From Cuba to Today: An Interview with Alexandra Diaz

Scholastic Kid Reporter Xander Dorsey pictured with Alexandra Diaz (photo credit: Xander Dorsey)

I recently interviewed Alexandra Diaz, the author of books such as Farewell Cuba, Mi Isla and Santiago’s Road Home. She talked about what inspired her stories, the characters she loves most, and why she thinks meeting authors in schools is so important. She also gave advice to young readers and writers and shared how her own childhood shaped the author she is today. 

Stories That Come from Real Life 

When asked where her ideas come from, Alexandra Diaz shared that Farewell Cuba, Mi Isla was inspired by her mother’s experience leaving Cuba in 1960. Like the main character Victoria, her mother did not know if she would ever see her extended family again. Diaz said Cuban families are very close, and that sense of community and separation played a big role in the book.

Her other novel, Santiago’s Road Home, focuses on modern-day immigration. It tells the story of Santiago, a boy from Mexico who is separated from the people he loves while in a detention center. Even though the book was published in 2020, Diaz said it is still very relevant today.

To make her characters feel real, Diaz tries to imagine herself in their situations. “As I develop my characters, they become their own people,” she explained, adding that sometimes they even surprise her with the choices they make.

Characters, Childhood, and Advice

When asked about her favorite characters, Diaz lit up. She mentioned an invisible unicorn, a young girl named Alegría who sees the world in her own special way, and Diogenes, a horse based on one she owned in Puerto Rico.

Diaz also shared that she has been telling stories since she was little. Her mom used to say, “She’s not a liar, she’s a writer.” As a kid, she loved books like Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor and The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi.

For kids who are not big readers yet, she suggests finding a format you enjoy, whether it is graphic novels, audiobooks, or traditional books. And for aspiring writers, her advice is simple: if you love it, go for it.

Interviewing Alexandra Diaz reminded me how stories connect with us whether they come from history, today’s world, or even an invisible unicorn.