Vance Barnum

Vance Barnum is not a real author but a shared pseudonym used by the American publisher Stratemeyer Syndicate for its children's series fiction. The name appears on the "Joe Strong" series, published in 1916, and the "Frank and Andy" series, published in 1921. Four related titles are held in the collection: Joe Strong the Boy Fire-Eater, Joe Strong on the Trapeze, Joe Strong, the Boy Fish, and Frank and Andy Afloat. Because the name belongs to a collective writing operation, public information about a personal biography, nationality, or dates of birth and death is limited and cannot be verified. The works center on youthful adventure and settings such as the circus, acrobatics, and life on the water; their brisk plots for young readers reflect the Syndicate's typical method of production-line series fiction, emphasizing readability and entertainment.