Hello, I'm Hayley. 

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I am an author and photographer who loves writing children’s books; books I hope will inspire and bring joy to children and adults alike. My first book, How to Send a Hug (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers) is my first collaboration with my husband, author/illustrator, John Rocco.  We are loving collaborating so much, that we have six more books in the publishing pipeline, and more to come. 

Prior to my writing career, I worked in children’s book publishing promoting amazingly talented authors and illustrators for over a decade. I consider myself very fortunate to be in such incredible company as a peer today. When not writing children’s books, I love exploring nature—especially near the ocean—and photographing animals, whether in their natural habitat or at a zoo. I also love swimming, running, traveling, exploring and learning all about the world around me.

I live with my husband, a very excitable dog, two cats, two budgies, and a plethora of fish  near the ocean in Rhode Island.

Thanks for reading my bio! Everyone has to start somewhere, so I thought I’d share my very first picture books with you. I created them with the help of my 2nd and 3rd grade teacher, Mrs. Rivera. She always encouraged me to write and draw, and I'm so grateful for it. You can find those stories below. (Enjoy!)

Official Author Bio:
Hayley Rocco has loved children’s books all her life. Before dedicating her full attention to writing books for children, she spent over a decade promoting them as a publicist for multiple publishers including Holiday House, Simon & Schuster, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt/Clarion Books. While she currently has six books under contract and publishing in 2024,  How to Send a Hug is her first book as well as her first collaboration with her husband, Caldecott Honoree  author/illustrator, John Rocco. They live together in the creaky woods of Rhode Island with a houseful of plants and pets. ​

To learn more about my passion for animal photography, you can follow my journey on Instagram @photoanimalism.

Click on the book covers below to see inside.

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