John Leguizamo Wants New Book ‘Kiki and the Can’ to Uplift Latin Representation in Kid Lit

John Leguizamo’s new children’s book ‘Kiki and the Can’ highlights the importance of self-expression. Leguizamo was inspired to write the book after learning Latin children are underrepresented in children’s literature.

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John Leguizamo’s new children’s book Kiki and the Can highlights the importance of self-expression

Leguizamo was inspired to write the book after learning Latin children are underrepresented in children’s literature

“Hopefully, with this children’s book, and all the other ones that are coming out, we undo a little bit of that,” the actor said on a recent episode of the Wild Card podcast

John Leguizamo‘s new children’s book, Kiki and the Can, centers on the titular Kiki, who learns the importance of self-expression after he finds a can of spray paint in his neighborhood. But as the author and actor explained to host Rachel Martin on the Aug. 20 episode of the Wild Card podcast, the picture book holds another important message. Leguizamo, 66, was inspired to write the story after a conversation with Scholastic Education’s chief academic officer Michael Haggen. “He said, ‘You know, Latin children are the least represented in children’s picture books,’” the Tony Award winner recalled. “He said less than 5% of them have Latin children. You’re more likely to see the face of an animal than you are of a Latin child. And Latin people are 30% of the U.S. population in public schools.” “I was like, ‘Oh my God,’” Leguizamo continued. “What does that do to a kid’s self worth? What does it do to their self validation … So I felt, like, yes. I have been summoned. This is my calling to write this children’s book.”

On the podcast, Leguizamo said it was “the hardest thing” to write the book, which took five years to complete.“It’s like writing haiku,” he said. “It’s gotta be so brief, so short, really accessible for a child’s imagination, And I’m trying to impart information, so that’s really, really, really difficult.”

It was important for the actor, however, to finish the book, and give Latin children the opportunity to see themselves as the main character.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. “You have to spend the rest of your life with this scar because you don’t see yourself represented,” he said. “You don’t feel like you have a voice. You don’t feel validated … you had to spend the rest of your life trying to undo that with affirmations, positive affirmations … superimposing your culture, your ethnicity, onto characters.” “Hopefully, with this children’s book, and all the other ones that are coming out, we undo a little bit of that,” he added.

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Leguizamo previously told PEOPLE in a statement about his hopes for Kiki and the Can, on which he collaborated with celebrated graffiti artist and childhood friend John “Crash” Matos. “I grew up in a family where my cultural pride was celebrated,” Leguizamo said. “But when I dove into the pages of so many children’s books praising heroes for their greatness, guess who was missing? Us!”

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“Kiki’s story is about the pride everyone can have for their cultural roots, and how, when you don’t see yourself on the pages of books, your very own creativity can shine a colorful spotlight on what’s been left out.”

Need your next page-turner? See which books our editors can’t put down with our People Who Read newsletter — plus get PEOPLE News. Leguizamo noted that books were an important part of his upbringing, too. The actor immigrated from Colombia to New York City when he was a kid, and his parents were big proponents of reading. “They constantly said that that was the most important thing, was reading and education,” Leguizamo said. “That was the only thing that was the great equalizer, the great opportunity, the great American dream. The immigrant’s dream for their kids.”Kiki and the Can is now available from Orchard Books.

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