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

by Rajani LaRocca

But when I lift the lid, a horrible scorched scent assaults my nose. I bring the pan to the sink. It hisses as the water hits it and the awful smell hangs in the air. It’s okay, says Daddy. We can try again. But it’s not okay. My appetite is gone. Everything is ruined.

This happened in my own life, when my mom was in the hospital and my dad and I first tried to cook by ourselves.