William Canton (1845 - 1926) was a British journalist and writer, now best known for his contributions to children's literature. These include his series of three books, beginning with The Invisible Playmate written for his daughter Winifred Vida (1891-1901).

He was born at Chusan in China. He worked as a journalist in London and Glasgow. He also wrote poetry, and a substantial history of the Bible Society.

Works

• A Lost Epic and other poems (1887)
• The fairy princess, and other poems
• The Invisible Playmate: A Story of the Unseen (1894)
• W. V. Her Book (1896)
• A Child's Book of Saints (1898)
• Children's sayings : edited with a digression on the small people (1900)
• In memory of W. V. (1901)
• The Comrades (1902) poems
• A history of the British and Foreign Bible Society, 5 vols (1904-1910).
• The Bible and the Anglo-Saxon People (1914)
• Poems (1927, Harrap)