"I have always been interested in other cultures and their unique contributions to our society. I've tried to reflect this in my writing, especially for children." Born in Houston, Texas, Sammye Munson '53 graduated from Southwestern with a Bachelor of Arts degree and major in English. After marrying her husband, Leslie '52, Sammye began teaching language arts and reading at an elementary school in San Antonio. Eventually, Sammye and her family moved to Houston where she continued to teach and resumed her post-graduate education at the University of Houston and Rice University.

Although Sammye has taught at all levels of education (ranging from elementary to community college), her experience in San Antonio, and again at a predominantly Hispanic high school in Houston, is where she really learned to appreciate the Hispanic culture. Realizing the contributions of Hispanics in Texas had been overlooked, Sammye embarked on an investigation. She was amazed to discover the lack of reading material for children on the issue. In an effort to amend both problems, Sammye became inspired to write a series of books, which fosters her educational and cultural awareness goals. Our Tejano Heroes: Outstanding Mexican-Americans in Texas (1989) and Today's Tejano Heroes (2000) examine the achievements and contributions of contemporary Mexican-American leaders in Texas, such as former Congressman Henry B. Gonzales, activist Emma Tenayuca, and Southwestern Professor Vicente Villa. Our Tejano Heroes takes it a step further and praises historical figures such as civic leader José Antonio Navarro and Juan Seguin. The third book of the series is Los Vaqueros, Our First Cowboys (1996), which is a visual and written account of the early cowboys who came to Texas from Mexico and helped to begin the ranching business.

Hej Texas, Goodbye Sweden: A Swedish Boy in Early Texas (1994) is a story based off the life of Sammye's husband's grandfather. This children's book takes place in Sweden and Georgetown, Texas during the year 1880. Adhering to her commitment to education, Sammye included historical photos of Georgetown, which added a realistic perspective to the story of a young Swedish boy, Carl Olsson, as he adjusted to life in the United States on a Texas farm.

Sammye's most recent book, A Grand Gathering (2002), a book for all ages, focuses on the role of grandparents in several cultures. Sammye explains, "People need to know how important this intergenerational relationship is. Grandparents are the bearers of family history and traditions for generations to come." Through personal accounts from First Lady Laura Bush, television news anchor Dan Rather, actress/comedian Carol Burnett and many other adults and children, the concept of intergenerational relationships is emphasized.

In addition to writing books, Sammye is a member of two writers groups in the Houston area. Associated Authors of Children's Literature (AACL), for which she served as president, was the first group in Houston to organize conferences for writers to meet editors from New York. The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), derived from AACL, critiques manuscripts for conferences, a process in which Sammye participates. While the AACL now exchanges ideas and information on publishing houses, the SCBWL has taken over responsibility of organizing writers' conferences.

Sammye's commitment to education and creating cultural awareness has become such an integral part of her life. Her next goal is to teach people of all ages how to read. She explains, "I believe reading is important in everyone's life. I want to contribute all I can while still on this earth. I feel I have a responsibility to do something for my fellow man."