Eric P. (Eric Philbrook) Kelly

Born in 1884, Eric P. Kelly was an American journalist, teacher, and author of children's books. He taught English at Dartmouth College and also spent time lecturing at the Jagiellonian University in Kraków, an experience that strongly shaped his writing.

He is most remembered for The Trumpeter of Krakow, his first published book, which won the 1929 Newbery Medal. Set in Poland, the novel helped introduce many young readers to Polish history and culture through a fast-moving story grounded in the place Kelly had come to know firsthand.

Kelly died in 1960. His work is still remembered for its lively historical settings and for the way it opened a window onto another country for generations of young readers.