Although Santiago, the protagonist of this story, is of Peruvian descent, I, the author, am not. As a Caucasian man from the United States, I cannot represent the vast and varied perspectives of Latin Americans living here and throughout the world. Spending a couple of years in Peru kindled a desire in me to see more Latin Americans represented as protagonists in the type of books I like to read, which inspired me to write Santiago.
To learn more about the rich tapestry of Latin American experiences, I encourage you to explore books written by the amazing Latin American authors out there. Ryan Calejo, Ernesto Cisneros, and Kaela Rivera are some of my favorite middle-grade writers, each of whom has crafted stories that weave the cultural heritage of Latin America into their narratives. Check them out!