Rafa Counts on Papá

by Joe Cepeda

Overview

For fans of Guess How Much I Love You? and Just Me and My Dad comes a heartwarming story perfect for Father's Day about a son and his papá who love to measure everything, including their love for each other.

Rafa and his papá love to count and measure together. They know how many branches they climb to their favorite spot, they know how high their dog Euclid can jump, and they know how far they can run. But there’s one thing Rafa can't count or measure because it is infinite: the love that he and his papá share.

Pura Belpré Honor illustrator and author Joe Cepeda celebrates curiosity and shows the tender and playful relationship between father and son on every inch of the page. With a subtle nod to introducing concepts, from real objects to the abstract, readers feel the immeasurable love of this Latinx family as Papá delights in spending time with Rafa.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780316540896
Publisher:	Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication date:	05/03/2022
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	607,137
Product dimensions:	10.00(w) x 10.30(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Joe Cepeda is an award-winning illustrator of more than thirty-five books for children. He has illustrated books written by numerous notable authors including Gary Soto, Pam Muñoz Ryan, Arnold Adoff, Monica Brown, Julius Lester, and Toni Morrison. Joe is the author-illustrator of The Swing, and several early readers from the I Like to Read Series including Up, I Dig, I See, and I Hop. He received his BFA in Illustration from California State University, Long Beach and is the president of the Society of Illustrators of Los Angeles. Joe lives in Southern California and invites you to visit him at www.joecepeda.com.

Editorial Reviews

05/23/2022

Cepeda offers a STEM-inspired spin on the connection between a Latinx-cued father and son in this appealing, measurement-oriented picture book. Rafa and his papá like to know “exactly how much,” whether it’s the length of Rafa’s toy train, the distance they can run “in twenty-two minutes,” or the height that their dog, Euclid, can jump. When Rafa, surrounded by rulers and an abacus, wonders, “Wait! What about love?/ Can we measure that?” it’s a segue to the more specific math problem of how to quantify his papá’s devotion. Is it “As perfect as pancakes?/ As steady as a Swiss watch?/ Or as deep as the Grand Canyon?” Rafa questions in backyard views of the duo bespectacled in matching black-rimmed glasses and surrounded by gadgets and measuring tools. When the answer unsurprisingly appears unquantifiable, Cepeda’s vivid oil paintings smoothly fill in the blank with a snuggly portrait of Rafa and Papá counting only on each other. Ages 4–8. (May)

Publishers Weekly

"With a dearth of stories showing the camaraderie between father and son, this book deserves a place on the shelves."—School Library Journal

"This colorful picture book is a love letter to math as well as to the immeasurable beauty of love. Readers will have a blast identifying the many items on each page, from an abacus to a drawer full of pocket watches and a bucket full of baseballs."—Booklist

"The pleasure that this father-son duo take in being together is palpable…. A charming book to remind kids that they are loved."—Kirkus Reviews

“Cepeda offers a STEM-inspired spin on the connection between a Latinx-cued father and son in this appealing, measurement-oriented picture book.”—Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher

03/01/2022

PreS-K—Come along with Rafa and his Papá, who both enjoy knowing exactly how many objects—screws, marbles, and more—there are around them and share a love of measuring the world. They know exactly how far they can run in 22 minutes, they measure how high their dog can jump, and they even try to figure out how to measure the puffiest cloud. Together, they break out all types of tools and devices, including measuring tapes, scales, high-speed cameras, and even an abacus. The illustrations are vibrant and full of action. It is also fun to keep watch for a cat and dog who show up in many of the illustrations. Rafa and Papá both wear glasses, have dark hair and eyes, and are people of color. This sweet story ends with a wonderful series of metaphors determining how much they love each other. VERDICT With a dearth of stories showing the camaraderie between father and son, this book deserves a place on the shelves.—Erin Olsen

School Library Journal

2022-04-27
Rafa and his papá love measuring—but maybe some things can’t be quantified.

The two measure just about everything. Rafa’s train? Check. How many branches do Rafa and Papá need to climb to get to their favorite one? Fourteen! How high can their dog Euclid jump? There’s a way to figure that out! But how do you decide how puffy the puffiest cloud is or which ball is the bounciest? More important, how do you measure love? Maybe it’s as scrumptious as the best sandwich you ever ate or “as long and floaty” as a boat. How much does Rafa’s dad love him? Rafa thinks maybe his dad’s love is as perfect as pancakes and as deep as the Grand Canyon. Papá knows that it is that and so much more, because some things cannot really be measured. This is a sweet book about a father and son who simply love each other. Rendered in oils over acrylics, the illustrations are bright and expressive while the text is simple yet joyful. The pleasure that this father-son duo take in being together is palpable. Kids will get a kick out of all of the contraptions Rafa and Papá make to measure everything they encounter. The pair are brown-skinned and cued Latinx. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A charming book to remind kids that they are loved. (Picture book. 4-9)

Kirkus Reviews