On My Papa’s Shoulders

A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
A 2023 Charlotte Zolotow Award Honor Book
Winner of the 2022 South African Literary Awards Children’s Literature Award
Honorable mention, 2023 Children’s Africana Book AwardsA Cooperative Children’s Book Center 2023 Choices Pick From award winning children’s writer Niki Daly, author and illustrator of the Lolo early reader series

Whether it’s jumping in puddles with Tata in the rain, greeting the neighborhood cat on the quiet back streets with Gogo, or holding hands with Mama while rushing to make the bell, walking to school with family is the best. But nothing is better than walking to school with Papa. From high above, resting on Papa’s shoulders, all of the town is in perfect view, and Papa always says "I love you" when he says goodbye.

A sweet ode to fatherhood and the special relationships children share with each member of their family, On My Papa’s Shoulders reminds us that it’s not about where we’re going, but rather the people who walk with us along the way.