Ballantyne, R. M. (1825-1894), was a Scottish writer who wrote adventure stories for boys. They became popular for their exciting plots, healthy, open-air backgrounds, and strong moral tone. The stories centered on resourceful heroes. Ballantyne based all his fiction on his own personal experiences. He traveled widely to research the material for his fiction. Probably the best known of his many books is The Coral Island (1858).
Robert Michael Ballantyne was born on April 24, 1825, in Edinburgh, Scotland. He went to Canada when he was 16 and worked for the Hudson’s Bay Company in the backwoods of northern Canada until 1847, when he returned to the United Kingdom. His early fiction was based on his experiences in Canada in such novels as The Young Fur Traders (1856). He died on Feb. 8, 1894.
