Red, White, and Whole

Another novel in verse, I loved Rajani LaRocca’s Red, White, and Whole for its emotional complexity.

Though a work of fiction, LaRocca has said that many of the aspects of the book are based on her own experience growing up as an Indian American in the 1980s. In the story, thirteen-year-old Reha straddles two worlds: expected to honor Indian traditions and expectations at home, while fitting into the life of an American teenager at school.

But when Reha’s mother is diagnosed with cancer, Reha must confront more than just her fear of blood. I love this book for the mirrors… show more.

What would you do if your mother was dying of cancer and you thought if you could just be the perfect daughter, she’d live? Red, White, and Whole addresses this through a tender-sweet tale of a daughter caught in the crossroads of her Indian family culture, American neighborhood culture, and the fight to save her mother’s life. It is written completely in verse and filled with vivid imagery, poignant contemplations, and bits of Indian myths. All of which combine to create a tapestry of love, loss, and finding peace. It is a family finding a way to be whole, even… show more.

I loved how Rajani Larocca masterfully infuses a story about a girl who lives in two cultures—modern American and traditional Indian—with a visual description from both those worlds. I really began to understand Reha’s (the protagonist) predicament through visual descriptions of the separate parts of her life. Her descriptions guided me in seeing settings, imagining characters, and understanding patterns of meaning.

This novel in verse took my breath away. LaRocca, also a physician, captured huge emotion and raw detail with few (yet gorgeous) words on the page. Reha, lives between two worlds; an American middle school and a vibrant Indian community (her parents immigrated from India). Both worlds are turned upside down when her mother is diagnosed with leukemia. LaRocca’s verses are simple, sparse, and pierce the soul. Her poetic explanations of pathophysiology, chemotherapy, and medicine were both accessible and accurate and blew me away.

This recent Newbery Honor book in verse is a stunning combination of science and story. Reha is a first-generation Indian American immigrant and is struggling to find her place in the world. Torn between her Indian and her American identities, she is unsure how to fit in. When her beloved mother is diagnosed with leukemia, Reha’s priorities drastically shift, and she must forge new connections between her heritage and her heart. The simple, powerful way the author weaves in science and medical information in this story is truly masterful.

I recommend this book for the honest and thoughtful way it portrays a life divided between two cultures. Reha, the protagonist, must navigate between her traditional Indian/American home life and the American school life she faces every day, all while dealing with her mother’s illness. The free-verse format explores this dichotomy in a sensitive and caring way. Scary emotions well done, and carefully handled. Red, White, and Whole was named a 2022 Newbery Honor Book.

Like my own YA verse novel Skyscraping, Red, White & Whole doesn’t just deal with the aftermath of losing a parent but, also, what it is like to live alongside a sick parent. This book is heavy in this way, but it is also filled with fun 1980s nostalgia, interactions with a new crush, and the everyday life of school and friends. Verse wise, this poem’s first poem works as a “seed poem” and other poems come later and at the end that references this first one, showing just how much Reha’s life shifts and the growth she gains… show more.