R. (Richard) Johnson

Richard Johnson was an English writer, compiler, editor, proofreader, and printer active in the late 18th century. Sources describe him as born in 1733 or 1734 and dying in 1793. He is best known for producing children's books, often for the publishers connected with John Newbery, including Thomas Carnan and Elizabeth Newbery.

His work ranged widely. He adapted stories from The Thousand and One Nights for young readers under the pseudonym Reverend J. Cooper, and he also compiled poetry, moral tales, and instructional books aimed at children. Reference sources note that he turned to this prolific literary work partly to support a troubled family, which gives his career a practical, hardworking cast as well as a literary one.

Johnson's name now appears often in the history of children's literature because he helped turn entertainment, moral instruction, and accessible storytelling into a popular format for young audiences. Even when individual titles are better remembered than their author, his output shows how important anonymous and semi-anonymous writers were to the growth of children's publishing in Britain.