James Otis Kaler

James Otis Kaler (1848 — 1912) was an American journalist and author of children’s literature. He used the pen name James Otis.

Life and career

Kaler was born on March 19, 1848, in Winterport, Maine. He attended public schools during his childhood. Kaler got a job with the "Boston Journal" when he was in his teens. Later, he went on to work as a journalist or editor for various newspapers, superintendent at schools, and a publicity man at a circus.Lost Classic Books Author Bio Page, [http://www.lostclassicsbooks.com/cgi-local/SoftCart.100.exe/bios/otis.htm?L+scstore+lpqw6976ff2c9e2c+1188627745 James Otis] (last accessed 1 September, 2007)]

In 1880, under the pen name James Otis, he authored his first children’s book, "Toby Tyler, or Ten Weeks with a Circus", a story about an orphan who runs away to join the circus. Following the book's success he went on to author numerous other children’s books.

After spending several years in the southeastern states, he returned to Maine to become the first superintendent in South Portland.South Portland Public, [http://www.southportlandlibrary.com/content.php?cID=115 James Otis Kaler Collection] . (last accessed 1 September, 2007)] Kaler married Amy L. Scamman on March 19, 1898, and, together, they had two children named Stephen and Otis. Kaler died of uremia on December 11, 1912 in Portland, Maine.

A more complete biography, and a comprehensive bibliography, can be found by clicking, [ [http://www3.sympatico.ca/jkaler/fulltext.htm James Otis full text online ] at www3.sympatico.ca] a web site devoted to James Otis Kaler.

Books

* "Toby Tyler, or Ten Weeks with a Circus" (1880)
* "Tim and Tip" (1880)
* "Left Behind" (1882)
* "Raising the Pearl" (1883)
* "Mr. Stubb’s Brother" (1883; sequel to "Toby Tyler")
* "Silent Pete" (1885)
* "The Boy Spies at the Defense of Fort Henry"
* "The Boy Spies at the Battle of Bunker Hill"
* "The Boy Spies at the Siege of Detroit"
* "The Boy Spies With Lafayette"
* "The Boy Spies on the Chesapeake Bay"
* "The Boy Spies With the Regulators" (1901)
* "The Boy Spies With the Swamp Fox"
* "The Boy Spies at Yorktown"
* "The Boy Spies of Philadelphia"
* "The Boy Spies of Old New York"

Footnotes

External links

*worldcat id|id=lccn-n82-108877
* [http://www.archive.org/search.php?query=creator%3Ajames%20otis%20-contributor%3Agutenberg%20AND%20mediatype%3Atexts Works by James Otis] at Internet Archive (original edition scanned books illustrated color)
*cite book
title=
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url=http://books.google.com/books?as_brr=1&q=inauthor%3Ajames+inauthor%3Aotis&btnG=Search+Books at Google Books (original edition scanned books illustrated)
*Gutenberg author|id=James_Otis|name=James Otis (plain text and HTML)