Lilian Garis
Lilian Cleo Garis, born Lilian Cleo McNamara, was an American author who wrote hundreds of books of juvenile fiction between around 1915 and the early 1940s. Prior to this, she was the first female reporter for the Newark Evening News in New Jersey. Garis and her husband, Howard R. Garis, were possibly the most prolific children's authors of the early 20th century.
Biography
Lilian McNamara was born in 1872 in Cleveland, Ohio. Her parents were Irish immigrants Edward and Winifred. By 1880, the family lived in Belleville, New Jersey the setting of her first book. The Newark Evening News reported that she'd submitted a poem "when a schoolgirl" and "a request to call at the office resulted in her being taken on by the local staff of which she was the youngest member." Her work appears under the name Lillian Mack in the Sunday Call and Newark News from at least 1892, however, this story suggests she had earlier items published.Lilian attended private schools including Dunkirk Union School. In 1893 her poem "Peace" was featured in the New Jersey Scrapbook of Women Writers created for the World's Columbian Exposition. At this point she used an alternate name "Lillian Mack" and lives in Newark.
Lilian was in charge of "Woman's Work" in the Newark Evening News from 1895 to 1900 and was known as "Miss Mack" or "Lilian Mack". Lillian was also a suffragette.
Lilian met Howard Garis at the Newark Evening News and the couple married in 1900. In 1951, they moved from East Orange, New Jersey to Amherst, Massachusetts. They had two children Roger and Cleo.
For the Stratemeyer Syndicate Garis wrote under the pseudonym Margaret Penrose and Laura Lee Hope, with her works including some of the earliest books in the Bobbsey Twins series as well as the Dorothy Dale series. But Mrs. Garis also wrote some books under her own name.
Lilian died April 19, 1954.
Let's Make Believe series
First published by R. F. Fenno; also by DonohueLet's Make Believe We're Keeping HouseLet's Play Circus- ''Let's Make Believe We're Soldiers''
The Girl Scouts series
The Girl Scout PioneersThe Girl Scouts at BellaireThe Girl Scouts at Sea CrestThe Girl Scouts at Camp Comalong- ''The Girl Scouts at Rocky Ledge''
Nancy Brandon set
Originally printed by Milton Bradley, then by Grosset & Dunlap and Whitman.Nancy Brandon, Enthusiast- ''Nancy Brandon's Mystery''
Barbara Hale set
Barbara Hale- ''Barbara Hale's Mystery Friend''
Ted set
A Girl Named Ted- ''Ted and Tony''
Cleo set
Cleo's Conquest- ''Cleo's Misty Rainbow''
Connie Loring set
Connie Loring's Dilemma- ''Connie Loring's Ambition''
Judy Jordon set
Judy Jordon- ''Judy Jordon's Discovery''
Sally set
Sally for Short- ''Sally Found Out''
Gloria set
Gloria at Boarding School- ''Gloria: A Girl and Her Dad''
Joan set
- Joan: Just a Girl
- Joan's Garden of Adventure