Family is an important component of Han Nolan's life. Although she was born in Birmingham, Alabama, on August 25, 1956, Helen "Han" Walker Nolan has lived the majority of her life in northern states.

Nolan's parents, attorney James Walker and Eileen Walker, moved their five children from Alabama to the New York City area.

They often visited cousins in Dothan, Alabama, who enchanted Nolan with their extended southern storytelling sessions characterized by humor and drama. Her experiences in contrasting regions shaped her literary depictions of people and places.

Because one of her sisters could not pronounce the name Helen, Nolan was called Han by her family. The Walkers frequently moved, helping Nolan learn to adjust and befriend people. Her parents encouraged their children to embrace artistic endeavors, especially reading literature. Among Nolan's childhood favorites, Louise Fitzhugh's Harriet the Spy inspired her to write in a journal...