Rajani LaRocca
Author of Red, White, and Whole
About the Author
Image credit: Rajani LaRocca at BookExpo at the Javits Center in New York City, May 2019. By Rhododendrites - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=79387600
Works by Rajani LaRocca
Masala Chai, Fast and Slow 1 copy
Associated Works
The Door Is Open: Stories of Celebration and Community by 11 Desi Voices (2024) — Contributor — 26 copies, 2 reviews
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Gender
- female
Members
Reviews
People may grow and change, but familial love stays the same.
Every summer, Ravi goes to a beach house with “Mom and Dad, two uncles, two aunties, Thatha and Pati, [and] seven cousins.” Second youngest cousin Ravi has a special bond with oldest cousin Dhruv. This year, though, Dhruv seems taller and even more mature, and Ravi wonders if Dhruv remembers all the things that made their relationship special—like their shared love of banana ice cream, which neither one of them can ever seem show more to find. At first, Ravi feels timid around Dhruv; when Dhruv offers to take Ravi paddleboarding, Ravi nods instead of speaking. But then, at the lake, Dhruv encourages Ravi to take a turn on the tire swing. Leaping triumphantly into the water—something the child never would have done a year ago—Ravi realizes that Dhruv isn’t the only one who has changed since last year: Ravi has, too! One night, when all of the cousins decide to make dinner for the adults, Ravi finds a way to prepare the beloved banana ice cream that involves all the kids. It’s clear that though relationships evolve over time, they can still stay strong. Framed by the cousins’ endearingly boisterous antics, Ravi’s evolution is heartwarming, realistic, and beautifully paced. The cartoonlike illustrations and soft, smudged palette perfectly accompany the warm, quietly lyrical text. Characters are of South Asian descent. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A gorgeous ode to change, growth, togetherness, and family. (Picture book. 2-7)
-Kirkus Review show less
Every summer, Ravi goes to a beach house with “Mom and Dad, two uncles, two aunties, Thatha and Pati, [and] seven cousins.” Second youngest cousin Ravi has a special bond with oldest cousin Dhruv. This year, though, Dhruv seems taller and even more mature, and Ravi wonders if Dhruv remembers all the things that made their relationship special—like their shared love of banana ice cream, which neither one of them can ever seem show more to find. At first, Ravi feels timid around Dhruv; when Dhruv offers to take Ravi paddleboarding, Ravi nods instead of speaking. But then, at the lake, Dhruv encourages Ravi to take a turn on the tire swing. Leaping triumphantly into the water—something the child never would have done a year ago—Ravi realizes that Dhruv isn’t the only one who has changed since last year: Ravi has, too! One night, when all of the cousins decide to make dinner for the adults, Ravi finds a way to prepare the beloved banana ice cream that involves all the kids. It’s clear that though relationships evolve over time, they can still stay strong. Framed by the cousins’ endearingly boisterous antics, Ravi’s evolution is heartwarming, realistic, and beautifully paced. The cartoonlike illustrations and soft, smudged palette perfectly accompany the warm, quietly lyrical text. Characters are of South Asian descent. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A gorgeous ode to change, growth, togetherness, and family. (Picture book. 2-7)
-Kirkus Review show less
In a Nutshell: A middle-grade fantasy retelling of Shakespeare’s ‘[b:A Midsummer Night's Dream|35531190|A Midsummer Night's Dream|William Shakespeare|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1498674332l/35531190._SY75_.jpg|894834]’. Loads of fun, though I don’t know if youngsters will understand/appreciate the adapted elements. Don’t read this book when hungry!
Story Synopsis:
What with men and women placing strange bets and chasing each other for love, the original Shakespearean work is not exactly middle-grade friendly despite its comic elements. It is a complicated storyline and with quite a few characters. (I remember how irked I had been to discover that the three female leads all had names beginning with H - Hermia, Hippolyta, and Helena. So confusing!)
To take such a story and adapt it to a middle-grade audience needs talent. To do so in your debut work needs guts. This author seems to have both in abundance.
I won’t reveal much about how the Shakespearean content has been modified and incorporated into this book. It is worth experiencing for yourself. I'm not sure if middle graders will actually get all the nuances of this retelling without being aware of the original work; I know hardly any middle-grader who reads Shakespeare! To them, this will just be a hilariously entertaining story filled with magic and humorous scenes (There are quite a few of those!). If any adult readers want to try this novel, then they are also in for a treat, but they will be able to appreciate the creative choices better if familiar with the original. (If reading Shakespeare is a scary idea, just read a summary of the play online. That ought to suffice.)
The book doesn’t restrict itself to being a blind scene-by-scene adaptation but brings in several novel factors. Mimi’s passion for baking is explored well in almost every chapter. I adored how the author utilised her own Indian roots to add a desi ‘flavour’ to the baked goodies.
(Tbh, I also despised this choice because reading about all those yummy Indian delicacies left my stomach growling! I mean, if a book talks about scones and cream puffs, my reaction is almost nonexistent. But bring kulfi and gulab jamun in the medley, and I will drool more than a Saint Bernard does. show less
Story Synopsis:
Eleven-year-old Mimi is the youngest in her family, and according to her, theshow more
least talented. Her father is an accomplished food writer, her mother a successful entrepreneur, and her three elder siblings also shine at whatever they do, be it dance or drama or sports or playing an instrument.
The only thing that Mimi can do decently is bake. Her dream is to become a celebrity chef like her idol, Puffy Fay, who is from the same town.
When a local café announces a baking contest, with the grand prize being an internship with Fay himself, Mimi knows that she has to do her best to win it. But her dad has suddenly lost his gastronomic abilities after a recent trip and her siblings are acting funny, so Mimi has to rely on her new friend Vik, a boy who she meets in an unexplored part of the woods near her home, for help and ideas.
Will Mimi be able to fulfil her dream?
The book is written in the first person perspective of Mimi.
What with men and women placing strange bets and chasing each other for love, the original Shakespearean work is not exactly middle-grade friendly despite its comic elements. It is a complicated storyline and with quite a few characters. (I remember how irked I had been to discover that the three female leads all had names beginning with H - Hermia, Hippolyta, and Helena. So confusing!)
To take such a story and adapt it to a middle-grade audience needs talent. To do so in your debut work needs guts. This author seems to have both in abundance.
I won’t reveal much about how the Shakespearean content has been modified and incorporated into this book. It is worth experiencing for yourself. I'm not sure if middle graders will actually get all the nuances of this retelling without being aware of the original work; I know hardly any middle-grader who reads Shakespeare! To them, this will just be a hilariously entertaining story filled with magic and humorous scenes (There are quite a few of those!). If any adult readers want to try this novel, then they are also in for a treat, but they will be able to appreciate the creative choices better if familiar with the original. (If reading Shakespeare is a scary idea, just read a summary of the play online. That ought to suffice.)
The book doesn’t restrict itself to being a blind scene-by-scene adaptation but brings in several novel factors. Mimi’s passion for baking is explored well in almost every chapter. I adored how the author utilised her own Indian roots to add a desi ‘flavour’ to the baked goodies.
(Tbh, I also despised this choice because reading about all those yummy Indian delicacies left my stomach growling! I mean, if a book talks about scones and cream puffs, my reaction is almost nonexistent. But bring kulfi and gulab jamun in the medley, and I will drool more than a Saint Bernard does. show less
It’s 1983, and 13-year-old Indian American Reha feels caught between two worlds.
Monday through Friday, she goes to a school where she stands out for not being White but where she has a weekday best friend, Rachel, and does English projects with potential crush Pete. On the weekends, she’s with her other best friend, Sunita (Sunny for short), at gatherings hosted by her Indian community. Reha feels frustrated that her parents refuse to acknowledge her Americanness and insist on raising show more her with Indian values and habits. Then, on the night of the middle school dance, her mother is admitted to the hospital, and Reha’s world is split in two again: this time, between hospital and home. Suddenly she must learn not just how to be both Indian and American, but also how to live with her mother’s leukemia diagnosis. The sections dealing with Reha’s immigrant identity rely on oft-told themes about the overprotectiveness of immigrant parents and lack the nuance found in later pages. Reha’s story of her evolving relationships with her parents, however, feels layered and real, and the scenes in which Reha must grapple with the possible loss of a parent are beautifully and sensitively rendered. The sophistication of the text makes it a valuable and thought-provoking read even for those older than the protagonist.
An intimate novel that beautifully confronts grief and loss. (Verse novel. 11-15)
-Kirkus Review show less
Monday through Friday, she goes to a school where she stands out for not being White but where she has a weekday best friend, Rachel, and does English projects with potential crush Pete. On the weekends, she’s with her other best friend, Sunita (Sunny for short), at gatherings hosted by her Indian community. Reha feels frustrated that her parents refuse to acknowledge her Americanness and insist on raising show more her with Indian values and habits. Then, on the night of the middle school dance, her mother is admitted to the hospital, and Reha’s world is split in two again: this time, between hospital and home. Suddenly she must learn not just how to be both Indian and American, but also how to live with her mother’s leukemia diagnosis. The sections dealing with Reha’s immigrant identity rely on oft-told themes about the overprotectiveness of immigrant parents and lack the nuance found in later pages. Reha’s story of her evolving relationships with her parents, however, feels layered and real, and the scenes in which Reha must grapple with the possible loss of a parent are beautifully and sensitively rendered. The sophistication of the text makes it a valuable and thought-provoking read even for those older than the protagonist.
An intimate novel that beautifully confronts grief and loss. (Verse novel. 11-15)
-Kirkus Review show less
This novel in verse is set in the 1980s. Eighth-grader Reha describes her two worlds, Indian and not: at school, the other students are all white; her best friend, Rachel, is Jewish. On the weekend, Reha and her family spend time with other Indian families; Reha's Indian best friend is Sunny. Reha balances this duality as best she can, thinking that her parents don't understand it, but they understand more than she thinks. The same night Reha is allowed to go to her first school dance, her show more Amma is taken to the hospital. Amma has leukemia, and as she begins chemotherapy, Reha's world changes. But even as her mother battles, help comes from all directions: Prema Auntie flies in from India, Indian friends bring food to the house, Reha's English partner Pete invites her to spend afternoons at his house. It's Pete who, when Reha volunteers to donate bone marrow to her mother if she's a match, tells Reha she's a hero.
An absolute crushing knockout of a book, with themes of immigration, coming of age, and the death of a parent.
See also: Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga, Save Me A Seat by Sarah Weeks and Gita Vardarajan
Quotes
Cells and plasma together are called whole blood,
which is what flows inside us.
Red, white, and whole... (27)
When you are different
you constantly compare. (33)
Sometimes people call in to make requests,
but I don't want to disturb the magic
of hearing the song I want most
without having to ask. (46)
We have no temple in our town, but Amma says we have temples in our hearts. (49)
It feels like we've already entered the future,
while they only live in the past. (59)
No matter where I go,
America or India,
I don't quite fit. (66)
But I am always halfway,
caught between
the life my parents want
and the one I have to live. (68)
A mother gives you life,
nourishes you,
protects you,
helps you when you're hurt.
But sometimes
it feels like too much. (88)
A hero is brave, but not without fear.
Says what they believe is right.
Works to make the world better.
Acts out of love for others. (Pete to Reha, 177)
What does the sky do
when the moon is gone
forever? (197)
You belong to this country, where you are growing up. And you belong to India, where your blood is from. You belong to both, and they belong to you. You will find your way in making those two streams one. You will write your own story, and it will be beautiful, because it is yours. (Amma's aerogramme to Reha, 204) show less
An absolute crushing knockout of a book, with themes of immigration, coming of age, and the death of a parent.
See also: Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga, Save Me A Seat by Sarah Weeks and Gita Vardarajan
Quotes
Cells and plasma together are called whole blood,
which is what flows inside us.
Red, white, and whole... (27)
When you are different
you constantly compare. (33)
Sometimes people call in to make requests,
but I don't want to disturb the magic
of hearing the song I want most
without having to ask. (46)
We have no temple in our town, but Amma says we have temples in our hearts. (49)
It feels like we've already entered the future,
while they only live in the past. (59)
No matter where I go,
America or India,
I don't quite fit. (66)
But I am always halfway,
caught between
the life my parents want
and the one I have to live. (68)
A mother gives you life,
nourishes you,
protects you,
helps you when you're hurt.
But sometimes
it feels like too much. (88)
A hero is brave, but not without fear.
Says what they believe is right.
Works to make the world better.
Acts out of love for others. (Pete to Reha, 177)
What does the sky do
when the moon is gone
forever? (197)
You belong to this country, where you are growing up. And you belong to India, where your blood is from. You belong to both, and they belong to you. You will find your way in making those two streams one. You will write your own story, and it will be beautiful, because it is yours. (Amma's aerogramme to Reha, 204) show less
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