Club Series," in six volumes, and those of the "Riverdale Stories" in
twelve volumes. Mr. Lee approved the transaction, and the firm at once
brought out a new edition of both series. They met with a quick sale;
indeed, so wonderful was their success that the author, who was then a
Boston school teacher, was summoned and commissioned to prepare a series
of books for girls. From that time down to the present day, the pen of
"Oliver Optic" has been busily employed in behalf of the American youth.
He has produced, besides the series already named, the "Army and Navy
stories," in six volumes; the "Great Western series," in six volumes;
the "Lake Shore series," in six volumes; the "Onward and Upward series,"
in six volumes; the "Starry Flag series," in six volumes; the "Woodville
Stories," and the "Yacht Club series," each in six volumes; and two
series of six volumes each, entitled "Young America abroad." Hundreds of
thousands of copies have been sold of these books, and the demand for
them to-day is almost as large as it was ten or fifteen years ago. It is
no exaggeration to say that there is scarcely a young man or woman now
living who has not read and profitted by one or more of Oliver Optic's
stories.

Among the other successful writers whom Lee and Shepard brought into
notice was Miss Rebecca S. Clark, known the world over by her pseudonym
of "Sophie May." Her first book was "Little Prudy," which achieved a
reputation not surpassed by that of Miss Alcott's "Little Women." This
first volume was rapidly succeeded by others by the same author, which
in turn won favor, and are now grouped in the catalogue in series,
namely: "Little Prudy Series," "Little Prudy's Flyaway Series," "Dotty
Dimple Series," and "Flaxie Frizzle Stories," each comprising six
volumes. All of these books grew into the people's hearts, and ere long
the newspapers noticed them, the magazines devoted large space to
reviewing them, and the stately and sober-minded "North American