"Happy Birthday"

“Nancy Kelly Allen’s buoyant prose virtually sings throughout this engaging account of the world’s best-known musical ditty. Informative and fun!”

—Paul Brett Johnson, author and illustrator of The Cow Who Wouldn’t Come Down

During a time when candles glowed in lieu of electricity, the Hill sisters of Kentucky spent their days playing music on the piano and singing. While Mildred tickled out tunes on the ivories, Patty strung together lyrics and sang along.

Once the sisters grew up and became teachers, they continued to mix music and words, creating lovely melodies with an infectious beat. Each day they serenaded their kindergarten class with the catchy song “Good Morning to All.” When Mildred and Patty changed the lyrics at a birthday party, they could hardly have imagined that their little tune would become one of the world’s most recognizable and beloved songs.

Complete with Gary Undercuffler’s detailed and colorful illustrations, this cheerful children’s book captures the history of the “Happy Birthday” song.