Going Down Home with Daddy
Written by Kelly Starling Lyons
Illustrated by Daniel Minter
Touching and enlightening, this is the story of one family in particular and every family, at the same time. Lil Alan and his immediate family make their annual trek to the farm where his great grandmother lives. They start out early in the morning and arrive just as Granny is feeding her chickens. They spend the weekend playing with cousins and attending services at Granny’s church. On Sunday evening, the children each makes a presentation based on what the family means to them. Lil Alan worries that he won’t have anything to present, but he discovers that whatever he feels is legitimate.
Throughout the story, the author and the illustrator show images of growth and branching, relating Lil Alan’s experience to the family tree and how that tree has been cultivated by each family member. Granny is both the root and the branches of that tree. Even her chickens are part of the cultivation. The story and the illustrations are both gorgeous.
The story shows the strength and importance of family and family history, especially among those of African descent.
Title: Going Down Home with Daddy- Author: Kelly Starling Lyons
- Illustrator: Daniel Minter
- Publisher: Peachtree Publishers, 2019
- Reviewer: Sue Poduska
- Format: Hardcover, 32 pages
- Grade Level: PreK to 3
- Genre: Picture book, Family
- ISBN: 978-1-56145-938-4