Red, White, and Whole by Rajani LaRocca – Book Review

Title: Red, White, and Whole Author: Rajani LaRocca Publisher: Quill Tree Books Release Date: February 2, 2021

Summary

Reha belongs to two worlds: one Indian and one American. She spends her weeks at school with her American best friend and her weekends “Indianing” with her Indian best friend. While Reha loves both worlds, she sometimes feels conflicted because of her parents’ expectations of who she should be. As Reha grapples with her own identity, she is ripped out of these worlds and thrust into a new one filled with uncertainty, heartbreak, and grief. Reha’s Amma, her mother, is diagnosed with leukemia. Now, Reha has a singular purpose, to help make Amma better.

Review

Red, White, and Whole by Rajani LaRocca is a heartfelt and heartbreaking novel in verse. Let me be clear, LaRocca’s incredibly talented. While written in verse, readers will walk away feeling as if they read a novel in prose. Red, White, and Whole’s bite-sized poems are deftly crafted and make a powerful impact. The novel’s themes, the portrayal of Indian culture, character development, and conflicts all shine. They do so effortlessly and in concert with one another, which once again is a testament to LaRocca’s storytelling aptitude. In her hands, Reha’s story is touching, relatable, and important. Readers will certainly agree.

While 2020 seemed like the year for novels in verse, LaRocca is carrying the torch into 2021 and setting a new bar. Educators will want a class set of Red, White, and Whole for their students. The  book can be used as a center for literature circles, taught whole class, or in a number of other ways. The story is at once universal and unique. Young readers from all walks of life will connect with Reha and her struggles. As a result, they will also be able to learn from her journey as well. Red, White, and Whole is both sad and uplifting, conflicted and determined, despairing and hopeful. Just as Reha lives in two worlds, readers will find themselves relating to the emotional toll of grappling with your identity and finding your place. They are timeless themes and LaRocca explores them in a compelling way.

Thank you to Edelweiss+ and publisher, Quill Tree Books, for an eARC of this book.

Classroom Applications

• Thematic Literature Circles – Use novel for small groups or choice reading for books in verse or about identity and culture.
• Project – If learning about the composition of blood or Biology, assign the novel as part of a project assignment.
• Book Club or Book Exchange – Share the novel with students that enjoy reading novels in verse.

Nonfiction Connections

The list below outlines topics that will enrich your students’ understanding of the novel.

• Composition of Blood
• Cells
• Cancer
• Indian Culture
• 80’s Pop Culture

Book Companions

The following are great books to pair with Red, White, and Whole. In parenthesis are the specific aspects students could explore when synthesizing across the texts.

• Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga (Character Connections, Themes, Novel Structure)
• Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhhà Lai (Character Connections, Themes, Novel Structure)
• A Thousand Questions by Saadia Faruqi (Character Connections, Themes)
• Amina’s Voice by Hena Khan (Character Connections, Themes, Novel Structure)

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