Praise for Seven Golden Rings
This heartwarming rags-to-riches story is accompanied by vivid illustrations that pulse with detail, movement, and color. … A cleverly imagined story with a delightful premise.
Kirkus Reviews
Praise for Bracelets for Bina's Brothers
The vibrant colors and perky tone of this culturally specific yet universally appealing book make for a fun read-aloud with a bit of a math lesson sneaked in.
Booklist Review
Praise for Red, White, and Whole
Readers will be invested in Reha’s relationships with her parents and friends and will enjoy the evocative verse and emotional stakes. Perfect for fans of Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga and Full Cicada Moon by Marilyn Hilton.
School Library Journal
Praise for Red, White, and Whole
Infused with science, 80’s music, and the struggles and joys of navigating middle school when you live in two different worlds, RED, WHITE, AND WHOLE is delightfully real and achingly beautiful. Reha’s story grabbed my heart from the first pages and never let go.
Kate MessnerAuthor of Breakout and Chirp
Praise for Midsummer's Mayhem
This delightful and delicious spin on Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream flows beautifully into a sensitive and thoughtful novel that addresses family dynamics and self-confidence alongside mouth-watering descriptions of food. Readers will relate to Mimi’s attempts to stand out and find her place and will be thrilled by the magical baking.
School Library Journal Review
Praise for Midsummer's Mayhem
Midsummer’s Mayhem has all the ingredients for a delightful read: developed characters, delectable dessert descriptions, and a dash of magic. Toss with Shakespeare and sprinkle in realistic family conflicts, and LaRocca has created a poignant story of friendship that will warm the hearts of readers.
Erin Dionneauthor of The Total Tragedy of a Girl Named Hamlet and Secrets of a Fangirl
Praise for Midsummer's Mayhem
What a wonderful, intriguing, and magical book. And wow, did it ever get my tastebuds going! Each time I picked it up, I felt the urge to head to my kitchen. . . . What I loved most was the smartness of it. It never once doubted its young readers.
Kathy AppeltNewbery Honor and National Book Award nominated author
Praise for Red, White, and Whole
LaRocca’s historical novel in verse takes the reader through Reha’s past and present, flowing as seamlessly as the songs often referred to within the poems . . . readers, too, will be changed by her story.
Booklist STARRED Review
Praise for Much Ado About Baseball
The book — like its companion — is an utter delight. It’s the perfect read for anyone who loves stories about family, friendship, and most importantly, baseball.
Paul Swydan, Silver Unicorn Bookstore
Praise for Midsummer’s Mayhem
Taking its inspiration from one of Shakespeare’s most popular comedies, Midsummer’s Mayhem is a sweet and fun story about mistaken identity, bumpy romance, and the everyday magic of baking.
Barbara Deeauthor of Star-Crossed and Maybe He Just Likes You
Praise for Seven Golden Rings
LaRocca’s story, cast in the cadence of classic folktales, is enlivened by the contrast of Sreenivasan’s cartoon illustrations, which render tableaux in a magenta-tinged palette. A deft and engaging introduction to a sometimes flummoxing subject.
Publishers Weekly STARRED Review
Praise for Red, White, and Whole
Truly, one of the most heart-expanding stories ever, filled with kindness, music, mythology, all of those things. But above all, here is a story of love, and the ways in which it transcends nationalities, age, science, and fear. In LaRocca’s gifted hands, her Reha shows us how to live in the world, even when it feels divided, even then.
Kathi AppeltNational Book Award finalist and Newbery Honor-winning author of The Underneath and Keeper
Praise for Much Ado About BaseballIt’s no mystery why Rajani LaRocca’s Much Ado About Baseball is a home run. Like the smell of freshly cut infield grass, this fast-paced story of friendship, fitting in, and finding yourself is filled with magic and math. It pops with baseball excitement and summer days full of possibilities.
David A. Kelly, Author of the Ballpark Mysteries series
Praise for Midsummer's Mayhem
I’m hungry for all the treats in this story and for more books from Rajani LaRocca. Mimi is a kind and inquisitive girl that you instinctively root for, and her struggles with failure really resonated with me. This play on Shakespeare with a culinary twist is absolutely delightful and, dare I say it, scrumptious. More, more, more!
Sami ThomasonSquare Books, Oxford, MS
Praise for Red, White, and Whole
Red, White, and Whole is the lyrical and poignant journey of a first generation Indian American girl growing up in the eighties. LaRocca weaves together a beautiful mix of themes– identity, belonging, love, devastating loss, and eighties pop music rendered in seamless verse. A book I wish I had growing up in the eighties!
Veera HiranandaniAuthor of Newbery Honor The Night Diary
Praise for Red, White, and Whole
This is a sweet, gentle story about love and loss, individualism and community, friendship and family, belonging and longing to live up to one’s dreams. In Reha, LaRocca has created a relatable protagonist who feels caught between two cultures, but ultimately finds her own way.
Padma VenkatramanAward-winning author of The Bridge Home and A Time To Dance
Praise for Midsummer’s Mayhem
Midsummer’s Mayhem is an enchantment of a novel, bursting with magic, mystery, and mouth-watering baked goods. Readers who have their own baking-show dreams will be cheering for Mimi until the very last page.
Kate Messneraward-winning author of Breakout, The Seventh Wish, and All the Answers
Praise for Much Ado About Baseball
A Much Ado About Nothing homage that explores parental expectations, complicated friendships, and teamwork. A moving tale of baseball, magic, and former rivals who come together to solve a problem.
Kirkus Reviews, STARRED Review
Praise for Midsummer's Mayhem
What a fun, delicious read! Mimi bakes scrumptious goodies to express her heart, but is she good enough to win the While Away baking prize and an opportunity to work with her favorite chef? And can she figure out why her family is acting so strangely?
Joan TryggRed Balloon Bookshop, Minneapolis, MN
Praise for Red, White, and Whole
Spectacular. Complex issues of identity, family, and mortality made completely understandable and relatable – for adults and middle grade readers – through gorgeous, spare language. Rajani LaRocca makes every word count.
Liz Whitelam, Whitelam Book, Reading, MA