Meet Our Authors

Meet the storytellers behind Tumbao Bilingual Books. Our authors create bilingual and culturally rooted books that connect with children, families, schools, and communities. From classrooms to libraries to international events, their stories are making an impact beyond the page.

Built by Educators. Powered by Real Experience.

Tumbao was co-founded by educators who have served classrooms, coached teachers, led multilingual initiatives, taught at the university level, and built a publishing company centered on representation and excellence.

We do not speak about schools from the outside. We have lived the work from the inside.

Why Choose Tumbao

Practical and polished
Culturally credible
Bilingual expertise
Trusted facilitation
Memorable participant experience
Customizable for your goals

Brenda Bonuke Bogonko

Brenda Bonuke Bogonko is a Kenyan-born, Spain-based author, educator, and poet whose work explores themes of identity, belonging, and resilience. Her debut bilingual novel, The Girl Who Wanted to Fly / La niña que quería volar, invites readers into the world of Pendo—a young girl navigating change, courage, and the search for home.

Brenda’s writing reflects the power of stories to bridge cultures and generations. A lifelong learner and global thinker, she draws inspiration from her African roots, her experiences living abroad, and her belief that language has the power to connect hearts across borders.

Brenda International Author Spotlight

Brenda’s growing international presence includes author talks, school and library appearances, and literary events in Spain. Her work resonates across cultures through themes of identity, resilience, migration, and hope. Her debut bilingual novel The Girl Who Wanted to Fly / La niña que quería volar continues to connect with readers across borders.”

Author Library Engagement – Villena, Spain

Brenda Bonuke Bogonko shares The Girl Who Wanted to Fly with a multi-generational audience during a library event in Villena, Spain.

Paola Celeste Lopez

Paola Celeste Lopez is a first-generation Mexican American author, registered nurse, and proud daughter of immigrants from Southern California. Her two daughters, Vida and Maya, inspire her daily and sparked the creation of her debut bilingual picture book, Ya nos vamos a dormir / Now We Go to Sleep, co-authored with Valerie Butrón.

Paola’s writing celebrates family, love, and the everyday rituals that connect us across generations. When she’s not writing or working as a nurse, she enjoys running, photography, and exploring new places with her family. Her stories reflect her deep belief in keeping language and culture alive—one bedtime story, one book, and one memory at a time.

Paola in Community

Recently featured at a Día de los Niños celebration in California, Paola continues bringing bilingual stories directly to children and families through live literacy events, author readings, and community partnerships. Her work reflects the power of family-centered storytelling rooted in language, culture, and belonging

Authors in Motion

At Tumbao Bilingual Books, our authors do more than publish books. They connect with readers in schools, libraries, festivals, and communities across the United States and abroad. We believe stories are most powerful when they are lived, shared, and experienced together.”

Bring Our Authors to Your Community

Interested in author visits, bilingual literacy events, readings, or collaborations? We would love to connect.