About this item
A heartbreakingly hopeful #ownvoices novel in verse about an Indian American girl whose life is turned upside down when her mother is diagnosed with leukemia. Reha feels torn between two worlds: school, where she's the only Indian American student, and home, with her family's traditions and holidays. But Reha's parents don't understand why she's conflicted - they only notice when Reha doesn't meet their strict expectations. Reha feels disconnected from her mother, or Amma, although their names are linked - Reha means "star" and Punam means "moon" - but they are a universe apart. Then Reha finds out that her Amma is sick. Really sick.Reha, who dreams of becoming a doctor even though she can't stomach the sight of blood, is determined to make her Amma well again.
About the Author
Rajani LaRocca was born in India, raised in Kentucky, and now lives in the Boston area, where she practices medicine and writes award-winning books for young people, including Red, White, and Whole, which won a 2022 Newbery Honor. Her other books include: Midsummer's Mayhem (2019) , Seven Golden Rings (2020) , Bracelets for Bina's Brothers (2021) , Much Ado About Baseball (2021) , Where Three Oceans Meet (2021) , My Little Golden Book About Kamala Harris (2021) , The Secret Code Inside You (2021) , I'll Go and Come Back (2022) , and more. She's always been an omnivorous reader, and now she is an omnivorous writer of fiction and nonfiction, novels and picture books, prose and poetry. She finds inspiration in her family, her childhood, the natural world, math, science, and just about everywhere she looks. To connect with Rajani and learn more about her and her books visit her at www.RajaniLaRocca.com and on Twitter and Instagram @rajanilarocca.
