Charles Stuart Pratt

Charles Stuart Pratt (1854–1921), who sometimes wrote under the pen names of C. P. Stewart and C. P. Stuart, was an American writer of children's literature, best known for being the art editor of Wide Awake magazine for 16 years, starting in 1875. He edited children's magazines for 30 years, and for most of that time he worked with his wife, Ella Farman Pratt.

Early life Pratt was born on February 10, 1854, in South Weymouth, Massachusetts. He was the son of Loring and Laura (Vining) Pratt. Pratt attended South Weymouth High School, and then a Boston art school. Pratt and Farman wed in 1877. and then from 1894 to 1897.

From 1897 until 1909 Pratt edited Little Folks, Ella Farman Pratt was co-editor until shortly before her death in 1907. Until at least 1912 the Little Folks Contents page stated, “Edited from foundation to May, 1909, by Charles S. and Ella Farman Pratt.”

During Pratt's time as a children's magazine editor, he was also writing stories for adult magazines. He won a one-thousand-dollar prize for his story A Celestial Crime, His story Napoleon and the Regent Diamond was published in the September 1895 issue of Lippincott’s Monthly Magazine. The story was considered so noteworthy that it was mentioned in an 1895 issue of the Review of Reviews.

Personal life Charles Stuart Pratt wed Eliza Anna (Ella) Farman on November 11, 1877. For most of their married life the couple lived in Warner, New Hampshire. Pratt had a son, Ralph Farman Pratt, born July 7, 1878, who became a landscape painter.

For many years Pratt was on the board of trustees of the Pillsbury Free Library and worked to have branch libraries for school children in Davisville and Melvin's Mills, which are villages included within the boundaries of Warner, New Hampshire.

Pratt died in Warner, New Hampshire, on April 3, 1921. He was buried in South Weymouth, Massachusetts.

Published books 1886 - Bye-O-Baby Ballads, D. Lothrop 1888 - Baby’s Lullaby Book, Prang & Company 1896 - Little Peterkin Vandike, L.C. Page & Company 1896 - The Brown Bunny, (pen name of C.P. Stewart), S.E. Cassino Company 1899 - Stick-and-Pea Plays, D. Lothrop 1899 - Buz-Buz & His Twelve Adventures, D. Lothrop 1905 - Riddle-Rhymes, S.E. Cassino Company 1908 - Little Noah’s Ark, (pen name of C.P. Stuart), S.E. Cassino Company