Rina Singh


Rina Singh is an award-winning Children’s Author and Spoken Word coach. She has an MFA in Creative Writing and has written many critically acclaimed books for children. As a writer, she is drawn to real life stories about social justice and the environment.

Grandmother School, (Orca Books) affirms the life-changing power of education. A Garden of Grenades, (Greystone Books) told in free verse, reimagines our troubled world through the lens of love and compassion. The Forest Keeper, (North South Books) celebrates the unfailing greatness of human spirit and inspires us to join the efforts of reforestation, saving our planet, one tree at a time. She has also written two books on Diwali.

Her books have been translated in many languages and have received starred reviews from Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, and Booklist.

A lover of poetry, photography, beautiful books, and monks– she lives with her husband and Japanese koi in a blue house in Toronto.

For more information visit her website or follow her on Twitter and Instagram.

Rina is represented by Essie White.

Publications

  • Bird Brothers, Orca 2025

    • 2025 Junior Library Guild Gold Selection

  •  Barefoot Skateboarders, Orca 2024

    •  2024 Junior Library Guild Gold Selection

    • Translated in French

  • The Forest Keeper, North South Books, 2023

    • Recommended Reading Title by The Green Earth Book Award 2024

    • Starred Review from Youth Services Book

  • Once, a Bird, Orca Book Publishers, 2023

    • 2023 Starred Review from Kirkus

    • Starred Review from Publisher's Weekly

    • Starred Review from School Library Journal

    • CCBC's Best Books for Kids 2024

    • Official Selection, IBBY Canada Silent Books Collection, representing Canada

    • Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Book in 2024.

  • Imagine a Garden, Greystone Books, 2023

    •  CCBC Best Books for Kids & Teens (2024) Joint Winner 

    • Short‑listed for the 2023 Nami International Picture Book Illustration Concours (South Korea)

  •  The Lion Queen, Cameron Kids, ABRAMS, 2023

    • 2023 Best Book, The New York Public Library

    • •2023 Best Biography, Bookstagang

    • 2024 Septima P. Clark Social Justice Book Award (Elementary Category) Winner

    • Septima P. Clark Women in Literature Award in 2024, Winner. (National Council for the Social Studies)

    • New York Public Library Best Books of 2023

  •  My Heart Beats, Orca 2021

    •  Commended by the Bookstagang Best Board Books 

    •  Best Books of 2021, Brooklyn Public Library

    • Commended in the Children’s Book Council (CBC) Building a Home Library, Ages 0–3 list for 2024

  •  111 Trees, Kids Can Press, October, 2020

    • 2022- Shortlisted for the Yellow Cedar Award

    • 2021 - Green Earth Book Award, The Nature Generation, Long-listed

    • 2021 - Top 10 Sustainability Themed Children`s Books, Sustainability Roundtable of the American Library Association, Winner

    • 2021 - Skipping Stones Honor List, Skipping Stones Magazine, Winner

    • 2021 - Social Justice Literature Awards--Nonfiction, International Literacy Association, Joint Winner

    • 2021 - Best Children's Books List, Bank Street College, Winner

    • 2021 Norma Fleck Non-Fiction Prize, (CCBC Book Awards) Shortlisted

    • 2020 Northern Lights Book Award, Winner

    • 2020 - Editors' Choice: Books for Youth, Booklist, Winner

    • 2020 - Picture Book Non-Fiction Category, Northern Lights Book Awards, Winner

    • 2020 Junior Library Guild Gold Book Selection

    • Starred Review form Booklist

    • Featured in The New York Times

  •  Grandmother School, Orca Book Publishers, 2020

    • 2021 Blue Spruce Award, Finalist

    • Finalist for 2021 The Doug Wright Best Book Award

    • Christie Harris Illustrated Children's Literature Prize, Winner

    • (BC and Yukon Book Prizes 2021 BC and Yukon Book Prizes)

    • Selected for the 2020 Ultimate List of Diverse Children’s Books

  • A Meeting in the Sky, Creative Editions, 2019 

  • Diwali Lights, Orca Book Publishers, 2018

  • Holi Colors, Orca Book Publishers, 2018

    • CSMCL Best Multicultural Book (2018) by the Center for the Study of Multicultural Children’s Literature

    • Featured on the CCBC Choices list in 2019, a selection curated by the Canadian Children’s Book Centre 

    • Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People (K to 2) by NCSS/CBC  (2019) 

    • Starred Review from Kirkus

    • Starred Review from Publisher's Weekly

  • Diwali: Festival of Lights, Orca 2016

    • Nominated for Red Cedar Award 2017-2018

    • Commended title in the Bank Street College of Education Children’s Book Committee Best

Photo credit: Amrita Singh

Twitter: @storiesbysingh •
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Website: rinasingh.com 
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