More About Rajani LaRocca (She/Her)
Languages: English
Rajani LaRocca was born in India, raised in Kentucky, and now lives in the Boston area, where she practices medicine and writes award-winning books for young readers, including the Newbery Honor winning middle grade novel in verse, Red, White, and Whole.
She’s always been an omnivorous reader, and now she is an omnivorous writer of fiction and nonfiction, novels and picture books, prose and poetry. She finds inspiration in her family, her childhood, the natural world, math, science, and just about everywhere she looks.
Learn more about Rajani and her books at www.RajaniLaRocca.com. She also co-hosts the STEM Women in KidLit Podcast.
You can find Rajani online at:
Rajani’s strengths are…
Identifying a good premise for a story and helping to sort through story ideas and determining which to work on first
Analyzing picture book manuscripts in terms of plot, character, emotion, theme, and language
Suggesting areas for improvement/making editorial suggestions
Giving advice about querying, working with editors, and the publishing process in general
Being supportive in the face of great news and not-so-great news
What Rajani is looking for…
Rajani is looking for a mentee who is able to be open-minded and open-hearted and is ready to work hard and have fun. Writing different kinds of stories is a plus. Bearing your heart in a story to reveal emotional truths is something I can't resist. Whoever you are, I can't wait to work with you, and you're not getting rid of me, either—I have long-term relationships with every mentee I've ever had, and I keep cheering for all their successes!
A Note from Rajani:
“It wasn't that long ago that I was entering mentorship opportunities myself. One, in particular, made a huge difference in my writing life — it led to my getting an agent and first book deals, and I've been trying to pay it forward to other writers ever since, mentoring many writers over the years. It's been incredibly rewarding to me, and I've made friends that I will always cheer for.
But more important than what any mentor can give you is what you give yourself. Before signing with that agent or getting that book deal, you have put in hours and hours of work, honing your craft. You are a creator already . . . I'm just here to offer a different point of view and help you on your way.
Whether or not you are chosen for this mentorship, keep going on your journey. I'll be cheering for you!”
Rajani’s Picture Books
Rajani writes in other markets, so to check out her full catalog please visit her website.
SEVEN GOLDEN RINGS: A TALE OF MUSIC AND MATH, written by Rajani LaRocca and illustrated by Archana Sreenivasan
I’LL GO AND COME BACK, written by Rajani LaRocca and illustrated by Sara Palacios
MAUNTIE AND ME, written by Rajani LaRocca and illustrated by Nadia Alam
A VACCINE IS LIKE A MEMORY, written by Rajani LaRocca and illustrated by Kathleen Marcotte
BRACELETS FOR BINA’S BROTHERS, written by Rajani LaRocca and illustrated by Chaaya Prabhat
MY LITTLE GOLDEN BOOK ABOUT KAMALA HARRIS, written by Rajani LaRocca and illustrated by Ashley Evans
YOUR ONE AND ONLY HEART, written by Rajani LaRocca and illustrated by Lauren Paige Conrad
MASALA CHAI, FAST AND SLOW, written by Rajani LaRocca and illustrated by Neha Rawat
THE SECRET CODE INSIDE YOU: ALL ABOUT YOUR DNA, written by Rajani LaRocca and illustrated by Steven Salerno
WHERE THREE OCEANS MEET, written by Rajani LaRocca and illustrated by Archana Sreenivasan
SUMMER IS FOR COUSINS, written by Rajani LaRocca and illustrated by Abhi Alwar
Rajani’s Upcoming Picture Books
SOME OF US: A STORY OF CITIZENSHIP AND THE UNITED STATES, written by Rajani LaRocca and illustrated by Huy Voun Lee
FALL IS FOR BEGINNINGS, written by Rajani LaRocca and illustrated by Abhi Alwar
If Rajani created a Visual Wish List, it would be made up of…
*Unless otherwise stated, the below serves as a wish list only. Each mentor is excited about the opportunity to find a manuscript they can’t stop thinking about. Please apply if you think you’d be a good fit.
WATERCRESS, by Andea Wang, Ill. Jason Chin
THE FIRE OF STARS: The Life and Brilliance of the Woman Who Discovered What Stars Are Made Of by Kirsten W. Larson, ill. Katherine Roy
THE OCEAN CALLS: A Haenyeo Mermaid Story by Tina Cho, ill. Jess X. Snow
DESERT QUEEN by Jyoti R. Gopal, ill. Svabhu Kohli
WHAT MISS MITCHELL SAW by Hayley Barrett, ill. Diana Sudyka
DREAMERS by Yuyi Morales
DOZENS OF DOUGHNUTS by Carrie Finison, ill. Brianne Farley
BEDTIME FOR SWEET CREATURES by Nikki Grimes, ill. Elizabeth Zunon
OWL MOON by Jane Yolen, ill. John Schoenherr
Rajani is a good fit for…
Fiction manuscripts
Nonfiction manuscripts (including and especially those involving science and math)
Stories with humor and heart
Authors who enjoy writing about a variety of topics in a variety of genres
Stories about family bonds
Authors who are not afraid to reimagine a manuscript and are willing to listen to suggestions about what might need to be changed
Authors who are ready to work hard to pursue their dreams
Rajani is not a good fit for…
Scatological humor
Rhyme, unless it's excellent rhyme and a story that must be written in rhyme
Stories with marginalized protagonists written by non-marginalized creators
Who can apply to Rajani? Unagented and Agented authors.
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