Papa, Daddy, and Riley

Riley is Papa’s princess and Daddy’s dragon. She loves her two fathers! When Riley’s classmate asks her which dad is her real one, Riley is confused. She doesn’t want to have to pick one or the other.

Families are made of love in this heartwarming story that shows there are lots of ways to be part of one.

Seamus Kirst is a writer whose work has been published in The Washington Post, The Guardian, Teen Vogue, Forbes, The Advocate, and Vice.

Follow him on Twitter and Instagram @SeamusKirst or on Facebook @seamuspatrickkirst.

Devon Holzwarth grew up in Panama with the jungle as her garden and parrots and iguanas as pets.

Devon earned her BFA in 2000 from the Rhode Island School of Design, focusing on screen printing and painting. Childhood memories and her collection of vintage children’s books strongly inspire her work.

She currently lives in Aachen, Germany, with her husband, two kids, and beloved old hound dog.

Visit her on Instagram @devonholzwarth and on her websiteopens in new window.

• One of Bank Street’s 2021 Best Children’s Books of the Year
• NCSS-CBC 2021 Notable Social Studies Trade Book
• Interviewed on The Children’s Book Podcastopens in new window

In the end, Riley’s dad helps her understand that families are all different in so many ways not just if they have two dads. No family is more valid than the other because what makes a family is love, not some arbitrary definition.
—No Time for Flash Cards

Crayon and wash textures feature in Holzwarth’s warm illustrations, in which moody shadows and backgrounds convey underlying emotions… the message—that what makes a family is love—is sound.
—Publishers Weekly

A little girl with two dads confronts homophobia…. Sweet if not groundbreaking….
—Kirkus Reviews

Real families everywhere will appreciate the book’s encouragement and acknowledgement that love is what ties them together.
—Foreword Reviews

A must-have for children’s picture-book collections, this is a delightful celebration of what makes a family…. Holzwarth beautifully renders the characters in a variety of hues, making the diversity showcased throughout one of the book’s defining features and adding to the emotional punch of the story. All of the families look different, but the love they share makes them the same. Absolutely recommended for all children’s collections and sure to be a storytime winner.
—Booklist Starred Review

• Representation Matters: The Power of Finding Yourself in a Book (PDF, 474KB)opens in new window
• Watch the author read Papa, Daddy, & Rileyopens in new window. Interested in this book? Purchase a copy to continue (or start) the conversation with the children in your life.