Michael Sampson taught kindergarten through fourth grade before meeting fellow literacy expert Bill Martin Jr at a conference at the University of Arizona, where he was earning a PhD in Literacy. They established a lifelong friendship and collaborated on many bestselling and award-winning books for children, including Armadillo Antics, Ten Little Squirrels, and Chicka Chicka 1, 2, 3. A professor at St. John's University, Sampson worked as a Fulbright Scholar to Ukraine in 2021-22, teaching English as New Language strategies to elementary, middle school, and university students.
