Bill Martin, Jr.

William Martin, Jr. (1916-August 11, 2004) was a teacher and children's book author of such acclaimed books as Chicka Chicka Boom Boom and Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?. The Bill Martin Jr. Award was established in his honor. Growing up in Kansas, he graduated from the Kansas State Teacher's College in Emporia, Kansas and served in the Army Air Force during World War II. Martin began his writing career in 1967 and ended it with the publication of Chicka Chicka 123 in 2004. A library on the campus of Texas A&M, Commerce is named in Bill Martin, Jr.'s honor. He passed away in Commerce, Texas.