Michael Sampson
Michael Sampson taught kindergarten through fourth grade before meeting fellow literacy expert Bill Martin Jr at a conference in Tucson, Arizona, in 1978. They established a lifelong friendship and collaborated on many bestselling and award-winning books for children, including Chicka Chicka 1, 2, 3, Panda Bear, Panda Bear, What Do You See?, Armadillo Antics, Ten Little Squirrels, Bing! Bang! Chugga! Beep!, and Puppy Dog, Puppy Dog, Do You Want to Play? Sampson often speaks at schools, book festivals, and literacy conferences, where he is known for his high-energy, entertaining performances. Dr. Sampson is a Fulbright Scholar and a professor of literacy at St. John's University in New York City.
Books by Michael Sampson
A Dog’s Journey Out of the Storm and Into Our Hearts
JoJo wasn’t always JoJo—and he wasn’t always a Tornado Dog. He was first Joey, a happy Australian cattle dog adored by the Bañueloses, especially their daughter Olivia. But when a tornado rips through their Georgia neighborhood and sends their house into the sky, everything changes forever. Separated from his family, Joey ends up in a shelter where he meets a kind caretaker—an encounter that connects him to the Underhound Railroad and launches him on a whirlwind journey from one family to the next across the U.S.
Join JoJo the Tornado Dog as he embarks on daring escapes and accomplishes heroic deeds, all while learning what it means not just to be loved, but to love in return.
Teaching kids their ABCs and encouraging a variety of different athletic-packed pastimes-now that's a home run of a book.
Team Bill Martin Jr and Michael Sampson step up to the plate in A is for Athlete to combine early literacy and world-renowned sports. Each letter is accompanied with facts that introduce the rules or provide history for each sport. From "A" is for Athlete to "Z" is for Zamboni and all letters in between, kids will not only grow more confident in their reading skills but might find a new sport or two that they want to learn.
Ten Little Squirrels brainstorm a way to evade their natural foe until one of them sneezes.
No need to get squirrely--practicing classic rhythm and rhyme while teaching children to count has never been more fun! Ten Little Squirrels by New York Times bestselling authors Bill Martin Jr and Michael Samson follows the "tail" of these furry friends as they determine what to do when a dog approaches their tree. Readers can enjoy the charming illustrations, count each of the colorful squirrels, and go nuts rereading to their hearts' content.
Come Paint the World with Rainbow Bear — One Color at a Time
In the latest addition to Bill Martin Jr and Michael Sampson's beloved children's collection, Rainbow Bear is sure to delight both old fans and new with its vivid illustrations and charming characters. Young readers can learn the names of every color of the rainbow while following Little Bear as he wakes up from his hibernation and fills his hungry belly with berries!
Bing! Bang! Chugga! Beep! is the latest charming tale from rhyming pair Bill Martin Jr and Michael Sampson.
This old car has been everywhere from the backyard to the sky, from the hills to the water. Bouncing between the mud in the ground and the clouds up high, the old car is loved by a clever young boy, just as readers will love this singsong story from an iconic children's author duo.
Meet Ogden Oink, a fun-loving, adventurous, likeable piglet.
He dresses and speaks as humans do, gets into more than his fair share of difficulties because he interprets figurative expressions literally, and he does not understand various meanings of polysemous (i.e., multiple-meaning) words.
A studious-looking, somewhat didactic bird appears throughout near the edges of the pages to add even more figurative language to the story. The "language confusion" humor will get young readers thinking about language-and laughing, too.
Monday to Sunday, each day of the week is a new opportunity for fashion!
Mondays are for dresses, Tuesdays for sports-jerseys and costumes, sweatpants and shorts! Young readers will delight in the colorful, fun-filled illustrations and joyful rhymes of A Maker of Dresses as dressmaker Alexis leads them through a week of stitching, twirling, and big fashion dreams.
From Bill Martin Jr and Michael Sampson comes the newest story about not only recognizing differences amongst one another but learning to embrace them.
All Kinds of Kids teaches kindness, inclusivity, and acceptance to children around the world. Whether people practice different religions or come from different types of families, this book will be sure to help children realize that perhaps it is these differences that make the world the special place they see today.
Join the Armadillo on His Nightly Romp!
Children will love the rhythm and rhyme that are hallmarks of the beloved author duo of Chicka Chicka 1, 2, 3 as they follow the adventurous armadillo through nighttime fun as dawn approaches.
2022 Gold Medal Recipient of the Moonbeam Award for Best Picture Book in the 4–8-Year-Old Category
A 2023 CBC Librarian Favorites Winner
In this newest addition to the beloved collection of Bill Martin Jr and Michael Sampson, a puppy dog and his dad decide to tackle the day head on with their various favorite activities.
From hide and seek to dancing to tag, the duo decides to spend the day in each other’s company and make the very most of it. In doing so, they might just realize that the best parts of any day are the moments they get to spend with one another.