Allison Ione Ballenger grew up loving books and silly stories. The youngest of three children (and somewhat gullible by nature), she was the perfect audience for her older siblings' hijinks and tall tales. They taught her to always be on the lookout for magic, which is a gift she enjoys sharing today. Allison holds a B.A. in Creative Writing/Literature from the University of North Carolina at Asheville. When she’s not writing children’s books, she manages the development, design, and coordination of marketing and communication efforts for a water-focused civil engineering firm. She also volunteers as a coach with the Miracle League of the Triangle, helping children and young adults with special needs play baseball.