Red, White, and Whole: A Newbery Honor Novel in Verse about an Indian American Girl Navigating Identity and Grief

by Rajani LaRocca

You are smart, Reha, kanna, he says. But most important, you work hard. That is valued in this country.

You will be anything you want to be.

the red cells, that carry oxygen, the platelets, that stop bleeding, and the white cells, the warriors protecting us from invaders.

Cells and plasma together are called whole blood, which is what flows inside us.

God is everywhere, says Amma. He is in every living creature. God has many faces, many forms, male and female, human and animal, and forms we cannot imagine. This is why we do not hurt people, or harm animals. Why we do not eat meat.

God’s wisdom is in paper and books. So we do not disrespect them or touch them with our feet.

Our parents are God, their words are law.

Why can’t women be heroes?

Words can hurt, and words can heal.

“You don’t have to worry about living in two worlds. You live in only one world, and that is the world in which we love you. No matter what your choices are. We raised you, we trust you, and we love you.”

All my life, I have listened to adults. All my life, I have done what they wanted. But I am changing.

All our blood cells are born in our bone marrow.

I concentrate with all my mind, and reading and discussing and writing bring me joy, a dam to hold back the worry in my heart.

I want to listen forever.

What does the sky do when the moon is gone forever?

Surround yourself with good people, and be happy.

you belong.

Work hard. Be good to yourself, and reach for joy, in whatever form that takes. I am already prouder of you than you could imagine.

embrace the field of light.