Stories jolly: stories new: stories strange & stories true : A series of new and original tales for boys and girls from six to fourteen years old

R. M. (Robert Michael) Ballantyne

1825–1894

Best known for classic adventure stories such as The Coral Island, this Scottish writer drew on real travel and working life to give his tales energy, danger, and a strong sense of place. He wrote for young readers, but his stories still carry the pull of exploration and survival.

S. (Sabine) Baring-Gould

1834–1924

Best known for writing the hymn "Onward, Christian Soldiers," this remarkably versatile Victorian author also collected folk songs, wrote novels and legends, and ranged widely across history, folklore, and religion. His work has the energy of a curious mind that never wanted to stay in a single lane.

Fanny Barry

A Boston native who turned to writing after breast cancer treatment, this author blends resilience, creativity, and hard-won insight in work that ranges from supportive books for cancer patients to memoir and fiction. She has also published under the name Joanne Barry.

A little-known Victorian-era writer, Frances Clare is associated with children’s fiction and moral tales published in the 1880s. The surviving record is sparse, which gives her work a quiet sense of mystery for modern readers.

Alice Corkran

d. 1916

Remembered for lively Victorian children's fiction and magazine work, this Irish-born writer built a varied career in books and periodicals. Her life connected literary London with a family background steeped in writing and conversation.

George Manville Fenn

1831–1909

A hugely productive Victorian storyteller, he wrote adventure tales, school stories, and historical fiction that kept generations of young readers turning pages. Before becoming a full-time author, he worked as a teacher, editor, and journalist, experiences that gave his fiction its lively, practical feel.

Agnes Giberne

1845–1939

A prolific Victorian writer, she brought both moral tales and popular science to young readers, helping make astronomy and other subjects feel welcoming and vivid. Her books move easily between evangelical fiction, history, and clear-eyed explanations of the natural world.

A little-known Victorian contributor to children’s fiction, she appears in a late 19th-century story collection alongside popular writers of the day. Her surviving work suggests a taste for lively, imaginative tales written for young readers.

G. A. (George Alfred) Henty

1832–1902

Best known for fast-moving historical adventures, this Victorian writer turned real-life experience as a soldier and war correspondent into stories that carried young readers across centuries and battlefields. His books were hugely popular in their day and helped shape the classic boys' adventure tale.

Katharine S. (Katharine Sarah) Macquoid

1824–1917

A prolific Victorian novelist and travel writer, she published more than 65 books and brought a lively eye for place, people, and everyday detail to both fiction and nonfiction. Her work ranges from sensation and domestic novels to richly observed journeys through France and Europe.

Mrs. Molesworth

1839–1921

A beloved Victorian storyteller, she helped shape children's fiction with warm, domestic tales full of imagination. Best known as Mrs. Molesworth, she wrote stories that generations of young readers treasured, including The Cuckoo Clock.

A little-known Victorian contributor to children’s story collections, remembered today through a handful of charming anthology pieces from the 1880s. The surviving record is sparse, which gives her work a quiet sense of discovery.

Emma Wood

A New Zealand children's writer who brings warmth, humor, and a little everyday chaos to her stories, she writes the kind of books that feel playful and kind at the same time. Her work is especially known for quirky characters and a clear affection for young readers.

Charlotte M. (Charlotte Mary) Yonge

1823–1901

A hugely popular Victorian novelist, she wrote stories shaped by faith, family life, and a strong sense of duty. Her best-known books helped bring the ideals of the Oxford Movement to a wide general audience.