"Happy Birthday": The Story of the World's Most Popular Song

It is true that I'm a nut for non-fiction--especially creative non-fiction that is kid-friendly. "Happy Birthday": The Story of the World's Most Popular Song, is just that. Nancy Kelly Allen tells this tale, with illustrations by Gary Undercuffler, of the Hill family living in Louisville, Kentucky over 100 years ago. The parents were unique for the time. The mother gave her four girls and two boys creative freedom to become who they were, and the father thought even the girls deserved a college education to support themselves. The family members also spent time with their piano to feed their soul.

Mildred had a talent for the piano and her sister Patty was a wiz with words. After college, Mildred became a teacher and Patty the principal  at a progressive kindergarten. They felt children should learn through play and fun.

Mildred and Patty wrote songs for children and had them published in a book.  One day when Patty was at a birthday party, she got the idea to change the lyrics from one of their songs to "Happy Birthday to you." The song spread across the land and through time. Soon everyone from kings to presidents had this joyous song sung to them at their birthdays. I never knew this story and loved it. I also love the idea of this picture book as be a great gift for all birthdays.

Comments

[Gary Undercuffler]

Thank you for your wonderful comments on the book. I was thrilled and honored to illustrate Nancy's energetic and musical words.
Gary Undercuffler

[Janet Barnes]

Nancy's Happy Birthday book is well written and appeals to children as well as adults who like the inside story.

[Yaya]

This sounds like a book I'd very much like to read. I truly appreciate those families who encourage creativity. Freedom in areas of creativity is far more valuable, in my opinion, than all the modern toys available.

~ Yaya
Yaya's Changing World

[Mary Ann Dames - Reading, Writing, and Recipes]

Wow. I didn't know that about Happy Birthdya. song.

[Nancy Kelly Allen]

Thanks for the wonderful review, Tina.

--Nancy Kelly Allen