KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — An East Tennessee author stopped by Tate’s School to share his newly released children’s book which celebrates his Hispanic Heritage.

Dr. Adrian Gonzalez’s children attended Tate’s School, the first S.T.E.A.M. school in Tennessee. The school said it is proud to see “the success of its former parent, Adrian Gonzalez, and all he has accomplished.”

The book is the first in the Lola Dérez STEM Mystery Series which invites readers to “experience the world of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math through the eyes of a fictional teenage friend.” The series is said to be a celebration of female students excelling in STEM learning.

“Encouraging children to develop strong science habits is very important for students today. This book series encourages young scientists by making science fun and highlights a female role model as the heroine, which is important because women continue to be underrepresented in traditional STEM fields such as engineering and computer science, “said Tracey Van Hook, Director of Resource Development at Tate’s.

Gonzalez stopped by the school to speak with 5th and 6th graders are the school about his book and the ways science and math impact their everyday lives. During his visit, he read a segment from the book. He also answered questions from students about how the book was created, what the book is about and his favorite parts of making the book.

“The idea that I got was to try and make middle graders, their age, excited about science and math but in a fictional story format instead of just a dry textbook,” said Gonzalez. “It’s a way to show kids that science and math are all around them in their world and it can be used to help people.”

The series’s main character is of Latin American descent and the school said with Hispanic Heritage Month in full swing, “its’ release couldn’t come at a better time”. Gonzalez’s book can be bought online at Amazon for $16.95 each for paperbacks or $8.49 for Kindle.