author
John Bennett
1865–1956
A warm, imaginative writer and illustrator, this American author helped bring children’s historical adventures and Lowcountry folk traditions to life. His books range from lively tales set in Shakespeare’s England to story collections shaped by the Gullah culture of coastal South Carolina.
2 Audiobooks
Master Skylark: A Story of Shakspere's Time
by John Bennett
Madame Margot: A grotesque legend of old Charleston
by John Bennett
About the author
Born in Chillicothe, Ohio, in 1865, John Bennett became known as both a writer and an illustrator. He had early success with children's fiction, and his best-known books include Master Skylark and Barnaby Lee.
A visit to Charleston, South Carolina, in the late 1890s changed the course of his life. He later settled there, and the city's history, landscape, and storytelling traditions deeply influenced his work. Sources about his career regularly connect him with the Charleston Renaissance, a period of major artistic activity in the city.
Bennett is also remembered for collecting and retelling stories rooted in Black folk traditions, especially material connected with Gullah culture. That side of his work helped preserve regional tales for new readers, while his gift for illustration gave his books an added charm of their own.