My Papi's Hands

In this lyrical and empowering tribute to Latine laborers, one child realizes how her Papi’s love and labor make their community, home, and future stronger, and illustrates her vow to do the same—perfect for fans of SOMEONE BUILDS THE DREAM and MY PAPI HAS A MOTORCYCLE.
My Papi’s hands are bigger than mine…That’s because they build cities piece by piece, día tras día.
Because of my Papi’s hands, I know what my hands can do. And together, our hands will build a brighter future, piece by piece, día tras día. With lyrical text and striking wood block illustrations, this heartwarming ode to parental love uses the metaphor of a father's labor to illustrate how manos poderosas can teach little hands how to create change within their community.

Melissa Seron Richardson is a Mexican American mom of three who lives in Utah. Having grown up as a mixed-race child, she hopes her work will give a voice and a path to other mixed-race kids to discover where they belong. Melissa is the author of The Last Slice and Five Words That Are Mine. She invites you to follow her on Instagram @melissaseronrichardson.
Edel Rodriguez is a Cuban American artist and author who has exhibited internationally, was the art director of Time magazine, and has created artwork for The New York Times,Time magazine, and The New Yorker, just to name a few. He is the illustrator of many books, including his own The Mango Tree (La mata de mango), Song for Jimi: The Story of Guitar Legend Jimi Hendrix by Charles R. Smith Jr., and Float Like a Butterfly by Ntozake Shange. Edel lives with his wife and daughters in New Jersey, and he invites you to discover his work at edelrodriguez.com.