Laura Lee Hope

Laura Lee Hope is not a real person, but a pseudonym! It was primarily used by the Stratemeyer Syndicate, a publishing house that churned out many children's and young adult series in the early 20th century.

• A Pen Name: Multiple writers under the Stratemeyer Syndicate used this pseudonym for various children's book series.
• Series Attributed to Laura Lee Hope: The most famous series associated with Laura Lee Hope include:
  • The Bobbsey Twins (1904-1979)
  • The Outdoor Girls (1913-1933)
  • The Moving Picture Girls (1914-1916)
  • Bunny Brown (1916-1931)
  • Six Little Bunkers (1918-1930)
  • Make Believe Stories (1920-1923)
  • Blythe Girls (1925-1932)
• Known Writers Behind the Name: While the exact authorship for each book is difficult to pinpoint, some of the writers who used the Laura Lee Hope pseudonym include:
  • Edward Stratemeyer (founder of the Syndicate, wrote the first Bobbsey Twins book)
  • Howard Garis and his wife Lilian Garis
  • Elizabeth Ward
  • Harriet Stratemeyer Adams (Edward's daughter)
  • Andrew E. Svenson
  • June M. Dunn
  • Grace Grote
  • Nancy Axelrad

Reasons for Using a Pen Name:

• Series Consistency: The Stratemeyer Syndicate used pseudonyms to create a consistent "authorial voice" for each series, regardless of the actual writer.
• Multiple Writers: This allowed them to have multiple writers working on a series simultaneously, keeping the books coming out at a fast pace.
• Marketability: "Laura Lee Hope" might have been considered a more appealing pen name for children's books aimed at a young audience at the time.