Lois Lenski was born 14 October 1893, in Springfield, Ohio. From age five to eighteen, her family lived in Anna, Ohio, thereafter, the family moved to Columbus as her father took a job as professor at Capital University. Lois attended The Ohio State University and earned her bachelor's degree in education with a minor in art in 1915. After college, she went to New York for four years of study at the Art Student's League. It was there that she first met Arthur Covey, a muralist to whom she would become an assistant. She studied in London at the Westminster School of Art for one year in 1920. Lois married Arthur Covey upon her return to the U.S. in 1921 and became stepmother to his children, Margaret (12) and Laird (5). In 1929, Lois gave birth to her son, Stephen, just before the family moved to Connecticut.

Lois published her first book, Skipping Village, in 1927, after having illustrated the books of other children's authors. She published her second book, A Little Girl of 1900, in 1928. She wrote a variety of children's picture, story, and historical novel books before starting the Mr. Small Series of books, based on her observations of Stephen and other children identifying with the drivers of their small toy trucks, trains, and planes. The Davy series of books began in 1941 and was inspired by her grandson, David Chisholm (Margaret's son).

In the early 1940s, Lois' health declined and on doctor's orders, the family spent their winters in warmer southern states, first Louisiana, and later, Florida. It was on these winter trips that she researched the children living in different regions of the U.S. and launched her popular Regional and Roundabout America series. In 1951, Lois and her husband built a house in Tarpon Springs, Florida where they spent roughly half of every year. Arthur Covey became seriously ill in 1958 and died in February 1960. In 1964, Lois sold the home in Connecticut and thereafter lived in Florida year round. She continued writing, publishing her autobiography in 1972. Aged 80, Lois Lenski died at her Florida home in September 1974.

Lois Lenski was a very prolific author, writing nearly 100 books, as well as producing many articles, poems, essays, speeches, songs, and illustrations for other authors. She was also recognized for her artistic and literary works many times over. She received: The Newbery Honor Book award for Phebe Fairchild: Her Book (1937) and Indian Captive: The Story of Mary Jemison (1942), The Martha Kinney Cooper Ohioana Medal for Bayou Suzette (1944), The Newbery Medal for Strawberry Girl (1946), and the Children's Book Award (Child Study Association of America) for Judy's Journey (1947). Personal honors bestowed upon Lois Lenski include: Honorary doctorates from Wartburg College (Waverly, Iowa) (1959), Woman's College of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (1962), Capital University (Columbus, Ohio) (1966), Children's Collection Medallion from University of Southern Mississippi (1969), and the Regina Medal for a lifetime of distinguished service (Catholic Library Association) (1969).