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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.
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.
40 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 15, 2023
124 people want to read
About the author
Rajani LaRocca
36 books557 followersRajani 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, the Walter Dean Myers Award, Golden Kite Award, and New England Book Award. 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.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
February 11, 2023
This is my poetic ode to the human heart. Paired poems explain and illustrate contrasting characteristics of the heart: how it is singular and cooperative, constant and variable, electric and muscular, and so on. Lauren Paige Conrad's collage illustrations are absolutely brilliant! There is ample back matter for those who are interested in even more information. I'm so excited for young readers to experience this celebration of our most vital organ.
October 11, 2023
4.5 stars
Your One and Only Heart by Dr. Rajani LaRocca beautifully covers the nature and work of the human heart, the best picture book I’ve ever seen on the subject in fact. The poetic text and cut-paper illustrations are accessible and entertaining to young readers without being ‘dumbed down’ or cartoonish to the point that it’s no longer very educational. On the contrary, this non-fiction picture book expertly blends the arts with science to deliver an informative ode to the heart that even adults can learn from.
For example, I have never really stopped before to think about how the heart is a study in contrasts. It is at once simple and complex, singular and cooperative, electric and muscular, constant and changeable, etc. Reading LaRocca’s poetic descriptions of the heart and its characteristics really opened my own eyes to the true miracle that is this vital organ and made me even more thankful for the intricate way our bodies were designed. Children will love the bright colors & details of Lauren Paige Conrad’s artwork, as well as LaRocca’s accompanying easy-to-read text, and they will learn so much in the process. Anything that makes learning fun and memorable is a win in my book!
Bottom Line: Your One and Only Heart by Rajani LaRocca, MD would be a fabulous addition to any school or home library. It teaches children (and adults!) about this miraculous organ in a way that engages their immediate interest and whets their curiosity for more. The backmatter goes into even more detail, providing further educational opportunities for those who want to keep learning. Excellent and entertaining resource for the children in your life!
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)
first reviewed at Reading Is My SuperPower
Your One and Only Heart by Dr. Rajani LaRocca beautifully covers the nature and work of the human heart, the best picture book I’ve ever seen on the subject in fact. The poetic text and cut-paper illustrations are accessible and entertaining to young readers without being ‘dumbed down’ or cartoonish to the point that it’s no longer very educational. On the contrary, this non-fiction picture book expertly blends the arts with science to deliver an informative ode to the heart that even adults can learn from.
For example, I have never really stopped before to think about how the heart is a study in contrasts. It is at once simple and complex, singular and cooperative, electric and muscular, constant and changeable, etc. Reading LaRocca’s poetic descriptions of the heart and its characteristics really opened my own eyes to the true miracle that is this vital organ and made me even more thankful for the intricate way our bodies were designed. Children will love the bright colors & details of Lauren Paige Conrad’s artwork, as well as LaRocca’s accompanying easy-to-read text, and they will learn so much in the process. Anything that makes learning fun and memorable is a win in my book!
Bottom Line: Your One and Only Heart by Rajani LaRocca, MD would be a fabulous addition to any school or home library. It teaches children (and adults!) about this miraculous organ in a way that engages their immediate interest and whets their curiosity for more. The backmatter goes into even more detail, providing further educational opportunities for those who want to keep learning. Excellent and entertaining resource for the children in your life!
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)
first reviewed at Reading Is My SuperPower
September 24, 2023
The heart is our most vital organ because it does so much for the body from the moment you take your first breath. There are many words that can be used to describe the heart. In this one, it's viewed as singular and cooperative, simple and complex, energetic and relaxed, constant and changeable, electric and muscular, hidden and noticeable, and selfish and selfless. It needs this diversity to do the things it needs to do.
YOUR ONE AND ONLY HEART is a nonfiction picture book that uses poetry to educate children about the heart. The illustrations are detailed with vibrant red coloring and the descriptive words stand out in a different and bold color. In the back of the book there are more heart facts for children to expand on. The words that make up the poems are lyrical and simple which helps younger children comprehend it. There's so much in this picture book and I love the format of the pictures and text. The layout makes it easy to follow and there's always something interesting to look at.
Final Verdict: I would recommend this to children aged six and up who are curious about anatomy. It's a great tool to teach children about how incredible the heart is and the poetic side of it makes the concepts easier to understand.
YOUR ONE AND ONLY HEART is a nonfiction picture book that uses poetry to educate children about the heart. The illustrations are detailed with vibrant red coloring and the descriptive words stand out in a different and bold color. In the back of the book there are more heart facts for children to expand on. The words that make up the poems are lyrical and simple which helps younger children comprehend it. There's so much in this picture book and I love the format of the pictures and text. The layout makes it easy to follow and there's always something interesting to look at.
Final Verdict: I would recommend this to children aged six and up who are curious about anatomy. It's a great tool to teach children about how incredible the heart is and the poetic side of it makes the concepts easier to understand.
September 22, 2023
Dr. Rajani LaRocca’s Your One and Only Heart is a series of poems about the wonder that is the human heart. Each of the poems uses a descriptive adjective to focus on a characteristic of the heart. While some of the characteristics seem to contradict each other, such as hidden and noticeable, the author uses the poems to highlight how the heart does what it needs to in order to allow humans to do what they they want—and need—to do. The illustrations feature diverse children in action to support the content of each poem. Together, the poems and illustrations provide young readers with an engaging and accessible introduction to the human heart.
October 18, 2023
LaRocca pairs poems to reveal the complexity of the heart - the heart can be described as energized but also as relaxed, constant but also changeable. Each poem and the beautiful accompanying paper-cut illustrations leave lots of room for students to talk about what the author and illustrator are trying to say about the heart.
There are so few engaging picture books out there about how the body works - don't miss out on reading this aloud to students or making space and time for small groups to read and think aloud.
And don't skip the BACK MATTER! LaRocca provides additional details related to each poem about how the heart works.
There are so few engaging picture books out there about how the body works - don't miss out on reading this aloud to students or making space and time for small groups to read and think aloud.
And don't skip the BACK MATTER! LaRocca provides additional details related to each poem about how the heart works.
May 9, 2025
I read this book for the Once Upon A Ban Book Club (@onceuponaban on Instagram and Substack)
“In 2023, the Huntington Beach City Council voted to approve Resolution 2023-41 which asserts their belief that the children’s library contains books with “explicit sexual images.” This restricted many books including Your One and Only Heart. Luckily after public outcry it is back on the children’s library shelf. However, a handful of reproductive and sexual health books intended for pre-teens and teens remain in the adult section of the library.
“In 2023, the Huntington Beach City Council voted to approve Resolution 2023-41 which asserts their belief that the children’s library contains books with “explicit sexual images.” This restricted many books including Your One and Only Heart. Luckily after public outcry it is back on the children’s library shelf. However, a handful of reproductive and sexual health books intended for pre-teens and teens remain in the adult section of the library.
October 18, 2025
Date: 2024
Award: NCTE Excellence in Poetry Award
Genre: Non-fiction Picturebook
Summary: This book walks through the different things that our heart does for us, as well as our other organs. I thought that this book was great because while being educational, it was a fun read with great pictures. I would use this book in my future classroom to teach students about our health, what it does for us, and the importance of taking care of our bodies. Overall, I thought that this book was great and would definitely use it in my future classroom!
Award: NCTE Excellence in Poetry Award
Genre: Non-fiction Picturebook
Summary: This book walks through the different things that our heart does for us, as well as our other organs. I thought that this book was great because while being educational, it was a fun read with great pictures. I would use this book in my future classroom to teach students about our health, what it does for us, and the importance of taking care of our bodies. Overall, I thought that this book was great and would definitely use it in my future classroom!
August 2, 2023
LaRocca and Conrad have created a book that is both simple and complex, just like our hearts. The writing begs to be read aloud, but really it's a book for readers to pour over. Scientifically accurate and beautifully done. Recommended for all ages!
Review based on an eARC received through Edelweiss+.
Review based on an eARC received through Edelweiss+.
August 8, 2023
I liked the poems and the illustrations - Really great for young learners to expose them to what the human heart looks like and can do. Many have a limited understanding based solely around the heart shape used for valentine cards, etc. This presents information in an engaging and age appropriate way.
October 6, 2023
This nonfiction book is a lovely ode to our faithful, hardworking heart. Rajani highlights the contrasting characteristics of our body's most important muscle in such poetic reverence, I felt a newfound appreciation for my heart after reading this. I recommend this beautiful book for readers of all ages and guarantee you'll want to read it again and again.
September 25, 2023
Colorful, geometric, bold and attractive. This informational picture book in verse has all the information kids want to know about the heart from a doctor. The heart is super cool, and this book will make sure everyone knows this is true.
February 10, 2024
Some solid poems about the heart, covers a lot of its characteristics, has some great factual information, the illustrations are fun and show people engaging with their hearts and the things they love.
September 11, 2024
Fun science centered book about the heart, but also how each person is unique. Some parts I may have rewritten (heart is electric but has no batteries, except some people do!). Overall, fun read for kiddos interested in the human body.
November 21, 2024
Excellent non-fiction picture book on the heart and how it works. The text was informative and made complex ideas fairly simple to understand. Lauren Paige Conrad's illustrations were excellent- I'm quite in love with her paper collage style and colour choices!
June 10, 2025
I'm all for nonfiction poetry books, but this is just odd. Maybe too specific? Educators (who are still allowed to teach factual biological science) and their students would benefit from its presence in a nearby library.
July 27, 2023
5 stars
I read a digital advanced reader's copy courtesy of the publisher
Excellent illustrated informational text about your body's most important muscle, the heart
I read a digital advanced reader's copy courtesy of the publisher
Excellent illustrated informational text about your body's most important muscle, the heart
November 12, 2023
The heart is so complex and I appreciate the author breaking down some of the complexities. I'm not ready for a quiz but I do appreciate how the different ideas and intricacies are explained.
December 7, 2023
I loved this book. The paired poems were thought-provoking and memorable. I thought the illustrations were a great accompaniment to the text. A great book for young science-loving folks!
December 15, 2023
A beautiful lyrical book introducing the concept & physical workings over the heart.
January 3, 2024
Incredibly interesting, lovely, and lyrical!! I enjoyed reading about all of these sides of the human heart and it's role that I've never thought about! Such a beautiful book!
January 6, 2024
Informative and a beautiful way to- could lead to writing about your own heart.
Read
January 10, 2024Research springboard around Valentines Day
November 27, 2024
This picture book is a fabulous way to introduce the complex workings of the cardiovascular system to students of all ages.
November 15, 2025
A love story about the heart. ❤️ A free verse picture book. Original idea.
December 8, 2023
Nonfiction picture book. This book is almost told in verse, with different attributes of the heart featured on each page. Things that seem to be opposite words, such as simple and complex are used to describe the heart. The pictures are supportive of the text without being too medical, done in "gouache, crayon, colored pencil, and collage" according to the art note. A clear admiration for the subject matter shines through.
June 10, 2023
What an amazing way to learn about the heart! Dr. LaRocca has such a unique way of storytelling with her poetry, and this informative book is just as engaging as her award-winning novels in verse. Lauren Paige Conrad's bold and vivid illustrations pair perfectly with the text. This book will make a fantastic addition to any home or school library! Thank you Edelweiss for the advance copy!
November 15, 2024
Free verse poems introduce readers to the heart and its simple but complex workings.
A great introduction to an extremely vital organ. The main text is simple enough for lower grade students, while the back content adds enough details for even middle schoolers to get good information out of this.
A great introduction to an extremely vital organ. The main text is simple enough for lower grade students, while the back content adds enough details for even middle schoolers to get good information out of this.
December 17, 2024
This is a unique book about the heart as it is written in free verse poetry. The main text and illustrations make it informative for lower elementary while the extra facts in back would be helpful for upper elementary as well. The diagrams are clear and easy to read and understand. Hand this to young ones interested in the human body and medicine.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews