Dr. Sam Rodriguez Morhaim is a proud Brooklyn native from the small neighborhood of Canarsie, where he grew up alongside his parents, Julio and Victoria, and his brother Jimmy, the real-life inspiration behind Where Are All My Toys?

His strong sense of family began with his parents’ determination to give their children a normal, safe life, which led them to leave their beloved homeland of Cuba when Sam was very young. Their dedication to education shaped both brothers’ futures: Sam excelled academically and became a periodontist, while his brother Jaime (Jimmy) became a dermatologist.

These values: family, resilience, education, and the desire to help others are the heart of Sam’s writing.