Today we are very excited to share a special interview with author Rajani LaRocca and illustrator Lauren Paige Conrad (Your One and Only Heart)!
Read on to learn more about them, their book, and a giveaway!
Meet the Author: Rajani LaRocca
Newbery Honoree Rajani LaRocca grew up loving both science and stories. A graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Medical School, she lives outside Boston, where she practices medicine and writes books for young readers.
Meet the Illustrator: Lauren Paige Conrad
Lauren Paige Conrad is a self-taught illustrator based in Asheville, NC. After working in product development and with small-scale textile studios, Lauren turned to illustration in 2016. She settled into a collage aesthetic that focuses on themes of mischief, homemade childhood, and everyday life. Lauren’s work is comprised of cut paper, gouache, colored pencil, and neo-color crayon. Your One and Only Heart is her debut picture book.
About the Book: Your One and Only Heart
A lyrical introduction to the many wonders of the human heart, from award-winning author and practicing doctor, Dr. Rajani LaRocca
In this stunning non-fiction picture book, poetry and science come together with playful cut-paper illustrations to create a moving ode to the human heart and all that it does. Complete with illustrative diagrams and copious backmatter, this is a one-of-a-kind non-fiction picture book that gently guides readers through the various systems make up our most vital organ.
~Chat~
YABC: What gave you the inspiration to write this book?
Rajani: Ever since I went to medical school and learned about the heart and how it works, I’ve been fascinated by this most vital organ. I first drafted this book way back in 2013 — it was written in prose, was over 800 words long, and was called “The Hardest Working Muscle.” But it didn’t have a unifying theme or a hook, and I couldn’t figure out how to make it appealing and understandable to young readers.
I set it aside and worked on it intermittently for years, but I still couldn’t figure out structure it. Then one day in 2018, I had a breakthrough: the heart had contrasting characteristics — that was the theme I wanted to carry through — and I decided to write about them in paired poems. This format made sense because to me, the beauty of poetry reflects the beauty of the human body.
A picture book sparked my interested in medicine when I was a kid. I hope to do the same for young scientists and budding doctors today.
Lauren: When I received the manuscript there were no illustration notes. On the second or third read-through it dawned on me to create 7 kids to represent each of the pairs Rajani used for structuring the book (ie. Singular-Cooperative, Electric-Muscular). After that I could just see it, and was so thankful everyone was on board with the concept.
YABC: Who is your favorite character in the book?
Lauren: Well, I can’t choose a favorite . . . but of course I would love to hang out with the little artist! Or quietly chat with the hide-and-seek girl. Hopefully readers can connect with multiple characters for different reasons.
YABC: How do you know when a book is finished?
Rajani: During the revision process when I am just tweaking a word here or there and not making any substantive changes, I know I’m done . . . or at least as done as I can be at that moment. Then it’s time to send the book off to my critique partner, agent, or editor!
Lauren: When all the spreads are finished, I lay them out on my dining room table and try to be really honest with my instincts. If something is sticking out for the wrong reason I re-do it.
YABC: What research did you do to write this book?
Rajani: I already knew most of the facts in this book from my medical training. The most challenging part was interpreting this information for nonmedical folks—and that involved thinking about metaphors and similes that would work for young readers and older readers alike.
Lauren: So much! I spent a lot of time at the library. And Rajani was lovely to look over my sketches and make sure that I was understanding and communicating the anatomical concepts correctly.
YABC: When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
Rajani: I wrote a lot as a kid and teen, but I also knew from a young age that I wanted to go into medicine. When I was in high school, I told my creative writing teacher: “I really love writing, but I know it isn’t going to be my career. I hope to go to medical school and become a doctor.”
He replied in a way that changed my life. He said, “Who says you have to choose?” and the next day, he brought a bunch of books written by authors who happened to be doctors. That planted a seed in my head that I could someday return to writing.
When I went to medical school, I had to learn so much that there was no room in my brain for writing. This continued during my internal medicine residency, and then I had two children. I didn’t return to writing until 2011, when I’d been practicing medicine for a while and my kids were in school. At first, I only intended to write for myself. But then I met other writers and formed critique groups, and I realized I wanted to write for kids. And for kids to read my writing, I needed to be published. So in around 2013, I set being published as a goal. I signed with my agent in late 2017; my first novel was published in 2019, and my first picture book in 2020 . . . and I’ve never looked back. By the end of 2023, I will have 15 books in the world!
Lauren: From the time I was little, “artist” was always in my job description. I’d say “I want to be a marine biologist, and an artist on the side.” My mom was an illustrator, so I was lucky enough to grow up knowing it was an actual job.
YABC: What type of scene do you love to write the most?
Lauren: I love picture books because you can “delete” parts of a scene and use the white (negative) space. I used that a lot in this book, to show volume, to pace out beats, or to just emphasize a particular spot.
YABC: What is your favorite writing space?
Rajani: My office! It’s the room about our garage which used to be my kids’ playroom. Once my kids got older, I claimed the room as my office, and last year we renovated it to be the office of my dreams, with a wall of lighted bookshelves, a desk looking out to our yard, a bespoke light fixture made of pages from one of my books, and plenty of storage. It has a style that I like to call “Hobbic Chic.”
Lauren: I write best on walks, and do all my art making at our dining room table. Sometimes I’ll rotate my chair to a different part of the table so that I don’t tire of the same view day in and day out.
YABC: How do you plan to celebrate the launch of your book?
Rajani: I have a bookstore event on the weekend where I hope to enjoy time with friends and young readers! On release day, I’d love to visit various independent bookstores and sign books as well as have a celebratory meal with family and friends.
Lauren: So many ways! I can’t wait to see it in a bookstore for the first time. Or to gift copies into our Little Free Libraries around town. It’s my debut picture book, so I’ll really cherish all the moments big and small where I get to share it with people.
YABC: What hobbies do you enjoy?
Rajani:Other than writing, I love reading, cooking, baking, and travel.
Lauren:I love hiking, walking, paddle boarding, and reading (preferably outside).
YABC: What do you do when you procrastinate?
Lauren: I take my puppy to the dog park, which makes both of us extremely happy. It’s the perfect mental break.
YABC: What kind of animal would your main character be and why?
Lauren: I love this question! The first one that comes to mind is the “Energetic-Relaxed” girl who would be a leopard. Fierce, nimble, coordinated, but also very good at cat napping.
YABC: What’s up next for you?
Rajani: My next middle grade novel, The Secret of the Dragon Gems, co-written with my friend Chris Baron, releases August 29! It’s an epistolary novel about Tripti and Sam, two kids who meet on the last day of summer camp (where they both had a horrible time) and discover two silvery rocks by a brook. They name the rocks Opal and Jasper after rocks from their favorite book series, The Dragon Gems, and then each return to their respective homes in Massachusetts and California. Then they start writing to each other in letters, emails, and texts, because weird things keep happening, and they begin to wonder whether the rocks are really just rocks!
My next picture book, Masala Chai, Fast and Slow, releases on September 5! It’s a story about a Aarav, a boy who likes to go fast, and his thatha, or grandpa, who likes to take things slow. Every evening, they make masala chai together. When Thatha sprains his ankle and can’t make masala chai, Aarav decides to try making it himself—with hilarious results. This is a book about slowing down, enjoying time with those you love, and masala chai, of course!
In 2024, I will release my first middle grade fantasy, called Sona and the Golden Beasts. Set in an Indian-inspired fantasy world, the story involves magic and music and animals, but also contends with colonialism and who gets to tell history.
Lauren: My author-illustrator debut THIS IS A WINDOW will be out Spring 2024 (Minerva).
Title: YOUR ONE AND ONLY HEART
Author: Rajani LaRocca
Illustrator: Lauren Paige Conrad
Release Date: August 15, 2023
Publisher: Dial Books for Young Readers
ISBN-10: 0593326336
ISBN-13: 9780593326336
Genre: Nonfiction Picture Book
Age Range: 5-8
~ Giveaway Details ~
Five (5) winners will receive a hardcover copy of Your One and Only Heart (Rajani LaRocca) ~US Only!
*Click the Rafflecopter link below to enter the giveaway*
Oh, this will be such a treasure in our personal library!
This book looks utterly fantastic and I adore Lauren’s art style!! Adding this to our growing TBR pile!
I love the diverse cover! Looks like a great book for any library!
This sounds like such a cute book!
This looks so cute
I hope I win so I can give this book to my niece. She would love to read a picture book about the human heart.
This sounds amazing! I’d love it share it with readers at my school. I can think of a few who’d grab it off the shelf immediately.
The cover is beautiful and I can’t wait to read this book.