West Sacramento teen wins 4 international book awards

FROM RIVER CITY HIGH SCHOOL IN WEST SACRAMENTO IS CELEBRATING A BIG ACHIEVEMENT. MAXIM IS NOW A FOUR TIME INTERNATIONAL AWARD WINNING AUTHOR. HELLO, EVERYONE. MY NAME IS MAX NIMBUS DAM, AND I’M SO HONORED TO RECEIVE THIS INTERNATIONAL LATINO BOOK AWARD FROM MY BOOK, KING IN THE SPACE MISSION. I WROTE THIS BOOK TO INSPIRE KIDS EVERYWHERE TO BELIEVE IN THEMSELVES AND THAT DREAMS CAN LEAD YOU TO BIG PLACES, JUST LIKE IT DID FOR ME. NOW, MAXIM TRAVELED TO SAN DIEGO COUNTY ON SATURDAY TO RECEIVE HIS AWARDS FOR WRITING THE STEM BOARD BOOK, THE CAROUSEL KING AND THE SPACE MISSION. THE YOUNG AUTHOR CAME UP WITH THE STORY TO HELP KIDS BELIEVE IN THEMSELVES, TO HELP THEM EXPLORE THE POSSIBILITY OF BEING AN ASTRONAUT, AND TO GET MORE CHILDREN INTERESTED IN READING. NINTH GRADE RECEIVED TWO GOLD MEDALS. TWO BRONZE MEDALS. HE’S THE YOUNGEST AUTHOR IN 2025 TO RECEIVE THIS RECOGNITION AT THE INTERNATIONAL LATINO BOOK AWARDS. IT’S THE LARGEST BOOK AWARDS IN THE WORLD, SO CONGRATULATIONS TO MAX. BY THE WAY, IF HE LOOKS FAMILIAR. HIS PROUD MOM IS OUR VERY OWN LETICIA ORDAZ, WHO’S ALSO AN AWARD WINNING CHILDREN’S BOOK.

A West Sacramento-area high school freshman is celebrating a big achievement: He is now a four-time international award-winning author.Maxton Baeza received the International Latino Book Award for his bilingual STEM book, “The Carousel King and the Space Mission.” Baeza traveled to San Diego County on Saturday to receive his award.According to Baeza, he wrote the book to inspire kids to believe in themselves, “and that dreams can lead you to big places just like it did for me.”At age 14, the River City High School ninth-grader is the youngest author in 2025 to receive this level of recognition at the International Latino Book Awards, the largest Latino literary competition in the world. He won two gold medals and two bronze medals.Baeza’s mother is KCRA 3’s Leticia Ordaz.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. —

A West Sacramento-area high school freshman is celebrating a big achievement: He is now a four-time international award-winning author.

Maxton Baeza received the International Latino Book Award for his bilingual STEM book, “The Carousel King and the Space Mission.” Baeza traveled to San Diego County on Saturday to receive his award.

According to Baeza, he wrote the book to inspire kids to believe in themselves, “and that dreams can lead you to big places just like it did for me.”

At age 14, the River City High School ninth-grader is the youngest author in 2025 to receive this level of recognition at the International Latino Book Awards, the largest Latino literary competition in the world. He won two gold medals and two bronze medals.

Baeza’s mother is KCRA 3’s Leticia Ordaz.

See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel