Donivee Martin Laird grew up in Hawaii the daughter of a sugar plantation manager where she lived on each of Hawaii's major islands. She also lived for several years on a plantation in Puerto Rico.
Laird is an elementary teacher at an independent school in Honolulu. She began writing childrens stories in 1980 in order to supply the literature component of a unit on Hawaii she was teaching to preschoolers.
In 1981 Laird and printmaker Carol Ann Johnson formed their own publishing company Barnaby Books and launched their first book The Three Little Hawaiian Pigs and the Magic Shark. More titles followed today there are over 200000 copies of their books in print. The books are regularly displayed at the American Library Association and American Booksellers Association conventions. In 1997 the Houghton Mifflin company included The Three Little Pigs and the Magic Shark in both its English and Spanish third grade anthologies. Laird is frequently asked to speak or conduct workshops. Her topics include writing for children as well as writing with children. She enjoys storytelling and reading aloud.
The mother of two children Laird enjoys spending time with both family and friends. She loves animals and her hobbies/interests - besides writing - include reading cooking storytelling traveling bicycling and snow skiing. Lairds husband an advertising agency principal helps out with publishing chores and joins her in her other pursuits.
