Charles Johnston was an American author who published historical narratives and biographies as Charles Haven Ladd Johnston, often abbreviated Charles H. L. Johnston. His Our Little Viking Cousin of Long Ago introduces younger readers to Norse life through the adventures of a boy named Harald. The story combines daily activities with the excitement of seafaring and exploration.

Johnston's wider output includes books about cavalry leaders, frontiersmen, privateers, and prominent figures such as Sam Houston. These subjects offered opportunities to describe action and difficult decisions within a historical setting. He wrote for readers interested in the lives of individuals, presenting larger events through personal experiences and dramatic episodes.

His Viking story belongs to a series designed to make unfamiliar civilizations approachable through a child's viewpoint. Training, travel, storytelling, and community life help build a picture of the past. As with many historical books written for children in his era, its assumptions and interpretations require context. Johnston's characteristic strength is narrative momentum, encouraging readers to follow a person's journey and become curious about the historical world surrounding it.