We have several amazing new books by Newbery authors coming out over the next few months. We're taking a moment to highlight each of these creators, including Rajani LaRocca, Newbery Honor Winning author of Red, White, and Whole and the brand new novel, Sona and the Golden Beasts.

Where were you sitting (or standing or sleeping) when you got the Newbery call?

It was a Sunday evening. I was sitting on a sofa in my living room when I got the "pre-call" from a very nice man saying he was from the American Library Association, that there was a committee that had very good news for me, and would it be okay if they called me back on a different line? I said of course, and when the call ended, I told my husband in a choked voice that the American Library Association was calling me back, and he turned off the football game and took out his phone to photograph me.

I couldn't sit still, so I moved to the kitchen to take the call from the Newbery Committee, who told me that they loved Red, White, and Whole and it had won a Newbery Honor. I was automatically muted, and it took me three tries with my shaking hands to unmute, but I eventually figured it out and tearfully thanked them. I'm pretty sure I made no sense, but I think my gratitude shone through.

Name one thing that changed in your life after winning the award?

I'll never get used to seeing "Newbery Honor-Winning Author" on the covers of all my subsequent books—it's just mind-blowing!

What is your favorite place to read?

I've been listening to a lot of audiobooks lately, so my favorite place has been the car! But in general, I love curling up on the sofa in my office to read.

And your favorite place to write?

In my office, with light shining from my lamp made of pages from Red, White, and Whole!

What's the most memorable question a kid has asked you at a school or library visit?

"Does writing help you when you're feeling sad?"

Give us your best piece of writing advice for kids.

Let writing be something that is fun, that you look forward to. If you can't think of what to write, write fan fiction—continue the story of a book that you love.

How would you pitch your new book to a producer in Hollywood?

Sona and the Golden Beasts is a fast-paced fantasy adventure set in an Indian-inspired world featuring magic, music, and marvelous beasts, that also tackles colonialism and who gets to tell history. It's Avatar: The Last Airbender meets the Lord of the Rings for kids.

Dear Reader,

Sona and the Golden Beasts is set in an imaginary world, but its themes are very much inspired by our own.

As an Indian American, I have always struggled with the British occupation of India, when Britain drained India’s resources and people for centuries before finally being shamed into leaving. But I grew up loving British literature, especially the Chronicles of Narnia and Lord of the Rings series. And as I reflected on my personal history, I knew that I might not be the person I am if the British had not been in India—my parents would most likely not have spoken English, and they might not have immigrated to the United States. Still, I couldn't wrap my mind around one country's exploitation of another. When I went to England and saw the statue of Queen Victoria, Empress of India and the jewels and other treasures that had been stolen, I was dismayed that these symbols of imperialism continue to exist. I drew upon those feelings for this book. A

nother part of the inspiration for this story came a few years ago, when I was shocked by the opening scene in the Watchmen TV series. Horrific and historically accurate, it depicted events from the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921. How had I never heard of this important piece of American history? I started to think about who gets to tell the history of a country, and I used that idea in this book as well.

Finally, I thought about exploring climate change in a fantasy setting: What would the earth say if it could literally speak to us?

I hope you enjoy my first fantasy novel, one that explores the horrors of greed and the wonders of love. I hope it helps us all draw upon our greatest strengths—kindness, respect, and empathy—to help us heal what is broken in our own world.

Yours, Rajani LaRocca