The history of literature is punctuated with the names of men and women who but for creation of a single work would long ago have faded into obscurity. This phenomenon occurs with greater frequency in children's literature, where the success of one inspired tale can earn a writer lasting recognition. Such is the case of the storyteller from Ohio John Bennett, who is remembered for his masterpiece of historical fiction for young people, Master Skylark (1897). In discussing Bennett and his contributions to the literary period ranging from 1890 into the 1920s in the revised edition of A Critical History of Children's Literature (1969), Elizabeth Nesbitt states that "If this period had produced no other books than those of John Bennett, still it would be a notable one. His books are distinctive and distinguished; so much so that the only possible regret is that there are not more of them."

Master...