About Us

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 "It has been such a joy to see this story and the characters come to life in these pages thanks to Ascend Books, Georgia Aquarium, and Lee Ann Sanders. We hope that those who read the book consider themselves "PBJ Friends" and enjoy the journey these characters share with us all. Through Peanut, Butter, and Jelly, I hope to highlight our role in respecting and conserving our world, our environment, and our oceans." 

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John Martucci has always enjoyed story-telling, music and theater from a young age. Outside of play acting, he was the everyday creator of adventures for his younger brothers. Now, his love for story-telling, the oceans, and its creatures has culminated into children’s book writing. When not writing rhymes and drawing up tales, John is a foot and ankle surgeon practicing in Canton and Marietta, Georgia. He received an undergraduate degree from Boston College and doctorate from Temple University. He currently lives in Smyrna, GA, with his wife, fellow surgeon, and scuba diving partner, Sam.

"Illustrating this book for John and Ascend Books was a dream come true. They allowed me the creative freedom to develop the personalities for these fun characters and express how I saw them interacting through John's story.  The fact that the ocean has always been a huge part of my life made the experience that much more meaningful.  I hope that our readers get the same enjoyment!" 

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 LeeAnn Sanders is an artist and illustrator for the home decor and children’s markets. She has been painting and creating since 2011. Her primary inspiration is the beauty of the ocean in the Florida Keys and her favorite past time, travel. Outside of creating art, she splits her time between South Dakota and the Keys with her husband and two chocolate labs.