Samuel B. (Samuel Buell) Allison

Born in 1861 and dying in 1932, Samuel Buell Allison was an American educator and writer. Records connected with his public-domain works identify him as Samuel B. Allison, and library and audiobook sources associate him with Chicago's public school system.

Allison is best known for An American Robinson Crusoe for American Boys and Girls, a retelling shaped for younger readers. In the book's prefatory material, he explains that it grew out of many years of using the story in elementary grades, which gives a clear sense of his practical, classroom-first approach.

He also co-authored The Story in Primary Instruction: Sixteen Stories and How to Use Them, another work tied closely to teaching. Taken together, his books suggest a writer who cared less about literary showiness and more about making stories useful, vivid, and engaging for children.