Denverites Afsoon Kelly and Nancy Hallowell have received a warm literary welcome with a 5-Star Award for their children’s picture book, Mischievous Molly Discovers Her Gift. Released in November 2023, the story follows the antics of Molly and her lovable dog, Mojo, as they search to find a special talent Molly can share with her class.

“We wrote this book to inspire children to think about what makes them unique and to take their special talents out into their communities,” says co-author Hallowell.

“Whether it is dancing, drawing, math, sports, every child has a gift,” co-author Kelly says.

Published by Denver-based Spring Cedars and illustrated by the award-winning artist and  Coloradan Lauren Zurcher, Mischievous Molly Discovers Her Gift is available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, your favorite local bookstore,  and retail outlets including The Artisan Center in Denver.

Readers' Favorite is one of the largest book review and award contest sites. Reviewer Rosie Malezer writes:

"I love stories about children and animals, and Mischievous Molly Discovers Her Gift certainly delivered. Not only does it tackle social issues with young children, but it brings to light how wonderful it is to adopt an animal from a rescue shelter. Young Molly learned many things from her new furry best friend, and not only did Mojo teach Molly what she is not so good at, but she went on to show the world what she truly does excel at—making people happy in the Therapy Dog Program. […] Nancy Hallowell and Afsoon Kelly's beautifully written tale now takes pride of place with the wonderful books on my bookshelf, and I highly recommend it be read by those aged 5-12 years of age, as well as all animal lovers."

You can learn more about the authors and Mischievous Molly Discovers Her Gift at MacKelly Books.