Helen Copeland grew up in view of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Her career choices were influenced by her father, one of the first physicians at the Mayo Clinic and her mother, whom Copeland describes as "poetic by nature." Four children's books and a book of poetry precede Pill Hill, Growing up with the Mayo Clinic.

Helen majored in zoology at Wheaten College in Massachusetts. While in college, she discovered that she loved writing papers. The two interests, nature and writing, became one when Copeland took a creative writing course in 1958 and began writing in earnest. Copeland has attended Breadloaf Writers' Conference and has been awarded many honors throughout her writing career. Copeland lives in Charlotte, North Carolina and enjoys visits with her four children and 11 grandchildren.

Helen Copeland's other books include; Meet Mike Takino, Duncan's World, This Snake Is Good, Festival in the Park and Endangered Specimen, and other poems from a lay naturalists.