the kicks off the wires, the kids rush to try them on. Soon they’re imbued with magical skills they didn’t have before: dancing, dunking basketballs, doing skateboard tricks, and flying. Playful tone of text, an impromptu party in the streets narrative.

I have mixed feelings about street art. It can be mesmerizing and beautiful, but it also often represents vandalism, and then it all becomes a downward spiral as beautiful pieces get covered over with scribbles and tags from other artists. It's all too chaotic for my orderly personality.

In this book, the rhyming words didn't do much for me, and the art is a bit strange, giving some characters peculiar faces and expressions.

(Another project! I'm reading all the picture books and graphic show more novels from NPR's Books We Love 2021: Kids’ Books list.) show less