Q&A with Jyoti Rajan Gopal

 

Photo by Alison Sheehy

 

 

Jyoti Rajan Gopal is the author of the new children's picture book Over in the Mangroves. Her other books include American Desi. She lives in New York. 

 

Q: What inspired you to write Over in the Mangroves, and what intrigues you about this habitat?

 

A: Mangroves live along coastlines, surviving in difficult conditions. At high tide, their roots sit in salty sea water. At low tide, when waters recede, their roots are revealed.  I think I am so fascinated by them because like me, they straddle two worlds and find the best in both to help them thrive and grow!

 

I have visited several mangrove forests, and each was a magical experience. Not only are they beautiful places to visit, but mangrove ecosystems are also vital for the health of our planet. They buffer people and land from damaging storms, provide carbon storage and sequestration, harbor nurseries for marine life, and so much more.

 

But they are threatened by development, pollution, deforestation and climate change. Their loss would be a disaster for our planet, and so I am hoping this book will be a small part of raising awareness of their importance.

 

Q: How did you choose the animals to include in the book?

 

A: One of the reasons the Sundarbans has been named a UNESCO world heritage site is because of its exceptional biodiversity. During my research, I discovered so many fascinating animals that make the Sundarbans their home.

 

I spent a lot of time reading and researching  and because I had to narrow my choices down to 10 (because of the structure of the story), I had to think about what was important to me for that final 10.

 

These were a few things I considered:

1. I wanted at least one example from each of the vertebrates: mammal, bird, reptile, fish, amphibian and one from the invertebrates

2. Some interconnectedness as predator/prey

3. Who plays the role of primary caregiver

4. How crucial the animal is to the mangrove ecosystem

5. A cool fact about them that would make them even more interesting to young readers

 

And of course, the name of the parent animal and baby animals had to fit in the rhyme scheme of the stanzas!

Q: What do you think Dikshaa Pawaskar’s illustrations add to the story?

 

A: Dikshaa is brilliant with how she plays with light on the page. The way she created the dappled rays of sunlight and moonlight in the mangroves added to the mystery of the mangroves and that sense of it being a magical place. The storm that descends on the mangroves has just the right amount of ominous in it. And, of course, the animals are adorable.

Q: What do you hope kids take away from the book?

 

A: I hope that kids will want to learn more about mangroves and their inhabitants. I hope it inspires them to visit mangroves and see them for the amazing ecosystems that they are.

 

And I hope their grown-ups, who are reading this book to them, also understand the vital importance of mangroves to the health of the planet and hopefully think about actions they can take to help preserve and protect them.

 

Teachers can use this book to research habitats, species interconnectedness, conservation, and animal families, to reinforce counting skills as well as to encourage discussions around community and care.

 

Q: What are you working on now?

 

A: I sold two picture books this year; one is a nonfiction and the other is fiction. They have not been announced so that’s all I can share. We’re finalizing illustrators and I’m working on revisions with the editors.

 

I’m also working on a poetry collection, a very different kind of project that my agent hasn’t even seen yet. I’m trying to make sure that I can get it to a place to share it with her. I am grateful for CPs who are helping me to refine and polish.

 

Q: Anything else we should know?

 

A: A fun fact - I met a librarian at the 2025 ALA conference who was so excited to see the spread with the mudskippers because they are her absolute favorite thing, and she has one tattooed on her ankle!

 

And - I have another book coming out this August (Aug. 26) called The Power of Your Name (published by Union Square Books and illustrated by Olivia Sua), which celebrates every name through poetic verse and the ABCs. I also have six more coming out over the next three years, which I am very grateful for. Keep an eye out for them.

 

I have a Substack with the very uninspiring name of Jyoti’s Substack (do subscribe!). I am not at all regular so I will not be flooding your inbox every week or even every month. I post when I have something I want to share.

I’ve also started a podcast called In the Picture where I interview illustrators, book designers, art directors - all the creatives who work on the visual side of picture books mainly because I was so interested in learning more about this side of publishing.

 

Again, it’s not on a regular schedule. I’ve just released three which you can find on Spotify and Apple podcasts. And when I get three more done, I’ll release those!

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb