Daddy-Daughter Day, from Reycraft Books, Celebrates a Family Bond and a Learning Adventure
The picture book captures the excitement, sights, and cultural pride that a girl and her father experience during a trip to New York City.
NEW ROCHELLE, NY, May. 6, 2025— Leading children’s trade publisher Reycraft Books is pleased to announce the publication of Daddy-Daughter Day, written by Dorothy H. Price and illustrated by Bryan M. Wilson. Released on May 6, 2025—and perfect for Father’s Day—the picture book is a work of fiction based on the author’s fond childhood memories of traveling from her hometown in New Jersey into New York City every weekend with her father, who introduced her to the rich and diverse culture that thrives in the sprawling metropolis.
Daddy-Daughter Day begins on a typical Saturday, which for young Avery means a bus ride with her dad into New York City’s famous Port Authority terminal. But instead of going to the Empire State Building, Central Park, The New York Public Library, or any of the other sites they’ve visited on their previous excursions, Avery’s father has a surprise for her. After a subway ride to Harlem, they walk to a building across the street from where Daddy was born. It is 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, James Weldon Johnson, Ruby Bridges, and more. Avery's memorable day ends with a sense of pride and something even better—a snuggle-hug from Daddy.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Dorothy H. Price is a writer based in North Carolina, but a Jersey Girl at heart. She cherishes the childhood trips with her father displayed in her book, Daddy-Daughter Day, and those memories that have lasted throughout the years. Price is the author of the Jalen's Big City Life chapter book series. Daddy-Daughter Day is her second picture book.
ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR:
Bryan M. Wilson is a career educator and painter. He has studied with renowned artists such as Sean Cheetham, Jas Knight, and David Kassan. In addition to his remarkable artistic skills, Wilson has demonstrated a commitment to fostering a vibrant art community. Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, he exhibits throughout the U.S. and abroad alongside other distinguished artists.
“Even though [my older sister and I] were raised in New Jersey, my dad wanted to expose his girls to all of the great treasures that existed in the Big Apple, especially Harlem, the section of New York City he called home,” Price explains in an author’s note included at the back of the book. “The Harlem that created legendary Black artists and activists like Zora Neale Hurston, Lorraine Hansberry, James Baldwin, A. Philip Randolph, Langston Hughes, Billie Holiday, and so many more.”
The author notes that her father was most proud to introduce her and her sister to the Schomburg Center, which is indeed located across the street from the hospital where he was born. In fact, it was that introduction to the Schomburg Center that served as the inspiration for Daddy-Daughter Day. “I don’t remember my age when I first visited, but I do remember the feeling of joy and pride my dad exuded as we walked around the building,” Price writes. “My dad didn’t know it at the time, but introducing me to this wonderful place created a long-lasting memory that would one day evolve into this book. … Those magical moments of learning about people who looked like me will always have a special place in my heart.”
Price also has a special place in her heart for the warm, colorful illustrations by Wilson that add depth and detail to her story. “Bryan's illustrations transformed my text into a visual storytelling for readers who may or may not have visited the special places mentioned in Daddy-Daughter Day, which were captured keenly well,” the author said. “When I first saw the illustrations, I wished my dad were still here to see them. With each page turn, I was taken back in time to when my dad and I actually traveled together on these weekend excursions. That's the beauty of good memories—they last long after the people who helped us create them are gone.”
ABOUT REYCRAFT BOOKS: Reycraft Books partners with award-winning and up-and-coming authors and illustrators, primarily from underrepresented communities, to provide high-quality books that delight, inform, and honor the voice and vision of all children. Founded in 2019, the imprint publishes authentic stories—engaging picture books, transitional chapter books, middle grade books, graphic novels, and more—that build knowledge, perspective, and connection, meeting the diverse needs of children, families, and educators.