Dale Gas Carmen: Crossing the Delaware with Grandpa Tom

Dale Gas Carmen is a multicultural children's book series featuring the Castillo family's travels through history helping important historical figures along their way while sharing their friendship and a bit of their culture.

In this first of a series of multicultural children's books, George Washington finds himself in need of his dear friend's help to cross the Delaware River. As the Castillo family was preparing their annual tradition of making tamales for Christmas, Grandpa Tom receives a call from General George Washington. With Grandma Carmen getting him there in her big green station wagon and grandkids along to help, Grandpa Tom finds a weary George Washington contemplating a pivotal event in American history.

Debbie Tinoco was born and raised in Bakersfield, CA where she currently resides with her husband, son, and two dogs. She earned a B.A. and M.A. from California State University, Sacramento and an Ed.D. from the University of San Francisco where she received encouragement and motivation to begin writing for children. Throughout her teaching career, Debbie has taught several grade levels but has spent most of her time in higher education. She grew up in a Mexican American extended family where her grandparents were central to her life. Her extended family provided many unforgettable memories she mostly cherishes today. Grandpa Tom and Grandma Carmen are her grandparents she honors in her Dale Gas Carmen multicultural children's books series. Their unconditional love, affection, and "every day is an adventure" approach to life are reflected in these stories. Saul Escobedo lives in Woodland, CA with his wife, singer and songwriter Araceli Collazo and their son, Mateo. Saul began his career as an illustrator in 1993 at El Norte newspaper in Monterey, Mexico. Since then, he has worked as a graphic designer, video producer, and animator. His most rewarding projects were directing and illustrating a series of animated videos that served as public service announcements for community outreach for state agencies in Nuevo León. Recently, he produced a series of animated commercials for Fresh Potato Factory, a vegan restaurant in Northridge, CA. Currently, Saul is producing animated clips for an online education company and working with Debbie Tinoco on her Dale Gas Carmen children's book series. Martha Elias was born Martha Valles in Chihuahua, Mexico. She came to the
United States in 1987 as an international student to attend Brigham Young
University, where she graduated with a degree in Spanish and Latin American
Studies. After moving to Bakersfield, California, she enrolled in the teacher
credential program at California State University, Bakersfield and taught high school Spanish for several years before pursuing a Master of Arts degree in school counseling from the same institution. Martha now works as a counselor at Nueva Continuation High School in the farming community of Lamont, California. She believes that education is the key to change not just the person, but society in general. Patrick Grizzell is a poet, musician and free-lance writer and editor. He is a former director and founding member of the Sacramento Poetry Center where he also served as editor for the Center's publications. Patrick has conducted interviews with noted writers, wrote reviews and essays about art and literature, and served as editor-in-chief of On The Wing, an arts magazine. He has also written for other publications including literary journals and magazines. As an author, Patrick has written Dark Music, Minotaure, Into Night, 13 Poems, It's Like That, and the forthcoming, Vignettes.