Richard Barnum was one of many house pseudonyms used by the Stratemeyer Syndicate. The name Richard Barnum was used for animal stories series for children including: Winkie, the Wily Woodchuck, Flop Ear, the Funny Rabbit, Dido, the Dancing Bear, Slicko, the Jumping Squirrel, Tamba, the Tame Tiger and Mappo, the Merry Monkey. The Stratemeyer Syndicate was a publishing group started by Edward Stratemeyer in 1906. He assembled a group of authors who were paid for writing books anonymously. A different pseudonym was chosen for each book series.