Rajani LaRocca is a doctor and children’s book author
Rajani LaRocca’s journey is a blend of medicine and storytelling. Born in Bengaluru, India, she moved to the United States as a baby, growing up in Kentucky. Her academic journey took her through Harvard College and Harvard Medical School, where she deepened her knowledge of internal medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital. Since 2001, she has been a dedicated primary care internal medicine physician.
Rajani also has an impressive portfolio of award-winning books for young readers, spanning various genres from novels to picture books, fiction to nonfiction, prose to poetry.“Red, White, and Whole,” her middle-grade novel in verse, has won several awards, such as the 2021 New England Book Award, the 2022 John Newbery Honor, the 2022 Walter Dean Myers Award, and the 2022 Golden Kite Award. Her titles also include celebrated titles like “Seven Golden Rings”and “Midsummer’s Mayhem”.
Additionally, LaRocca co-hosts the STEM Women in KidLit Podcast.
In this interview with SEEMA, we explore her life’s trajectory and its fascinating interplay between medicine and authorship.
Your journey from being a physician to an award-winning author is quite unique. How did your medical background influence your writing, particularly in the realm of children’s literature?
I was an avid reader and writer when I was younger, but I set writing aside when I went to medical school and residency. Decades later, when I was established in my medical practice and my children were in school, I decided to rekindle my creativity by taking writing classes—first online and then in person—where I met fellow writers and engaged in critique groups. That was the hook for me to keep writing.
When you have friends asking, “What happens next?”, it motivates you to write the next chapter. I have always been interested in lots of things—science, math, literature, writing, and history. My writing reflects my love of all these things. I especially like to include my love of science and math in my stories, not only in fiction but also in the form of nonfiction science books about medical topics.
Could you share a bit about your experiences growing up in different cultural contexts, from India to the United States? How has this multicultural background influenced your writing?
I was born in India and immigrated with my parents to the U.S. as a baby. I grew up in Louisville, KY, in the 1970s and 1980s in a small, tight-knit Indian American community. I was happy, but at times I felt a sharp delineation between the Indian and American sides of me and wondered which was the “real” me—the weekday American girl or the weekend Indian? And at times, I wondered whether either version of me was the real me.
As a child, I read all kinds of books, fiction and nonfiction, novels and picture books, comics, and essays. I empathized with all kinds of characters. But it wasn’t until I was an adult that I read about someone like me—an Indian American. And at that moment, I realized what I’d been missing. It was life-changing. I understood that everyone deserves to see themselves on the pages of a book. And that’s what I’m trying to do for young readers today. I write about Indian American characters living their lives, having adventures, and becoming heroes. I show them experiencing curiosity, love, guilt, fear, and joy. It’s been a gift to be able to write books that I wish I’d had as a child, and I wish my children had been able to have when they were younger.
“Red, White, and Whole” is a powerful novel in verse that explores themes of identity, belonging, and family. What inspired you to write this story, and what do you hope young readers take away from it?
“Red, White, and Whole” is a 1983 verse novel about 13-year-old Reha, who feels torn between the worlds of her Indian immigrant parents and her American friends at school. Like any American teen, she wants to wear cool clothes, listen to awesome music, and go to a middle school dance. But her parents, especially her mother, feel she has better things to do with her time. Reha is struggling with this when her mother is diagnosed with a kind of blood cancer called leukemia, and Reha’s world turns upside down. She believes that if she could be the perfect daughter her parents want her to be, she could somehow save her mother’s life. This is a story about being caught between here and there, before and after, and finding a way to be whole.
The idea for this novel started with a metaphor—the metaphor of blood and all that it means in terms of biology, but also family and community. That’s why I decided to write it in poetry. Although it is a work of fiction, many of the feelings in the book came directly from my own life.
You’ve written both middle-grade novels and picture books. How does your approach to storytelling differ between these two formats, and do you have a preference for one over the other?
I love both! There is something very exciting about writing a novel in which you get time and space to explore characters, plot, and build upon important themes.
But it’s also challenging and satisfying to write a picture book—a complete story with very few words. And working with an illustrator and watching them tell half (or more!) of the story is nothing less than magical.
Many of your books incorporate STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) elements. What draws you to these subjects, and how do you make them engaging for young readers?
I’ve loved science and math since I was a kid, so I love putting them in my books! And as a medical doctor, I have a special love for the science of the human body. The way our bodies work fills me with wonder, and that’s what I try to convey in my writing.
As a co-host of the STEM Women in KidLit Podcast, you’re actively promoting diversity in children’s literature. Why is diverse representation in books important, and how do you see it impacting young readers?
Diversity in children’s literature is vital because it reflects the diversity of our world. I know personally how thrilling it is to see your own experience reflected in a book. But it’s also important for us to read stories about people different from us—because that’s how we recognize our commonalities and foster empathy.
Can you share a memorable encounter with a young reader who was deeply impacted by one of your books?
I’ve had the opportunity to speak with scores of young people at school visits and book festivals. During my presentations, I talk about being a doctor and a writer and how I realized that I didn’t have to choose between two things I love. One young reader came up to me and said, “I want to be a doctor and a writer, too, and you made me believe I can be both.” That was an incredible moment for me.
What advice would you give to aspiring authors, especially those from diverse backgrounds, who are looking to break into the world of children’s literature?
Study other books and work on your craft. Write, and write some more. Make friends with other writers and build a community. Don’t be afraid to submit and risk rejection—it’s the only way to move forward. Write what you love.
Your books often blend different genres and storytelling techniques. How do you approach the creative process when crafting such unique narratives?
In science, we learn that structure is related to function. The same is true for storytelling—the way you choose to approach and write a story, whether it’s as a novel, a picture book, in prose, or in poetry, has to fit what you’re trying to say with this story.
What can fans expect from you in the future? Are there any exciting projects or upcoming books you’d like to share with us?
I have several books coming next year that I’m very excited about! In March 2024, my next middle grade and my first otherworld fantasy book “Sona and the Golden Beasts” will be released from Quill Tree Books/HarperCollins.
Set in an Indian-inspired fantasy world, the story involves magic and animals but also contends with colonialism and who gets to write history. I’m so thrilled with this book, and I can’t wait for readers to get their hands on it!
My first chapter book “Rohan Murthy Has a Plan” releases coming June from Algonquin Young Readers. This is the second book in an amazing series called “The Kids in Mrs. Z’s Class”. It involves a class of 18 third graders, and each book in the series is about a different kid, written by a different author. It’s been a complete joy working on this series, and I think kids are going to love Rohan, a young entrepreneur with so much heart.
My next picture book “Mauntie and Me” will be released by Candlewick Press in fall 2024. This is a story about a young girl named Priya and her favorite auntie, whom she calls Mauntie (short for My Auntie). But when her cousin comes to visit, Priya becomes jealous and must figure out how to deal with having to share Mauntie.
I also wrote a story in a South Asian anthology “The Door Is Open” edited by Hena Khan, with contributions from several amazing desi kid lit writers! The stories are all connected, and all involve a community center in a fictional town. I can’t wait for it to be out in the world on April 23, 2024.
