It’s that time of year when we start to think about returning to school.

Rajani LaRocca has visited my blog several times before. She is a physician and an author of books for young readers including Summer Is for Cousins, Where Three Oceans Meet and Red, White, and Whole, which won a Newbery Honor. She was born in Bangalore, India, and immigrated to the United States when she was very young. She now lives in eastern Massachusetts with her family. You can learn more about her at her website or follow her on Twitter, BlueSky, and Instagram.

FALL IS FOR BEGINNINGS is a bit of a sequel to SUMMER IS FOR COUSINS (which you might remember me discussing on my blog with Rajani before). This time Ravi is returning to school, excited about new school supplies and seeing his best friend Joe again. But then a new kid, Ellie, shows up and insists that they are besties. She insists on interacting with them repeatedly and turning them into a trio. Ravi’s frustration mounts as the story goes on and as his expectations aren’t met. This is a completely different twist on the back-to-school topic that will be a great addition to any classroom collection, as well as great for SEL discussions.

Welcome back Rajani!

Me: I adore this circular story of fall that takes place in school. What gave you the idea?

Rajani: After working with Abhi on SUMMER IS FOR COUSINS, I was hoping to do another book together. I thought about what might happen after the events of SUMMER, and my mind jumped to a back-to-school story. I wanted to capture the excitement of a new school year and seeing old friends. And I thought it might be fun to explore a new friendship with someone who is a little challenging.

Me: This is the second story we’ve seen with Ravi. It wasn’t that long ago that we met him for the first time in SUMMER IS FOR COUSINS, now here we are with a story set in the Fall. Were both stories pitched together? Can we hope for more seasonal stories with Ravi and his family or friends?

Rajani: SUMMER IS FOR COUSINS was submitted as a stand-alone. My agent (and friend) had asked me to write a summer book, because he loved the season. I thought about favorite summer memories: mine, and those of my kids, and the sweetest ones were about times spent with cousins.

When I thought about writing more books featuring Ravi, I became excited about the possibility of “seasonal sequels.” And I’m delighted to tell you that there will be two more books in the series—WINTER IS FOR ADVENTURE and SPRING IS FOR GROWING.

It’s such a thrill to be able to continue Ravi’s story through the seasons. Ravi is a thoughtful, sweet, and slightly anxious little guy, and I love the gentle, humorous, and heartfelt way he overcomes the things that bother him.

Me: Yes! That’s amazing news! I can’t wait to read them! I love this story of self-discovery and friendship. Once again you’ve nailed the heart of the story so well! Was it always like this from the beginning? If not, how many revisions did it take to get to this well written state? 

Rajani: The story was always about the sometimes-rocky road to new friendship and a girl who announces on the first day that she’s going to be Ravi’s best friend, even though he already has one!

Me: Once again you are paired with illustrator Abhi Alwar. I love her illustrations for these books. I adore those school supplies on the end papers! Were there any illustration surprises for you?  Any favorite illustrations?

Rajani: Abhi is SO incredibly talented! I love that her illustrations blend the frenetic energy of childhood with very sweet and relatable characters. There’s a spread with diagonal lines through it that shows a series of events over time and mirrors a similar spread in SUMMER IS FOR COUSINS; it’s one of my absolute favorites. Also, don’t miss out on the art on the jacket case — it’s such a sweet scene and one of the loveliest parts of the book! 

Me: In the first book you introduced a multitude of relatives. In this book, your text focuses on only three to four characters, yet Abhi’s illustrations show tons of characters (teachers, students, etc.) making it feel just as full and lively as the first book. Did you have illustration notes for her to do that? Or did she fill in the characters on her own?

Rajani: I seem to always inadvertently make Abhi’s life more challenging! I didn’t really comprehend how much work it would take for her to illustrate the 15 (!) family members in SUMMER. For FALL, Abhi had to create an entire classroom full of kids, and she pulled it off spectacularly. She created many of the characters for both books based on people she knows in her life . . . and I even make a cameo in the book!

Me: Oh my goodness! That’s fantastic. What is one thing that surprised you in writing this story?

Rajani: I think it’s how Abhi’s illustrations seemed to fit the story so perfectly … Ravi’s best friend Joe and new girl Ellie weren’t how I had envisioned them when I wrote the story, but they are somehow exactly how those characters are meant to be!

Me: I love that! You are one of the most prolific writers I know. Do you have any future projects we can look forward to?

Rajani: Thank you for your kind words! I’m grateful to be able to publish all kinds of books.

My first young adult novel, SUCH GREAT HEIGHTS, is coming in summer 2026! I also have three picture books scheduled for next year: SIDE BY SIDE, about all the things we do next to each other rather than face-to-face; WE ARE THE LIGHT, about Diwali; and VIBHI AND THE VOICE, about a girl who’s afraid of the dark until she makes friends with a girl made of darkness who’s afraid of the light.

And yes, there are more books slated for 2027 and beyond!

Those all sound wonderful Rajani! Congratulations and thank you for stopping by my blog again.

Dear readers, this book published at the beginning of August. If you haven’t yet had a chance to track it down, I highly recommend it. It’s full of heart, seasonal joy, school shenanigans, and new friendships. Trust me when I say, you won’t want to miss it!