Yuma native publishes children’s book

News 11 reporter Melissa Zaremba has the details on David Damian Figueroa's latest book.

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY-TV) - Author, producer, and farmworker rights activist, David Damian Figueroa is a Yuma native who released his second book. 

David Damian Figueroa grew up working in the agricultural fields here in Yuma which inspired him to write his latest children’s book called “El Oz,” which is a latino perspective of the 1920s book “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz." 

“El Oz” Is about a young Mexican girl named Dolores and her chihuahua  who find themselves in a strange land after a violent rainstorm. 

“This book is very much about agriculture, the food, the soil, and it’s very much inspired by my trips to Puebla Mexico and also the surroundings that I grew up the smells and the foods all the things in Yuma, Arizona, I have a lot of fond memories there,” said Author and Film Producer David Damian Figueroa. 

Growing up, Figueroa spent a lot of time working with his mother.

Where she taught him the art of positivity through traditional Mexican songs, storytelling, and, sayings. 

“I wrote this book because I really felt it has a lot of messages in it, a lot of symbolism, and a lot of things I learned along the way,” said Figueroa.

Figueroa says his book “El Oz” is currently number thirteen on the fiction bestseller list at publisher lulu.com. 

“If you want to purchase “El Oz,” it’s available on multiple online sites including, GooglePlay, GoogleBooks, and Amazon, or you can purchase it at local stores such as Walmart or Barnes and Noble. 

Ebook costs $4.99, soft cover $8.26, and hard cover $29.99.

Figueroa says by 2023, “El Oz” will be published in Spanish. 

Figueroa currently lives in the Coachella Valley, so he’s been doing multiple book signings in Southern California.

Figueroa says he’s already working on his third book.