Nancy Kelly Allen, a former teacher and librarian, fell in love with children's books as a graduate student. The author of Pelican's Happy Birthday: The Story of the World's Most Popular Song and Daniel Boone: Trailblazer, Allen is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, Appalachian Authors Guild, Writers of the North Fork, and Art of the Mountains. She resides with her husband, Larry, and two assistant writers, miniature schnauzers Jazi and Roxi, in Hazard, Kentucky