Rajani LaRocca

Award-winning Children's Book Author

nErDCampKS 2021!

I had a wonderful time at the (virtual) nErDCampKS 2021! I took part in a deep, thoughtful discussion of how literature can help children be the "heroes of their own stories" with Kirsten Larson, Lindsay Metcalf, Bethany Hegedus, and Supriya Kelkar! And I was also part of a fabulous … [Read more...]

MIDSUMMER’S MAYHEM Author Fan Face-off!

I was so excited to be invited by acclaimed author Steve Sheinkin and awesome librarian Stacey Rattner on their Author Fan Face-off on YouTube! I was challenged by a young fan, 6th grader Astrid, who REALLY knew everything there is to know about MIDSUMMER’S MAYHEM! I was so impressed by her … [Read more...]

On the Family Gamers Podcast!

I had such a ball chatting with Anitra and Andrew at The Family Gamers Podcast! Although this podcast is primarily about — you guessed it — board games, they occasionally branch out into other topics of interest to families . . . like books! I talk about a bunch of my books, including MIDSUMMER’S … [Read more...]

My Interview in Story Monsters Ink Magazine!

I was thrilled to be featured in the April 2021 issue of Story Monsters Ink Magazine talking about my books and my writing journey! … [Read more...]

My Interview on the Kidlit Craft Blog!

I loved talking to the Kidlit Craft Blog about writing in different genres, including my novels in prose (MIDSUMMER’S MAYHEM and MUCH ADO ABOUT BASEBALL) and verse (RED, WHITE, AND WHOLE), and why I like to work on different projects at once. You can read the whole interview here. … [Read more...]

MIDSUMMER’S MAYHEM in The Guardian!

I'm so excited that MIDSUMMER’S MAYHEM was mentioned in The Guardian on Ali Bejamin's "Top 10 Classic Stories Retold"! This list includes CIRCE by Madeline Miller, THE HOURS by Michael Cunningham, and PRIDE by Ibi Zoboi, so I'm thrilled to see my book in such mighty company! Read the full article … [Read more...]

World Read Aloud Day 2021!

I visited 17 classrooms across the country for World Read Aloud Day 2021! I read from MIDSUMMER’S MAYHEM, SEVEN GOLDEN RINGS, RED, WHITE, AND WHOLE, and even gave some classes a taste of my forthcoming MUCH ADO ABOUT BASEBALL! I had such a wonderful time interacting with teachers and students, and I … [Read more...]

An Honor from the Massachusetts House of Representatives!

I was stunned and thrilled to get this citation from the Massachusetts House of Representatives and a personal note from my own state representative, Tami Gouveia, in congratulations for MIDSUMMER’S MAYHEM winning a Massachusetts Book Award Honor! … [Read more...]

The Pitch Wars 2020 Team PITA Mentor Wish List!

Welcome! Welcome to Pitch Wars 2020!! This year, Remy Lai and I are mentoring Middle Grade. What exactly is Pitch Wars? It's a mentoring program for unagented writers. You can read more about it here. We’ll get to our wish list in a moment, but first, a little about us, your potential … [Read more...]

A Massachusetts Book Award Honor!

I'm thrilled that MIDSUMMER’S MAYHEM is a Massachusetts Book Award Honor title in Middle Grade/Young Adult category!! The story is set in a fictionalized version of my hometown of Concord, MA, which has always felt magical to me. My friend Kip Wilson's YA novel in verse, WHITE ROSE, earned the other … [Read more...]

Legit Kidlit!

I'm honored to be the first guest on Legit Kidlit, where Alexis and Tiffany, two awesome teachers, interview authors and spread book love! Check out Part 1 of my "interview" below, and subscribe to hear more from other wonderful authors! And you can check out Part 2 here, and be sure to … [Read more...]

The Middle Ground Book Fest!

I had such a blast being a part of the first-ever Middle Ground Book Fest! This virtual book festival takes place on YouTube on August 1-2, 2020 and focuses on middle grade books! I was part of a "Sibling Relationships" panel with wonderful authors Nicole Panteleakos, Katie Zhao, Mariama Lockington, … [Read more...]

The Inaugural nErDCampPA!!

On July 16, 2020 I was so thrilled to be a part of the first-ever nErdCampPA!! The day started off with an incredible keynote from Paula Chase on "How Convenience is Killing Reading": I participated in five panels, including: "Diversity and #ownvoices in Kidlit" with Mayra Cuevas, … [Read more...]

nErDCampNJ 2020: Virtual But Valuable!

I was thrilled to participate in nErDCampNJ 2020 with so many amazing authors and educators! Click below to view the panels I participated in: Reading and Writing Verse Novels with Chris Baron and Laura Shovan: Document/Notes Link   Balancing Research and Imagination in Fiction with Josh … [Read more...]

A Fantastic Virtual SMACK DAB IN THE MIDDLE Book Festival!

Thanks to Blue Bunny Books and the Dedham Public Library, the SMACK DAB IN THE MIDDLE 3 Book Festival took place virtually on May 16! We started off with an great keynote from Tui Sutherland, who recommended stacks of fantastic books, then proceeded with an excellent panel on contemporary fiction … [Read more...]

My TV Baking Dreams Come True!

I loved being on Kidlit TV's StoryMakers in the Kitchen with host Rocco Staino to live out my fantasy of being on a fun baking show!! Watch the episode to see me make gulab jamun cupcakes straight from the pages of MIDSUMMER’S MAYHEM!! And check out the full post to learn more about the book, … [Read more...]

The Story Seeds Podcast Bonus Episode: My Interview with Betsy Bird!

I had an absolute ball chatting with super-librarian Betsy Bird on this bonus episode of The Story Seeds Podcast! Listen below to hear us dish about becoming an author, writing tips, and our favorite foods, then subscribe to the podcast to hear more stories from authors collaborating with kids! … [Read more...]

Sign Up

Sign-Up For Updates
First
Last

Top