Famous Five Overview Trivia Quiz

Answer: Timmy

The fifth member of the five has four legs, not two, and is named Timmy. He is an important part of the group and is the reason the four children are allowed so much freedom. Their parents believe, with good reason, that Timmy will do his best to protect the children from harm.

Answer: George

The dog is owned by George, real name Georgina although you call her by that name at your own risk. George is a tomboy and a cousin of Julian, Dick and Anne. At the time of the first book she is described as being eleven years of age.

George found Timmy as an abandoned puppy and her father wouldn't originally allow her to keep him. Eventually, he relented, and Timmy lived with George and her parents.

Answer: Julian

Julian is the older brother of Dick, who is a year younger, and Anne, who is ten when the stories begin. The three meet their cousin, George, for the first time when they come to stay with her family for a summer holiday by the sea. Julian is the leader of the group and is expected to take care of the younger children despite being not much older than they are.

Answer: Scientist

Quentin is famous for his work and spends a lot of time in his study and carrying out experiments, the results of which are published in books. He is described as being engrossed in his work and is easily annoyed if interrupted in his study. Quentin is more than happy to let the children wander where they choose so long as they don't disturb him.

Answer: True

Although there are translations into French of Enid Blyton's original books, an author named Claude Voilier, who had already written children's books herself, continued the stories of 'The Famous Five' in a series of books published between 1971 and 1985. Most, but not all, of the French stories have been translated into English and can be found for sale.

Answer: Mongrel

Although sometimes shown as a pure bred dog in films or television adaptations, in the books Timmy is described as a 'large brown mongrel'. He has a long tail and is fiercely protective of the children. Timmy will attack anyone who threatens the children, which happens quite often in the stories. He understands exactly what he needs to do and what the children are saying to him.

Answer: Kirrin

The first book refers to George's mother being the one who inherits the properties around the village of Kirrin, where most of the stories takes place. This has some ambiguity, as Kirrin is the name she took when she married, but maybe the author thought the children who were going to read the books wouldn't notice.

Most sources refer to Dorset as being the real life setting for Kirrin, but I've always thought it seemed more like Cornwall.

Answer: George's mother

Aunt Fanny, as she is usually described, is married to Uncle Quentin and is aunt to Julian, Dick and Anne as well as being George's mother. She has a lot to contend with as Quentin is so absent-minded and does, on occasion, cause problems for the family.

His failure to arrange for a dangerous tree to be cut down, leading it to fall on the cottage they live, is one of the few occasions on which she becomes exasperated with him.

Answer: Adventure

These are adventure stories, where the five solve mysteries and thwart various villains. Kidnapping is a favourite plot device, with Uncle Quentin being captured in at least two different books and both George and Dick suffering the same fate at different times.

None of the villains are clever enough to outsmart the Famous Five, though.

Answer: Five on a Treasure Island

Published in 1942, the book introduces the main characters and sets the tone for their adventures. A visit to the nearby island by the Famous Five goes wrong when a storm traps them overnight but also washes up an old shipwreck. The children find a box which they later discover holds a map which will lead them, they believe, to hidden treasure. Despite the intervention of crooks intent on finding the treasure themselves, the children prevail and find gold ingots originally owned by George's great-great-great grandfather. The discovery leaves the Kirrin family financially secure.

All the titles listed appear in the series and the hint in the question was to Robert Louis Stevenson's novel 'Treasure Island', which came out in the 1880s.