Starting a new school is hard. Starting a new school when you don’t speak the language is even harder. In the newly released book Where Are All My Toys? Aa Cuban Bboy Ggrows in Brooklyn, author Dr. Sam Rodriguez Morhaim shares the true story of how his brother Jimmy survived the "jarring transition" from Cuba to New York.

After arriving in Brooklyn, Jimmy struggled in his first-grade classroom because he only spoke Spanish. Isolated and missing his home, he turned to his crayons. By drawing pictures of the Cuban beaches and his confiscated toys, Jimmy began to heal and connect with his new teachers and classmates.

"He was saved through his artistic talent," Dr. Morhaim explains. The book highlights a universal truth: creativity can help us process "bottled up" emotions and major life changes. Illustrated by Walter Policelli, the book uses bright, engaging visuals to show Jimmy’s journey from a lonely student to the school’s "official translator".

This book is an inspiring tool for anyone who has ever felt like an outsider and found a way to belong.
Where Are All My Toys? is now available in print and digital formats.

About the Author

Dr. Sam Rodriguez Morhaim is a Brooklyn native and a successful periodontal surgeon. Growing up in Canarsie, he was shaped by his parents’ courageous decision to leave Cuba for America in 1962. His parents, an architect and a teacher, taught him that while belongings can be taken away, a professional education is a permanent asset.

Sam was inspired to write after sharing his family’s history with patients, who were captivated by his brother Jimmy’s journey through childhood trauma and immigration. Through his writing, he hopes to show readers that hope and a loving family can find the "silver lining" in any hardship.
When he isn’t practicing medicine, Sam is a dedicated father of two children and two granddaughters who reside in the Miami area.