18th and 19th Century Young Adult Classics Quiz

Answer: Robinson Crusoe

"Robinson Crusoe" is considered by some to be the first English novel. In the novel, Robinson Crusoe is shipwrecked and stranded on an island for much longer than Selkrik was - 25 years. Crusoe rescues a would-be victim of cannibals who becomes his willing servant and whom he names Friday.

Answer: Gulliver's Travels

"Gulliver's Travels" by Jonathan Swift was published in 1726 and satirizes English absurdities in politics, religion, and science. It is considered one of the earliest works of sci-fi fantasy. Although its satire is often lost on the young, it is still read (often in an abridged and/or edited form) by many young adults today because of its fantastical characters and settings. On Lilliput, Gulliver encounters a race of tiny inhabitants, and on Brobdingnag, giants.

In the third book of the novel, he ends up on the flying island of Laputa, and in the fourth book, a country ruled by horses called Houyhnhnms.

Answer: The Adventures of Baron Munchhausen

The tales of the Baron were translated into English by Rudolf Erich Raspe and then translated back into German by Gottfried August Burger, who embellished them in his 1786 version. Burger was born in 1747 in Germany and was a contemporary of Baron Karl Friedrich Hieronymus von Munchhausen.

The book opens with the Baron joining his father on a journey to Ceylon, during which they face a powerful storm.

Answer: The English Civil War

Published in 1847, "The Children of the New Forest" features four children who are the orphans of Royalists. They're adopted by Jacob Armitage, who takes them to live in his cottage in the New Forest, where they learn to survive and adopt a gypsy boy. Captain Frederick Marryat was a Royal Navy officer and a pioneer of sea stories.

Answer: Journey to the Center of the Earth

Published in 1864, "Journey to the Center of the Earth" is a sci-fi adventure classic. Verne is considered to be one of the pioneers of science fiction, and his works frequently involve travel. In this novel, a small group of people led by Professor Otto Liedenbrock travel underground to seek the earth's core. Jules Verne also wrote "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea", "Around the World in 80 Days", and "The Mysterious Island".

Answer: Little Women

Written by Louisa May Alcott and published in 1868, "Little Women" tells the story of the four March sisters. The story begins shortly before Christmas. With an absent father and no money for Christmas presents, the family still manages to pull together. Geraldine Brooks wrote a modern day spin-off of the novel, called "March", in which she tells the story of the absent father.

Answer: Robert Louis Stevenson

Published in 1886, "Kidnapped" is an historical fiction novel that tells the story of David Balfour, who is kidnapped so that his uncle can steal his inheritance. It depicts Scottish rebels fleeing persecution and includes lowland Scottish dialect. While it has sometimes been regarded as a mere "boys' novel", the book later become the subject of serious critical study.

Answer: The Good Little Devil

Written by Comtesse de Segur and illustrated by Horace Castelli, "The Good Little Devil" is set in 19th century Scotland and features a boy named Charles being raised by his cruel, elderly cousin. He responds to his tormenter by frightening the superstitious old lady with his invented rules involving the devil and fairies.

Answer: The Rose and the Ring

"The Rose and the Ring", a satirical fantasy, was published in 1885. Thackeray, who had once intended to be an illustrator, illustrated the original version of the book, which is set in the fictional lands of Paflagonia and Crim Tartary. "The Rose and the Ring" features four young Italian royal cousins.

Answer: The Three Musketeers

"Seven Little Australians" was written by Ethel Turner and published in 1894.
"Tom Brown's Schooldays" by Thomas Hughes was published in 1857.
"Bertoldo, Bertoldino, and Cacasenno," by Banchierri, is a 17th century work of Italian folklore.

"The Three Musketeers", by Alexandre Dumas, Sr., was published in 1844 and features the three musketeers Athos, Porthos, and Aramis, who are joined by D'Artagnan. Dumas continues the story of D'Artagnan in two other historical fiction novels, "Twenty Years After" and "The Vicomte of Bragelonne: Ten Years Later".