Rajani LaRocca, M.D.’s Your One and Only Heart combines science, art, and poetic language in an original “lyrical picture book” for children.
At a human’s first breath until their last, their heart beats. LaRocca writes:
It will beat every second
Of every minute
Of every hour
Of every day
Of your whole life
The author goes on to describe the heart’s role through a range of surprising adjectives: singular, cooperative, simple, complex, energetic, relaxed, constant, changeable, electric, muscular, hidden, noticeable, selfish, (and) selfless.
She describes its central role in the cardiovascular system, its functions, the surrounding anatomy, and other aspects.
Lauren Paige Conrad illustrates this work with style and verve. It is an inclusive multicultural world of people of all backgrounds, depicted in bright colors.
Dr. Rajani LaRocca’s Your One and Only Heart (2023) is a charming book. It evokes STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) and STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) learning for children effortlessly and with such fun.
Shalin Hai-Jew has worked in higher education for many years. She has edited dozens of nonfiction educational books and authored a dozen with a number of publishers.
