About Us
Who We Are ~ Quiénes Somos
About
Tumbao Bilingual Books is an independent publisher and educational consulting team dedicated to expanding the world of bilingual children’s literature and the professional development that supports it to better children and families of all backgrounds. Founded by veteran educators Valerie Butrón and Dr. Rita Guzmán, we create authentic, joyful stories that celebrate culture, language, and identity.
Our name, “Tumbao,” comes from a musical term used to describe the rhythm or unique cadence of a person’s movement or spirit especially in Afro-Caribbean culture. For us, it represents the bold, joyful rhythm that each child carries , and the stories that help them move through the world with pride.
Our books, including We’re Going to the Guelaguetza / Vamos a la Guelaguetza and We Celebrate Juneteenth Unidos , highlight the lived experiences of diverse communities while promoting literacy and bilingualism through meaningful, family-centered storytelling.
In addition to publishing, Tumbao Bilingual Books offers customized professional development and family engagement services for schools and organizations:
Thinking Wider: Language, Identity, and Learning in Multilingual Classrooms is a signature keynote, author visit, and professional learning experience designed for schools and educators serving multilingual communities. Through research, lived experience, and practical classroom tools, the experience invites educators to rethink how language, identity, and intelligence are understood in schools. The work is grounded in Tumbao Bilingual Books’ bilingual children’s literature and supported by the TUMBAO Method™ toolkit for implementation. Professional Development Booking Contact: info@tumbaobooks.com
We equip educators and leaders with the tools to differentiate effectively, connect with families, and ensure that all students can thrive academically and emotionally in a welcoming learning environment.
Dr. Rita Guzmán
Dr. Rita Guzmán is a nationally recognized bilingual educator, author, district leader, and co-founder dedicated to advancing equity, access, and culturally responsive literacy for multilingual learners. As co-founder of Tumbao Bilingual Books, she brings more than two decades of expertise in bilingual education, special education, leadership, and teacher preparation to the creation of books and educational resources that honor the identities, languages, and lived experiences of diverse children and families.
Throughout her career, Dr. Guzmán has served in a wide range of influential roles, including bilingual classroom teacher, ESL and Special Education specialist, assessment coordinator, assistant principal, principal, and district director. These positions have given her a unique vantage point into the needs of students from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds and the systems that must evolve to serve them well. She has developed graduate-level coursework, co-authored ESL programs, and guided emerging educators as an adjunct professor at the University of St. Francis and Northern Illinois University.
Dr. Guzmán is the author of Serving Special Populations and Serving ELLs with Special Needs, two widely used professional resources that blend research-based practice with deep cultural understanding. Her doctoral studies in bilingual literacy expanded her capacity to conduct research on program effectiveness and strengthened her commitment to building schools where equity, inclusion, and excellence are not aspirations—they are the standard.
As an educational leader and children’s book author, Dr. Guzmán is passionate about nurturing children’s language development and creating literacy environments where all students can see themselves reflected in characters, language, and story. She believes deeply in the transformative power of representation and the importance of intentionally crafted bilingual literature that mirrors the world multilingual children live in.
Born and raised in Joliet, Illinois, Rita proudly celebrates her roots as the daughter of Mexican immigrants. When she is not writing, leading, or teaching, she treasures time with her husband of 25 years, Alex, and their two daughters, Brittney and Lindsey.
Dr. Guzmán’s work is grounded in purpose: to elevate multilingual learners and ensure that every child—regardless of language, ability, or background—has access to stories and opportunities that affirm who they are and who they can become.
Tumbao Bilingual Books was founded with a shared dream: to create experiences and expand horizons for children through the power of bilingual stories.
La Dra. Rita Guzmán es una reconocida líder en educación bilingüe, autora, directora distrital y cofundadora comprometida con promover la equidad, el acceso y la alfabetización culturalmente receptiva para los estudiantes multilingües. Como cofundadora de Tumbao Bilingual Books, aporta más de dos décadas de experiencia en educación bilingüe, educación especial, liderazgo escolar y formación docente para crear libros y recursos educativos que honran las identidades, los idiomas y las experiencias vividas de niños y familias diversas.
A lo largo de su carrera, la Dra. Guzmán ha desempeñado una amplia variedad de roles influyentes, incluyendo maestra bilingüe, especialista de ESL y Educación Especial, coordinadora de evaluaciones, subdirectora, directora escolar y directora distrital. Estas experiencias le han brindado una perspectiva profunda sobre las necesidades de los estudiantes que provienen de diferentes culturas e idiomas, y sobre los sistemas que deben transformarse para servirlos con excelencia. También ha desarrollado cursos de posgrado, coautoría de programas de ESL y ha guiado a futuros educadores como profesora adjunta en University of St. Francis y Northern Illinois University.
La Dra. Guzmán es autora de Serving Special Populations y Serving ELLs with Special Needs, dos recursos ampliamente utilizados que combinan prácticas basadas en investigación con una comprensión profunda de la cultura y la diversidad. Su formación doctoral en alfabetización bilingüe fortaleció su capacidad para realizar investigaciones sobre la efectividad de los programas educativos y reafirmó su compromiso con construir escuelas donde la equidad, la inclusión y la excelencia sean una realidad, no solo una meta.
Como líder educativa y autora de literatura infantil, la Dra. Guzmán siente una profunda pasión por apoyar el desarrollo del lenguaje en los niños y crear entornos de alfabetización donde todos los estudiantes puedan verse reflejados en los personajes, los idiomas y las historias. Cree firmemente en el poder transformador de la representación y en la importancia de literatura bilingüe cuidadosamente diseñada que refleje el mundo en el que viven los niños multilingües.
Nacida y criada en Joliet, Illinois, Rita celebra con orgullo sus raíces como hija de inmigrantes mexicanos. Cuando no está escribiendo, liderando o enseñando, disfruta de pasar tiempo con su esposo de 25 años, Alex, y sus dos hijas, Brittney y Lindsey.
El trabajo de la Dra. Guzmán está guiado por un propósito claro: elevar a los estudiantes multilingües y asegurar que cada niño—sin importar su idioma, habilidad u origen—tenga acceso a historias y oportunidades que afirmen quiénes son y quiénes pueden llegar a ser.
Tumbao Bilingual Books nació de un sueño compartido: crear experiencias y ampliar horizontes para los niños a través del poder de las historias bilingües.
Valerie Butrón
Valerie Butrón is a bilingual education leader, author, publisher, and founder dedicated to transforming how schools, families, and communities experience language, belonging, and story. She is the co-founder of Tumbao Bilingual Books, an independent publishing house celebrating multilingual children’s literature rooted in heart, heritage, and representation, and the creator of the TUMBAO Method™, a research-informed framework that blends movement, culture, literacy, and identity to strengthen learning and connection.
A former bilingual classroom teacher, district EL coordinator, instructional coach, family engagement manager, and social-emotional learning leader, Valerie has spent more than two decades building bridges across linguistically and culturally diverse communities. Her work spans PK–12 systems, higher education, community organizations, and cultural institutions. She has designed large-scale professional learning experiences for schools across the country and teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in bilingual education, ESL, and leadership at the University of St. Francis, Governors State University, and Prairie State College.
Valerie’s journey as an educator is deeply personal. Raised as an African-American child in predominantly White communities and within a high-control religious environment that restricted holidays, identity expression, and access to heritage, she found refuge in libraries and books. Story became her pathway to understanding the world, and language became her bridge to belonging. Learning Spanish as an adult through study abroad and immersion transformed her life and fueled her commitment to ensuring children see their full, complex identities reflected in the books they read.
Through Tumbao Bilingual Books, Valerie writes, publishes, and curates stories that honor multilingual families and the diaspora experiences that shape them. Her work has been featured on FOX 32 Good Day Chicago, celebrated in literacy circles, and integrated into museum programs and district-wide initiatives. She is dedicated to elevating narratives that center culture, equity, and community voice and to helping educators and families build powerful literacy ecosystems where all children feel seen, valued, and connected.
Valerie’s mission is simple and profound: to build bridges through story and to help others do the same.
Valerie Butrón es una líder en educación bilingüe, autora, editora y fundadora dedicada a transformar la manera en que las escuelas, las familias y las comunidades experimentan el lenguaje, el sentido de pertenencia y las historias que nos conectan. Es cofundadora de Tumbao Bilingual Books, una editorial independiente que celebra la literatura infantil multilingüe con corazón, herencia y representación auténtica, y creadora del Método TUMBAO™, un marco educativo basado en investigación que integra movimiento, cultura, alfabetización e identidad para fortalecer el aprendizaje y la conexión humana.
Anteriormente, Valerie se desempeñó como maestra bilingüe, coordinadora de programas de EL, coach instruccional, gerente de participación familiar y líder en aprendizaje socioemocional. Durante más de dos décadas ha construido puentes entre comunidades lingüística y culturalmente diversas en sistemas PK–12, instituciones de educación superior, organizaciones comunitarias y espacios culturales. Ha diseñado experiencias de desarrollo profesional a gran escala para escuelas de todo el país y enseña cursos de pregrado y posgrado en educación bilingüe, ESL y liderazgo en University of St. Francis, Governors State University y Prairie State College.
La trayectoria de Valerie como educadora es profundamente personal. Criada como una niña afroamericana en comunidades mayormente blancas y dentro de un entorno religioso de alto control que limitaba la celebración de festividades, la expresión de identidad y el acceso a la herencia cultural, encontró refugio en las bibliotecas y en los libros. Las historias se convirtieron en su manera de comprender el mundo, y el lenguaje en su puente hacia el sentido de pertenencia. Aprender español como adulta, por medio de estudios en el extranjero e inmersión total, transformó su vida y fortaleció su compromiso de asegurar que los niños vean reflejadas sus identidades completas y complejas en los libros que leen.
A través de Tumbao Bilingual Books, Valerie escribe, publica y selecciona historias que honran a las familias multilingües y a las experiencias de la diáspora que las moldean. Su trabajo ha sido presentado en FOX 32 Good Day Chicago, celebrado en comunidades de alfabetización e integrado en programas de museos e iniciativas distritales. Está comprometida con elevar narrativas que centran la cultura, la equidad y las voces comunitarias—y con ayudar a educadores y familias a construir ecosistemas de alfabetización donde todos los niños se sientan vistos, valorados y conectados.
La misión de Valerie es simple y profunda: construir puentes a través de las historias—y ayudar a otros a hacer lo mismo.
As Featured in the International Literacy Association
