More About Rina Singh (She/Her)
Languages: English, Hindi
Rina Singh is an award-winning children’s book author whose storytelling reflects her deep curiosity about the world. Her books often draw on real-life stories of resilience, social justice, wildlife conservation, and the environment, inspiring young readers to dream big and act boldly.
Translated into multiple languages, her books have received starred reviews in Kirkus Reviews, Publisher’s Weekly, School Library Journal, and Booklist. Her books are included on the Bank Street and NYPL Best Books lists.
Grandmother School won the Christie Harris Illustrated Children’s Literature Prize, while 111 Trees received the Social Justice Literature Award and was featured in The New York Times. She lives in a blue house in Toronto.
Rina is represented by Storm Literary.
You can find Rina online at:
Video: Rina Singh Reads from My Heart Beats
Rina’s strengths are…
Finding the heart of your story
Playing with words and metaphors
Discovering ways to make your rhymes or prose shine
Revision techniques
Writing pitches
What Rina is looking for…
Rina is looking for a mentee who is passionate about creating lyrical, meaningful stories and is eager to break into the children’s publishing industry. They should have a genuine love for picture books, a willingness to explore fresh, non-cliché themes, and a strong commitment to refining their craft through extensive revision.
Rina values a mentee who reads widely within the genre and approaches storytelling with both curiosity and dedication. A keen sense for evocative language and an openness to experimenting with structure and style will make for an inspiring mentorship experience.
A Note from Rina:
“Yes, the kidlit world can feel daunting and competitive, but it is also filled with joy, hope, and a deep sense of community. Here, we are all cheering for each other because we know that the world needs more beautiful books in the hands of children—books that inspire, delight, and offer fresh perspectives. To my future mentee and all applicants: I see you. You’ve kept going despite the rejections, the setbacks, and the endless waiting. You’re still here, still writing, still dreaming, and that speaks volumes about your heart and resilience. The fact that you’re reading this tells me that you believe in your stories and in the power of words to shape young minds. That passion is everything. For my mentee, I want to be your champion—and help you get closer to your publishing dreams. Through this mentorship, I hope you’ll not only gain confidence in your craft but also learn to embrace your voice, your vision, and your unique place in the kidlit world. I’m especially drawn to fresh, authentic voices with something meaningful to say—stories that explore the overlooked or unexpected, and perspectives that are lyrical, absurd, funny, or deeply moving. If there’s a book you’ve been longing to see in the world, let’s work together to make it happen. The kidlit world needs you, your words, and your stories. Let’s get to work!”
Rina’s Picture Books
Rina writes in other markets, so to check out her full catalog please visit her website.
The Forest Keeper: The True Story of Jadav Payeng, written by Rina Singh and illustrated by Ishita Jain
111 Trees: How One Village Celebrates the Birth of Every Girl, written by Rina Singh and illustrated by Marianne Ferrer
Once, a Bird, written by Rina Singh and illustrated by Nathalie Dion
The Lion Queen, written by Rina Singh and illustrated by Tara Anand
Grandmother School, written by Rina Singh and illustrated by Ellen Rooney
Imagine a Garden: Stories of Courage Changing the World, written by Rina Singh and illustrated by Hoda Hadadi
My Heart Beats by Rina Singh
Holi Colors by Rina Singh
Diwali: Festival of Lights by Rina Singh
Diwali Lights by Rina Singh
Barefoot Skateboarders, written by Rina Singh and illustrated by Sophie Casson
Moon Tales by Rina Singh and Debbie Lush
Guru Nanak: The First Sikh Guru by Rina Singh and Andrée Pouliot
A Forest of Stories: Magical Tree Tales from Around the World by Rina Singh and Helen Cann
hindi for heart by Gulzar with Rina Singh
Meeting in the Sky, written by Rina Singh and illustrated by Jordi Vila Delclòs
Rina’s Upcoming Picture Book:
Bird Brothers: A Delhi Story, written by Rina Singh and illustrated by Barkha Lohia
If Rina created a Visual Wish List, it would be made up of…
*Unless otherwise stated, the below serves as a wish list only. Each mentor is excited about the opportunity to find a manuscript they can’t stop thinking about. Please apply if you think you’d be a good fit.
How to be a Lion, written and Illustrated by Ed Vere
Fry Bread, written by Kevin Noble Maillard and Illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal
This is a Poem that heals fish, written by Jean-Pierre Simeon and Illustrated by Olivee Talec
Girl on a Motorcycle, written by Amy Novesky and illustrated by Julie Morstad
It Began with a Page, written by Kyo Maclear and Illustrated by Julie Morstad
The Enemy, written by David Cali and Illustrated by Serge Bloch
A Gift for Amma, written by Meera Sriram and Illustrated by Mariona Cabassa
How to Catch a Star by Oliver Jeffers
Rina is a good fit for…
Non-fiction that will be a game changer
Cultural (only if you come from that background)
PB Biographies with a different spin
Lyrical fiction and non-fiction
Manuscripts that will surprise the reader in any way
Board books
Rina is not a good fit for…
Wordless picture books
Didactic stories that have a very obvious message for kids
STEM
Please do NOT submit stories including: Death, disease, animal characters that talk, potty humor, cliche, and forced themes.
Who can apply to Rina? Unagented authors.
Click below to register for our Mentee Announcement (on Zoom) on May 15, 2025 at 8:00pm Eastern Time!