Rafa Counts on Papá

Rafa and his papa 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 papa share.

Pura Belpre 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 Papa delights in spending time with Rafa.

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

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

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 Munoz 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

Rafa and his papa 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 papa share.Pura Belpre 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 Papa delights in spending time with Rafa.

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