John Archambault is an American children's book author, poet, story teller, and musician. He is known best for his best selling children's book

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom ''Chicka Chicka Boom Boom'' is a bestselling American children's book written by Bill Martin, Jr. and John Archambault, illustrated by Lois Ehlert, and published in hardcover by Simon & Schuster in 1989. The book features anthropomorphized lette ...

(1989). Among his most recognizable children's books are Knots on a Counting Rope, Barn Dance, Boom Chicka Rock, Here Are My Hands, and The Birth of a Whale. Archambault was an avid reader from a young age, ultimately sparking his interest in writing. Throughout his career he has enjoyed collaboration with

Bill Martin, Jr. William Ivan Martin Jr. (March 20, 1916 – August 11, 2004) was an American educator, publishing executive, and author of more than 300 children's books including ''The Sounds of Mystery,'' ''Chicka Chicka Boom Boom'' (co-authored with John Arc ...

, also a children's book author. Archambault currently resides in

Yorba Linda, California Yorba Linda is a suburban city in northeastern Orange County, California, United States, approximately southeast of Downtown Los Angeles. It is part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area, and had a population of 68,336 at the 2020 census. Yor ...

Early life

Originally from

Pasadena, California Pasadena ( ) is a city in Los Angeles County, California, northeast of downtown Los Angeles. It is the most populous city and the primary cultural center of the San Gabriel Valley. Old Pasadena is the city's original commercial district. I ...

, Archambault had his heart set on becoming a writer from the time he was a third grader. After reading E.B. White's children's classic ''

Charlotte's Web ''Charlotte's Web'' is a book of children's literature by American author E. B. White and illustrated by Garth Williams; it was published on October 15, 1952, by Harper & Brothers. The novel tells the story of a livestock pig named Wilbur and his ...

'', he recalls telling his teacher that he wanted to become a writer before she confronted him with the fact that if he wanted to be a writer, he had to be a reader. Archambault soon began his professional writing career in the tenth grade when he took a position working part-time for his local newspaper where he continued to gain experience through the duration of his high school years.

Education

In his undergraduate years, Archambault studied writing and journalism at the

University of California, Riverside The University of California, Riverside (UCR or UC Riverside) is a public land-grant research university in Riverside, California. It is one of the ten campuses of the University of California system. The main campus sits on in a suburban distr ...

. As the editor of the campus newspaper, The Highlander, he continued to foster his passion for writing. During graduate school, Archambault first met Martin who had been an established children's writer and educator for years. The pair's first work, ''The Ghost-Eye Tree'', was published in 1988. Archambault also attended Columbia Teacher's College where he earned his teaching certificate.

Career

Archambault has enjoyed a career in writing, poetry, storytelling, and music in which he has traveled the country sharing the joys of reading with children and teachers alike. Archambault has created six musical CD compilations and written over a twenty books for children. Throughout his career, he has strived to turn learning, something that so many children dread, into an enjoyable experience. He was recruited to teach a first grade class in

Bronx, NY The Bronx () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the state of New York. It is south of Westchester County; north and east of the New York City borough of Manhattan, across the Harlem River; and north of the New Yor ...

where he worked to help his students get excited about reading.

Publications

With
Bill Martin, Jr. William Ivan Martin Jr. (March 20, 1916 – August 11, 2004) was an American educator, publishing executive, and author of more than 300 children's books including ''The Sounds of Mystery,'' ''Chicka Chicka Boom Boom'' (co-authored with John Arc ...

* Knots on a Counting Rope * Barn Dance * The Ghost-Eye Tree * Listen to the Rain * White Dynamite and Curly Kidd * The Magic Pumpkin * Here Are My Hands * Up and Down on the Merry-Go-Round * A Beautiful Feast for a Big King Cat * Chicka Chicka Sticka Sticka

Other publications

* The Birth of a Whale * Counting Kittens * The Fox and the Chicken * Grandmother's Garden * I Love the Mountains * Counting Sheep * Boom Chicka Rock * Toot! Toot! Quack! Quack! * Grandmother's Garden * I Paint a Rainbow * Rhythm! Rhythm! * By the Baobab Tree * Turtle Song

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Archambault, John American children's writers Living people Year of birth missing (living people)