Charlotte Maria Tucker was a phenomenally prolific and popular novelist, writer of tracts and short stories, and poet for children and adults. Most of her works have a religious and didactic intent. She is reported to have published over 150 books during the latter half of the nineteenth century, although the exact number is difficult to verify. They sold extremely well. She donated most of the profits to charities, especially missionary societies in India. She is credited with introducing a degree of realism and naturalism into children's literature, along with the spiritual and educational elements that she judged important.