Scottish author R. M. Ballantyne was born #OTD in 1825.
He is best known for his adventure stories for young readers, his most famous work being The Coral Island (1858). This novel was particularly influential in the adventure genre and was a key predecessor to later classic adventure stories, including William Golding's Lord of the Flies. He also wrote The Young Fur Traders, The Dog Crusoe and His Master, The Lighthouse, The Lifeboat and Martin Rattler.