Who We Are________________________________________________________________
Marni Kay Martinez was introduced to American Sign Language at an early age. Her mother, Sharon, worked with Deaf and Hard of Hearing students in an elementary school. As an elementary school student herself, Marni would go to school with her mom and communicate with the students often. Each time, she learned more signs and had so much fun “talking” with the students. As the years passed, Marni took American Sign Language (ASL) in High School and continued to learn ASL at the University of Central Florida (UCF). She graduated from UCF with a degree in Elementary Education. She then went on to pass her knowledge of sign language to students in her classes for over 15 years teaching 1st grade and then as a literacy coach in an elementary school with a Deaf and Hard of Hearing program. The students and teachers at the school are the inspiration for these books. She currently teaches aspiring Elementary Education majors at the University of Central Florida.
David R. Martinez loves to draw. He is a professional geologist, freelance illustrator, and current 6th grade Science teacher who is inspired to create images that encourage creativity and produce smiles for kids of all ages. Dave and Marni are a husband-and-wife team who enjoy spending time with their two children and look forward to collaborating on many projects together. |