Daddy Daughter Day

It’s Saturday and that means it’s time for the Daddy Daughter Day surprise! Where will a bus ride into New York City bring Avery and her father this time? What makes this Daddy Daughter Day special?

It’s Saturday, and that can mean only one thing. It’s time for the Daddy Daughter Day surprise! Avery and her father prepare for the newest chapter in their tradition of spending the whole day together exploring new things. This Saturday involves a bus ride from their home in New Jersey to New York City. Aside from their normal stopover at their favorite eatery for a quick bite, Avery and her father do not visit the usual sites.

The duo hop on a subway that takes them all the way north to Harlem and to a building across the street from where Daddy was born, The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture – a national landmark. There, daddy introduces his little girl to important people from the past – Katherine Johnson, Wilma Rudolph, Ruby Bridges, and more. Father and daughter spend the rest of the day walking through exhibits, learning about black history and culture in America. As the day comes to an end and Avery and her father come home, she cannot contain her excitement to her mother and proudly proclaims, “On the next Daddy Daughter Day, I’ll be the tour guide.”

Author Dorothy H. Price takes wonderful memories from her childhood visiting various landmarks around New York City with her own father and creates a beautiful story about a father and daughter learning and embracing their history and culture. Illustrator Bryan M. Wilson masterfully captures the day with vibrant colors and creates scenes that encapsulate the story being told. The result of such detail provided by the author and illustrator bring attention to the following:

• Black History and Culture: The father in this story brings his daughter to another historical landmark in New York City, but not for a typical visit as they had done to the Bronx Zoo or Times Square. His goal with this special visit is to educate his young daughter on black history and culture in the United States and around the world. The historical figures mentioned in the story serve as an entry level introduction for readers to research and learn about their contributions to American history and culture.
• Father-Daughter Relationship: Readers can join in on the adventures of Avery and her father and draw similarities to their own relationships with their fathers and father figures in their lives.
• Father’s Day Planning: Father’s Day is typically celebrated in schools around the country by having students create art projects for their fathers. Daddy Daughter Day can serve as a template for new gift ideas for fathers across the United States. The gift does not have to be something physical. It can be an experience or adventure shared by father and child, which can serve as a gift to be cherished for a lifetime.