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From Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC)

A boy describes how his city walks to school with various family members—Mama, Gogo, Tata, and Papa—are predictably different with each adult. Mama walks quickly and gives a goodbye kiss; Gogo prefers the quiet route and doesn’t hurry, allowing time for an encounter with a stray cat; and Tata uses shortcuts and prefers a parting hug to holding hands. But the best school walks are on Papa’s shoulders, where the boy is “high as a cloud and can see the whole world.” Loving relationships shine in the routine of a common daily activity. The mix of shorter and longer sentences and phrasing creates a wonderful narrative pace that is judiciously adjusted across the story to subtly mirror the qualities of each walk. Although no setting is named, this Black family appears to live in South Africa. Honor Book, 2023 Charlotte Zolotow Award ©2022 Cooperative Children’s Book Center     (Ages 3-6)

CCBC Choices 2023 © Cooperative Children's Book Center, Univ. of Wisconsin - Madison, 2023. Used with permission.

From Kirkus

May 1, 2022
The view from Papa's shoulders is sometimes the best view in the whole world. In an endearing homage to fathers and sons, a boy relates his daily routine of walking to school with different family members. Our young narrator tells us that walks to school with Mama take them past the rumble and flash of fast traffic, cars and trucks and feet moving to their own beats; walks to school with Mama always end with kisses. When he walks with Gogo, they veer off the beaten path to avoid the busy roads, and with Tata, who has to stop to rest, the walk ends with a super big hug. But on the rare days when Papa walks him to school before heading to work, our narrator is treated to the grandest view--from atop strong shoulders, overlooking the world. Daly delivers the tale with musicality and joy through uncomplicated yet poignant prose. He captures the feelings of a simple routine with a delight that's refreshing, witty, and just plain fun. With fluid lines highlighted with primary colors, the art is imbued with the same energy, bringing to life a child-centered world. The boy and his family are Black; references to Gogo and Tata (Zulu words for grandmother and grandfather, respectively) suggest a South African setting. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A wonderful tribute to the father-son bond. (Picture book. 4-7)

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