James Otis

James Otis (1848–1912) was the pen name of James Otis Kaler, an American journalist and author best known for writing children’s books. Under this pseudonym, he produced popular historical and adventure stories for young readers, often drawing on American settings and events. Kaler also worked in journalism, and his experience as a reporter and editor informed his clear, direct storytelling style. Writing as “James Otis,” he became a familiar name in late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century juvenile literature, contributing to magazines as well as publishing numerous books. He died in 1912.