Lilian C. Garis , born Lilian C. McNamara (20 October 1873 – 19 April 1954) 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. Lillian wrote her own "Woman's Page" for a city paper as a teenager. She 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 uses 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 1899. 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. Bibliography of titles written under Garis' name Let's Make Believe series First published by R. F. Fenno; also by Donohue Let's Make Believe We're Keeping House Let's Play Circus Let's Make Believe We're Soldiers The Girl Scouts series The Girl Scout Pioneers The Girl Scouts at Bellaire The Girl Scouts at Sea Crest The 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 (Milton Bradley's original title; renamed Nancy Brandon by Grosset & Dunlap) Nancy Brandon's Mystery Barbara Hale set Barbara Hale (renamed Barbara Hale: A Doctor's Daughter) Barbara Hale's Mystery Friend (renamed Barbara Hale: and Cozette) 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 (renamed