Frances Trego Montgomery

Frances Trego Montgomery was an American children's author born in Philadelphia in 1858 and best remembered for her long-running Billy Whiskers series, centered on a spirited goat whose adventures made her especially popular with young readers.

Alongside her animal stories, she also wrote imaginative fantasy and early science-fiction-flavored fiction, including The Wonderful Electric Elephant and On a Lark to the Planets. That range gives her work a special place in children's literature from the early 1900s.

Montgomery died in 1925. Though she is not as widely known now as some of her contemporaries, her books remain of interest for their playful energy, their talking-animal charm, and their glimpse into the adventurous storytelling children enjoyed a century ago.