Una Belle Townsend was born in Texas and has lived in Oklahoma for the last forty years. She is married and has two sons. She is a retired teacher and school librarian. Her four children's books have been published by Pelican Publishing Co. Her first book, "Grady's in the Silo" is based on a true story. It received the Oklahoma Center for the Book Award and an IRA Children's Choice Award. It's the story of a cow that jumps in a silo. Poor Grady isn't rescued for five days. The book has been on the Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom book list for many years, and has many teacher activities associated with it. Townsend was chosen as the first Ag in the Classroom Teacher of the Year in Oklahoma. Her second book, "The Racecar Driver's Night Before Christmas" is one of the many books in Pelican's "Night Before Christmas" series. Santa races drivers named Junior, Gordon, Matt, Michael, and Kyle. Santa's pit crew includes Dale, Fireball, Davey, and Adam. Townsend's third book, "The Oklahoma Land Run" is often chosen by librarians and teachers before land run events at schools and libraries. Una Belle often reads this book to children and then does a "Show and Tell" of items such as quilts, bonnets, belt buckles, antiques, etc. The book shows a map of the land run area and includes the date of the first land run in Oklahoma. Her fourth book, "The Great Elephant Escape" recently received a writing award from the Oklahoma Writer's Federation, Inc. as Best Juvenile Book 2013. It's based on the true story of two baby elephants (each weighing at least 1,500 pounds) who ran away from the circus headquarters in Hugo, OK.in 1975.