Edward Stratemeyer

The Rover Boys at College Edward Stratemeyer

Edward Stratmeyer was founder of the Stratemeyer Syndicate, which published many series of books for children including the Bobbsey Twins, Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys. The Rover Boys was Stratmeyer's first series. The series had to be interesting to boys, look like adult books, be written under a pseudonym, books would begin with a quick recap of the proceeding book and chapters would end in mid situation so the boy would want to keep reading. There are 30 books in the series written between 1899 and 1926. The boys had left military boarding school and were in college. There were pranks, unsupervised adventures and run-ins with the authorities. The books often used new technology in the plots. As with books in this era ethnic stereotypes and dialect are prevalent.