Celebrate military-connected children with this sweet story that shows all children (and parents) that mommies wear military uniforms and fly airplanes too!
Second Edition - what's new?
We've modified the Spanish text, added Spanish to the Patch activity, added literary awards, and updated the Links page. Plus, we've added a link to motivate students ages 8 to 17 to find a free, local orientation flight in a private airplane!
Segunda edición - Qué es nuevo?
Modificamos el texto en español, agregamos la traducción de español a la actividad final, agregamos premios literarios y actualizamos la página de enlaces. Además, hemos agregado un enlace para motivar a los estudiantes de 8 a 17 años a encontrar un vuelo de orientación local gratuito en un avión privado.
A little boy named Marco is walking to his bedroom in pajamas carrying his stuffed puppy dog when he notices his mommy in an olive-green military flight suit. His curiosity about the colorful patches on her uniform evolves into a sweet, reassuring bedtime conversation between a military mother and her child about why she serves and what she does in the unusual KC-135R aerial refueling airplane. He drifts off to sleep with thoughts of his mommy in the airplane and the special surprise she gave him stuck to his fleece pajamas.
This unique book was written by a Latina military officer who served for a decade as a U.S. Air Force aviator. It's the first-ever bilingual children's book, in English and Spanish, about why mommies wear military uniforms and serve in the armed forces.
For creating this much-needed series that show that women, Latinas and moms are military veterans too, the author's first language (Spanish) and her learned English language, Graciela was recognized by the White House as a Woman Veteran Leader, Champion of Change. The Captain Mama picture book series can be found in schools, libraries, and homes in 47 of our 50 United States and several countries abroad.
This ground-breaking book received the following awards: "Best Educational Children's Book - Bilingual" category at the 2014 International Latino Books Awards held at the 2014 American Library Association National convention, Bronze Medal at the Military Writers Society of America Book Awards, "Children Ages 12 and Under" category and the Silver Medal at the 2014 Moonbeam Children's Book Awards (Independent Publishing Awards) in the Languages/Cultural category. In addition, author was honored by the White House as a "Woman Veteran Leader Champion of Change."
Lens, Linda: - BIOGRAPHY IN SPANISH FOLLOWS ENGLISH VERSION BELOW. Illustrator Linda Lens first found her passion for art as a small child with her grandmother, Donna. She made art her passion since her first thunderstorm. Finding her talent, she has never stopped drawing. From crayons to oil paint, Linda has played with it all. As a little girl, her mother would take her and her sister to the library wherethey would check out too many children's books. The beautiful illustrations and colors always fascinated Linda. From early on, one of her dreams was to become a children's book illustrator. Her love for capturing human expression followed her throughout college. She earned a degree in Studio Art, specializing in portraiture, from California State University-East Bay. One of Linda's favorite quotes is from author Tom Robbins: "The purpose of art is to provide what life does not." She lives somewhere near the ocean with her beautiful daughter Saila, dogs Merlyn and Zero, and kitten extraordinaire, Juno. Her original art from the Captain Mama series is displayed at the annual exhibition of children's book illustrator art at the Sun Gallery in Hayward, California. Contact Linda at CaptainMama.com.Ilustradora: Linda Lens encontró por primera vez su pasión por el arte cuando era niña con su abuela, Donna. Ella hizo del arte su pasión desde su primera tormenta. Al encontrar su talento, nunca ha dejado de dibujar. Desde lápices de colores hasta pintura al óleo, Linda ha jugado con todo. Cuando era niña, su madre la llevaba a ella y a su hermana a la biblioteca, donde sacaban demasiados libros infantiles. Las hermosas ilustraciones y los colores siempre le fascinaron a Linda. Desde el principio, uno de sus sueños fue convertirse en una ilustradorade literatura infantil. Su amor por capturar la expresión humana la siguió durante toda la universidad. Obtuvo un título en Studio Art, especializado en retratos, de la Universidad Estatal de California-East Bay. Una de las citas favoritas de Linda es del autor Tom Robbins: "El propósito del arte es proporcionar lo que la vida no te da". Ella vive en algún lugar cerca del océano con su hermosa hija Saila, sus perros Merlyn y Zero y el gatito extraordinario, Juno. Su arte original de la serie Captain Mamá se muestra en la exposición anual de arte de ilustraciónde libros infantiles en la Sun Gallery en Hayward, California. Contacte a Linda a través de CaptainMama.com.
Tiscareño-Sato, Graciela: - BIOGRAPHY IN SPANISH FOLLOWS ENGLISH VERSION BELOW. Author Graciela Tiscareño-Sato is a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley. She completed the Aerospace Studies program as an AFROTC (Air Force Reserve Officer Training Program) scholarship cadet while earning her degree in Architecture and Environmental Design. During her active-duty career in the Air Force, she deployed to four continents and dozens of countries as a crew member, instructor navigator and contingency planning officer. Flying many combat sorties over Southern Iraq on her first deployment to Saudi Arabia earned her crew the prestigious Air Medal. Graciela became the first Latina aviator in the U.S. Air Force to earn this military aviation distinction. Read her full military biography at the Creators tab at CaptainMama.com.The White House honored Graciela as a Champion of Change, Woman Veteran Leader in 2014, for her work as a social entrepreneur and author, specifically for creating this award-winning, bilingual children's book series and an educational publishing firm to raise the expectations adults have of young Latino students. Graciela actively mentors students who need education and career roadmaps. Graciela and her family live in the San Francisco Bay Area. When she's not speaking, writing or skiing, you'll find her growing food all year long in the family's new permaculture garden created during the shelter-in-place phase of the global Covid-19 pandemic. Other books by Graciela include "CaptainMama's Surprise / La Sorpresa de Capitán Mamá," "Taking Flight with Captain Mama / Despegando con Capitán Mamá," "Latinnovating: Green American Jobs and the Latinos Creating Them," "B.R.A.N.D. Before Your Resumé Your Marketing Guide for Veterans & Military Service Members Entering Civilian Life." Autora Graciela Tiscareño-Sato es graduada de la Universidad de California en Berkeley. Completó el programa de Estudios Aeroespaciales como becaria del AFROTC (Air Force Reserve Officer Training Program) mientras obtenía su título en Arquitectura y Diseño Ambiental. Durante su carrera de servicio activo en la Fuerza Aérea, fue asignada a cuatro continentes y docenas de países como miembro de la tripulación, instructora navegante y oficial de planificación de contingencia. Sus múltiples incursiones de combate sobre el sur de Irak en su primera asignación a Arabia Saudita le valió a su tripulación la prestigiosa Medalla Aérea. Graciela se convirtió en la primera aviadora latina en la FuerzaAérea de los EE.UU. en ganar esta distinción de aviación militar. Lea su biografía militar completa en la pestaña de Creadores en CaptainMama.com. La Casa Blanca honró a Graciela como Campeona del Cambio, Mujer Líder Veterana en 2014, por su trabajo como empresaria social y autora, específicamente por crear esta serie de libros infantiles bilingües premiados y una firma editorial educativa para elevar las expectativas que tienen los adultos de los jóvenes estudiantes latinos. Graciela asesora activamente a los estudiantes que necesitan planes de educación y carrera. Graciela y su familia viven en el Área de la Bahía de San Francisco. Cuando no está presentando, escribiendo o esquiando se encuentra en su nuevo jardín familiar de permacultura cultivando todo el año, el cual fue creado durante la fase de confinamiento durante lapandemia global de Covid-19. Otros libros de Graciela incluyen "Captain Mama's Surprise / La Sorpresa de Capitán Mamá," "Taking Flight with Captain Mama/Despegando con Capitán Mamá," "Latinnovating: Green American Jobs and the Latinos Creating Them y B.R.A.N.D. Before Your Resumé Your Marketing Guide for Veterans & Military Service Members Entering Civilian Life."
