Praise for Seven Golden Rings
Adventure, suspense and a surprise ending make Rajani LaRocca’s enchanting picture book debut, Seven Golden Rings, an amusing lesson about the importance of math.
Shelf Awareness
Praise for Much Ado About BaseballBaseball provides energetic context to this story in alternating voices of friends in a lovingly drawn and diverse community. Add magic, numbers, Shakespeare, and lashings of mystery, all seasoned with artful sprinkles of culinary flavor and equal parts humor and heart. Cleverly adjacent to the world of Midsummer’s Mayhem, yet standing wonderfully well alone.
Uma Krishnaswami, Author and Astrid Lindgren Award nominee
Praise for Where Three Oceans Meet
The metaphor of the intertwining of cross-cultural and cross-generational similarities and differences is sustained from start to finish, offering points of connection for readers from all backgrounds.
Booklist
Praise for Midsummer's Mayhem
The realistic characters and complex family dynamics augment the tightly knit plot, and the mouthwatering descriptions of food are guaranteed to make readers hungry. . .A delectable treat for food and literary connoisseurs alike.
Kirkus, Starred Review
Praise for Midsummer's Mayhem
Absolutely scrumptious! I fell in love with this book and devoured it in one day. LaRocca crafts a spell of tricky fairies, lovable mortals, and heartfelt magic. Mimi is determined, resourceful, and unfailingly kind. Perfect for aspiring bakers, younger siblings, or anyone with a passion.
Anna Merianoauthor of the Love, Sugar, Magic series
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 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 The Secret Code Inside You
Dynamic and eye-catching . . . A solid introduction to a complex topic.
Kirkus Reviews
Praise for Seven Golden Rings
Rajani LaRocca is a magician with both story and math — a difficult combination that she combines with ease.
Jane YolenAuthor of Owl Moon and How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight?
Praise for Red, White, and Whole
This book is a marvel — at once so rich and so spare. A coming of age story, a family story, a story of America, of science, of friendship, of courage, of culture, of aspiration.
Ali BenjaminNational Book Award Finalist author of The Thing About Jellyfish
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
Praise for Midsummer's Mayhem
Enchantment reigns, yet the author’s exploration of family, friendship, and self-esteem are firmly grounded in reality.
Publishers Weekly 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
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
I felt this novel in verse in my bones. An important book, it will change how young readers see their world. And that’s the best kind of book to read at any age.
Jane YolenAuthor of The Devil's Arithmetic, Briar Rose, and Mapping the Bones
Praise for Much Ado About Baseball
Much Ado About Baseball is the best children’s book I’ve read in the past 10 years!
Brad Thor, New York Times bestselling author of the Scot Harvath series
Praise for Midsummer’s Mayhem
Midsummer’s Mayhem is delightful confection of a family story full of heart, magic, and a baking championship with mysteriously high stakes! LaRocca takes Shakespeare’s almost throwaway reference from A Midsummer Night’s Dream and reclaims it, by centering a multiracial Indian-American family in her tale. Mimi’s pluck, gentle courage, and knack for combining flavors will capture reader’s hearts, imaginations, and undoubtedly, taste buds!
Sayantani DasGuptaauthor of the NYT-bestselling Kiranmala and The Kingdom Beyond series
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 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