My Papa Has a Red Mustache

Author Leo Espinosa On Tour
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Hardcover
$18.99 US
On sale Jun 02, 2026 | 40 Pages | 9780593811603

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A heartfelt and humorous story about a young girl who adores everything about her papa – except for his embarrassing mustache – from a New York Times bestselling illustrator and Pura Belpré Honor recipient.

Papa is a fearless pillow fighter, a pancake ninja, and a pigtail artist – that’s what his daughter thinks. There’s just one problem. Papa has a red mustache. While every other man has a black mustache, Papa is the only man with a red one. It’s embarrassing!

But when Papa takes his daughter to watch her first soccer game, she is too excited to realize that the two have become separated. Where is her papa with the red mustache? In a victorious and goal-worthy finale that will have readers laughing and cheering, she realizes that her papa’s red mustache makes him shine the brightest.

Pura Belpré Honor recipient and New York Times bestselling illustrator of Junot Díaz's Islandborn, Leo Espinosa makes his authorial debut in this clever and heartwarming picture book that celebrates a child’s boundless love for a parent, and the unique traits that make parents extraordinary to their kids– even the silly ones!
Leo Espinosa is a New York Times bestselling illustrator and designer. His picture books include No More Naps by Chris Grabenstein; Islandborn by Junot Diaz, for which he was awarded a Pura Belpre illustrator award; and Goldfish on Vacation by Sally Lloyd-Jones. In addition, he has given multiple lectures and workshops at schools, such as Parsons School of Design and Pratt Institute, and has served on the faculty of the Rhode Island School of Design. He is from Bogotá, Colombia. View titles by Leo Espinosa

Classroom Activities for My Papa Has a Red Mustache

Classroom activities supplement discussion and traditional lessons with group projects and creative tasks. Can be used in pre-existing units and lessons, or as stand-alone.

(Please note: the guide displayed here is the most recently uploaded version; while unlikely, any page citation discrepancies between the guide and book is likely due to pagination differences between a book’s different formats.)

"With its cool rhythm, the playful text makes for a fun read-aloud, bolstered by chuckle-worthy moments and vibrant, delightful artwork....Stache-tacularly cheerful." —Kirkus Reviews

"As eye-catching and cheerfully idiosyncratic as Papa’s mustache, this telling bristles with comedy while turning affection with an asterisk into full-stop appreciation." —Publishers Weekly
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About

A heartfelt and humorous story about a young girl who adores everything about her papa – except for his embarrassing mustache – from a New York Times bestselling illustrator and Pura Belpré Honor recipient.

Papa is a fearless pillow fighter, a pancake ninja, and a pigtail artist – that’s what his daughter thinks. There’s just one problem. Papa has a red mustache. While every other man has a black mustache, Papa is the only man with a red one. It’s embarrassing!

But when Papa takes his daughter to watch her first soccer game, she is too excited to realize that the two have become separated. Where is her papa with the red mustache? In a victorious and goal-worthy finale that will have readers laughing and cheering, she realizes that her papa’s red mustache makes him shine the brightest.

Pura Belpré Honor recipient and New York Times bestselling illustrator of Junot Díaz's Islandborn, Leo Espinosa makes his authorial debut in this clever and heartwarming picture book that celebrates a child’s boundless love for a parent, and the unique traits that make parents extraordinary to their kids– even the silly ones!

Author

Leo Espinosa is a New York Times bestselling illustrator and designer. His picture books include No More Naps by Chris Grabenstein; Islandborn by Junot Diaz, for which he was awarded a Pura Belpre illustrator award; and Goldfish on Vacation by Sally Lloyd-Jones. In addition, he has given multiple lectures and workshops at schools, such as Parsons School of Design and Pratt Institute, and has served on the faculty of the Rhode Island School of Design. He is from Bogotá, Colombia. View titles by Leo Espinosa

Guides

Classroom Activities for My Papa Has a Red Mustache

Classroom activities supplement discussion and traditional lessons with group projects and creative tasks. Can be used in pre-existing units and lessons, or as stand-alone.

(Please note: the guide displayed here is the most recently uploaded version; while unlikely, any page citation discrepancies between the guide and book is likely due to pagination differences between a book’s different formats.)

Praise

"With its cool rhythm, the playful text makes for a fun read-aloud, bolstered by chuckle-worthy moments and vibrant, delightful artwork....Stache-tacularly cheerful." —Kirkus Reviews

"As eye-catching and cheerfully idiosyncratic as Papa’s mustache, this telling bristles with comedy while turning affection with an asterisk into full-stop appreciation." —Publishers Weekly

Photos

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additional book photo
additional book photo

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