Children's Literature Trivia

1. What little girl doesn't love the Eloise books? But do you remember the name of her little dog?

From Quiz Scrambled Eggheads' Childhood Favourites

Answer: Weenie

Between 1955 and 1959, four books were published: "Eloise", "Eloise in Paris", "Eloise at Christmastime" and "Eloise in Moscow". They were written by Kay Thompson, a well-known singer and actress. Some people might remember her as the fashion editor in the Audrey Hepburn/Fred Astaire movie "Funny Face" -- but few people know that she was vocal coach to celebrities like Frank Sinatra and Judy Garland. She became a close friend of Garland, who selected her to be her daughter Liza Minnelli's godmother. Kay Thompson spent the last 10 years of her life living in Minnelli's Manhattan apartment. Most famous are the illustrations by Hilary Knight, who so vividly created the impish, precocious Eloise character. He also illustrated the Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle books, and created the posters for the Broadway musicals "Gypsy", "No No Nanette", and "Half a Sixpence", among others. He and Kay Thompson had a falling out after "Eloise in Moscow" was published and never spoke to one another again. In 2002, Mr. Knight published the fifth book in the Eloise series -- one that he and Ms. Thompson had been working on when they began their disagreement -- entitled "Eloise Takes a Bawth". (Question and additional information supplied by VanCoerte.)

From Quiz Prose and Poetry, Children's Literature

Answer: Wilfrid of Ivanhoe

Wilfrid of Ivanhoe is the central character in the story set in the twelfth century, when England was a divided nation. The Normans, who had recently conquered the country, were dominant, which caused disaffection among the Anglo-Saxons who had occupied the island for over 500 years. The book concludes with an attempt to harmonise the two different societies and cultures.

From Quiz Origins of Nursery Rhymes

Answer: Little Bo Peep

This nursery rhyme tells the sorrowful tale of a little shepherdess who has lost her sheep and cannot locate them. They eventually find their own way back home again. Historically the expression "bo peep" has been found recorded as far back as the 14th century, when it was a term used for the punishment of being placed in a pillory. This was a public form of humiliation and punishment for those who had broken the law, or who had displeased the authorities in some way. A pillory was a hinged device with holes cut in it for the offender's head and arms to be placed, before the top half was then locked down for the duration of the punishment. Because it was so uncomfortable, this form of chastisement usually only lasted a few hours, but in that time, because the pillory was normally placed on a raised platform in the centre of town, offenders were taunted and jeered at by people passing by, and often had rotten fruit, vegetables, mud and other unpleasant objects thrown at them. The use of the pillory as a form of punishment was abolished in Britain in 1837, but was still used in parts of the United States up to 1901. Interestingly, if the passing crowd disapproved of the punishment and saw the criminal as a hero of sorts, they were known to toss flowers instead.

From Quiz European Children's Literature

Answer: Roald Dahl

This quote originates from American writer Edna St. Vincent Millay.

From Quiz Once Upon A Time When I Was Young

Answer: Aunt Izzie

Written by Susan Coolidge, "What Katy Did" was published in 1872. Katy Carr is a headstrong tomboy who lives with her family somewhere in Ohio. Aunt Izzie is her father's sister who moves in with the family and looks after them following the death of Mrs. Carr. Katy injures her back after falling from a swing and is then an invalid. The book follows her growth from bitterness to being what the book describes as "the heart of the home". There were two sequels, "What Katy Did at School" and "What Katy Did Next". Two further books, "Clover" and "In The High Valley", look at the lives of the younger members of the Carr family

From Quiz Real Stories Behind Nursery Rhymes

Answer: Humpty Dumpty

Humpty Dumpty was originally meant to be the answer to a riddle that experts believe is thousands of years old. There are many references to Humpty Dumpty throughout history. In the late 17th century, Humpty Dumpty was the name of a popular ale and brandy drink. Squat, roly-poly people have been described as the famous egg. Girls in 19th century America played a game called Humpty Dumpty where players held their skirts tightly around their feet, rolled backwards, and tried to regain their balance without letting go of their skirts. All this because one unfortunate egg fell off a wall.

From Quiz Christmas Picture Books for Young and Old

Answer: The Littlest Angel

"The Littlest Angel" is a wonderfully inspiring story of a little boy angel who is missing home and would like his box of treasures that he left there. His request is granted but instead of keeping the treasures he gives them to the Christ Child, when Jesus was born. Later the littlest angel feared that this gift was not quite good enough. Soon he was cheered up when he learned that his gift, which had items such as stones and a bird's egg, pleased God the most. "The Littlest Angel" was also turned into a television musical drama in 1969.

From Quiz Sequels to Classic Children's Books

Answer: Peter Pan

The character of Peter Pan was created by J M Barrie, and first appeared in a 1902 novel for adults entitled "The Little White Bird". However, it was not until 1904, in the play "Peter Pan, or the Boy Who Would Not Grow Up", that Barrie introduced such well-known features of the story as the Darling children, Never-land, and Captain Hook. Geraldine McCaughrean's "official" sequel was published in 2006. The other options are fictional characters, all of whom appear in books with the word "Scarlet" in the title - perhaps I can leave it up to you to identify them?

From Quiz These Are a Few of My Favourite (Childhood) Books

Answer: Anne of Green Gables

'Anne of Green Gables' was published in 1908 and has remained on best-seller lists ever since. I 'met' Anne when I was eight and have read and re-read all of Lucy Maud Montgomery's 'Anne books' over and over again. I still weep buckets when Matthew dies, even though I know it's going to happen! I have to admit that I was not - and still am not - a big fan of 'The Secret Garden' or 'The Little Princess'. Too sentimental for my taste. 'Peter Pan', on the other hand, has long been a favourite of mine and I'm still mad at Disney for taking such liberties with J. M. Barrie's lovely story.

From Quiz Authors of 20th Century Children's Books.

Answer: Ethel Turner

Ethel Turner arrived in Australia with her family and grew up in Sydney. Her most famous book is "Seven Little Australians". Lilian was her sister, while L.T. Meade was an earlier writer of girls' stories. Elinor Brent-Dyer is, of course, the British writer of the Chalet series.

From Quiz Literary Classics for Children and Teens

Answer: Pride and Prejudice

'Pride and Prejudice' is one of my favorite books of all time. Jane Austen does a wonderful job portraying all of the characters. I wouldn't count Lydia as one of those "happily married", though!

From Quiz Scrambled Eggheads' Childhood Favourites

Answer: Anne

Initially, Enid Blyton intended to write only five or six books in the series, but owing to their extraordinary success, wrote a total of 21 novels between 1942 and 1963. The adventures usually take place during the school summer holidays, and involve such scenarios as criminal activities the five stumble upon, secret tunnels and lost treasure etc. Julian is the eldest of the group, and the brother of Dick and Anne, whilst Georgina their cousin is a tomboy who insists on being called George. Their dog Timmy is always with them during these escapades. I would become totally immersed in these adventures, and once in possession of a new book, would go to bed early and read the book from beginning to end before going to sleep. On more than one occasion my mother would see my bedroom light on late into the evening and suggest it was time for me to bed down. I then remember using a torch beneath the bedclothes, until I'd reached the end of a book, which on occasions was well into the small hours. (Question and additional information supplied by moonraker2.)

From Quiz Once Upon An Eggshell

Answer: Moon

Written by the gifted L.M. Montgomery, who also gave the world the gift of "Anne of Green Gables", the 1923 "Emily of New Moon" tells the story of a young girl who, upon the death of her father, is taken to live at her deceased mother's home, "New Moon", a beautiful property on Prince Edward Island. We share her life there with a strict and rigid Aunt Elizabeth, a loving Aunt Laura, her elderly cousin Jimmy, a horde of initially unfriendly class mates, her first ghastly teacher, Miss Brownell, Perry the hired boy, Jimmy, the boy who would one day become her husband, and her moody, tempestuous but loving friend, Ilse. Emily is a deeper, more intense character than the lovely Anne from Green Gables, and many of the adventures she deals with in this wonderful book happened to Lucy Maud Montgomery herself as a girl. The book is rich with an array of other fascinating characters, engrossing story lines, a little mystery, and even a trace of the supernatural towards its close. I read it many times as a child, have read it to my own two girls, and hope one day to read it again to my eldest daughter's four year old twin girls who are busy right now having an argument that would rival any that Emily and Ilse ever had. (Question and information submitted by Creedy)

From Quiz Prose and Poetry, Children's Literature

Answer: Charles Dickens

Charles Dickens (1812-1870) created some of the most memorable characters in English Literature. He criticised the way society operated, and held a mirror to it.

From Quiz Origins of Nursery Rhymes

Answer: Lavender Blue

This folk song and nursery rhyme, occasionally also known as "Lavender's Blue", can be dated back to the 17th century where the original words, printed on a broadsheet of the times, were somewhat more vulgar than the sweet ones we know today. Not only is today's rhyme a soft and tender celebration of love, it has also, in its melodic form, been performed by quite a few well known performers. A few of these include Burl Ives (whose version, in the 1949 film "So Dear to My Heart", was nominated for an Oscar), Dinah Shore, Danny Kaye, David Bowie, The Wiggles (a rather lovely rendition), Laura Wright and Alyse Black.

From Quiz European Children's Literature

Answer: Alexander Volkov

The re-narrated story is called 'The Wizard of the Emerald City' and is the first book of the 'Magic Land' series.

From Quiz Once Upon A Time When I Was Young

Answer: The Abbey

Written by Elsie J. Oxenham between 1914 and 1959 this series of books is often called "The Abbey School" series. There is however no Abbey School as such. The abbey referred to is a romantic ruin situated in the same village as the school. Joan and Joy Shirley are the original "Abbey Girls" and they, and their friends, feature in all 38 books of the series, even if only peripherally. As the series progresses the early characters are all married and it is the adventures of their daughters, who all attend the same school that their mothers did, that come to the fore. Elsie J. Oxenham based the Abbey itself on Cleve Abbey in Somerset, although she moved it to rural Oxfordshire.

From Quiz Real Stories Behind Nursery Rhymes

Answer: Old King Cole

There really was a King Cole and he ruled England during the third century. It is perhaps this king who is the subject of this nursery rhyme. Another explanation is that King Cole was actually a rich English clothier named Thomas Cole-Brook. The clothier, known as Old Cole, had many servants and, despite lacking a royal title, lived like a king. King Cole's pipe is also a matter of dispute. Did he really smoke tobacco or is the pipe referring to a wind instrument such as a flute? What do YOU think?

From Quiz Christmas Picture Books for Young and Old

Answer: Rabbits

The splendid story titled "Shall I Knit You a Hat? A Christmas Yarn" is about a little rabbit and his mother who work together to create hats for the little rabbit's friends: a cat, a deer, a dog, a goose and a horse. The rabbits are so busy it isn't until later that the little rabbit realizes that he'd not gotten a gift for his mother. The story shows a love between the mother rabbit and her little son and all of the fun they had making the gifts. It warmly shows the surprise of the friends when they receive their gifts. Mother rabbit is so happy spending this wonderful time with her son; she tells him that the time together is the best gift. The illustrations are beautiful and M. Sarah Klise's work shows how unique the cat, deer, dog, goose and horse look in their new hats. Some of the other books written and illustrated by these sisters include "Little Rabbit and the Night Mare"(2008), "Letters From Camp"(1999) and "Why Do You Cry?"(2006).

From Quiz More 20th Century Children's Book Authors

Answer: Catherine Sefton is really a man.

Catherine Sefton's real name is Martin Waddell, and several of the Sefton books have now been reprinted under the author's true name.

From Quiz Authors of 20th Century Children's Books.

Answer: The Billabong Books

The Billabong series was highly successful in Australia, and at one time Mary Grant Bruce and Ethel Turner were the two best-known children's authors in the country. The Billabong Books are set on an outback station called "Billabong". The heroine is Norah Linton, who grows up during the series. Other characters include her father, David, her brother, Jim and Jim's friend, Wally, whom Norah marries. The Flower Fairy Books are by Cicely Mary Baker, the Pookie Books by Ivy Wallace and the Springdale Books by Dorita Fairley Bruce, who also wrote the more famous Dimsie Series.

From Quiz Once Upon An Eggshell

Answer: Timmy

To this day I can remember the excitement I felt with the arrival of each new book. I would make a point of going to bed early in the evening to settle down with these treasures, often reading until well after midnight, being unable to put the book down until it was completely finished. I would even use a torch under the bedclothes so that my parents didn't realise I was still awake! As a child I lived each adventure that Julian, Dick, Anne, Georgina (George) and their dog Timmy undertook; it was all so exciting at that young age, and I really could imagine I was there with them on Kirrin Island foiling the smugglers, or at each of the other seemingly mysterious locations to which their adventures took them. Enid Blyton eventually wrote 21 books in the "Famous Five" series, far more than originally intended owing to the unprecedented demand for each new issue. Whilst I never read the later novels, as I was perhaps too grown up by the time they were published, I still have copies of the first thirteen books in the series. (Question and information submitted by moonraker2)

From Quiz Prose and Poetry, Children's Literature

Answer: Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm

The brothers Grimm sought out these folk tales, and compiled fairy tales. The disciplines of philosophy and linguistics were their living, but their life was in the gathering of these tales.

From Quiz Origins of Nursery Rhymes

Answer: Little Miss Muffet

This rhyme relates the story of a girl who has settled herself down to consume a meal of curds and whey - which is somewhat akin to what we would recognise as a tasteless form of cottage cheese - when all of a sudden a huge spider appears and frightens her away. It's hard to find the origins of many of these quaint old rhymes, but this one is believed by some to be a reference to Mary Queen of Scots (1542-87) who was condemned loud and long in his sermons by the Protestant reformer John Knox (1514-72) for her elaborate dresses, her love of dancing and for her Catholic faith. After the poor frightened queen's capture and long imprisonment, this clerical soul of the milk of human kindness openly called for her execution on many occasions. Others believe the rhyme refers to a well known physician and entomologist of the time, Thomas Muffet (1553-1604), whose step-daughter, Patience, was frightened away from the table one day by one of his spiders.

From Quiz European Children's Literature

Answer: Asterix

Also known as ' The Adventures of Asterix'.

From Quiz Once Upon A Time When I Was Young

Answer: Frederick Marryat

After their home is burnt to the ground by Cromwell's forces the children of Colonel Beverley, a Cavalier officer killed in the Battle of Naseby, are believed dead. Instead they have escaped into the New Forest where they are given shelter by gamekeeper Jacob Armitage. He tells everyone they are his grandchildren. When Armitage dies Edward Beverley leaves his home, and eventually joins the army of Charles II. After defeat at the Battle of Worcester he is forced into exile in France. Eventually however the Restoration comes and he is reunited with his brother and sisters.

From Quiz Real Stories Behind Nursery Rhymes

Answer: Jack be Nimble

The rules of the game were simple. A lighted candle was placed on the floor. Those who could successfully jump over the candle without extinguishing it or catching fire were assured a year's worth of good fortune. Those who didn't make it over were, at the very least, left with a pair of singed trousers. In some villages candlestick jumping was the highlight of St. Catherine's Day, November 25.

From Quiz Kiddy Lit; The World of Children's Literature

Answer: Beatrix Potter (1866-1943)

In "Peter Rabbit" (1901), Potter introduced her special method of integrating illustration with text and minute realism in drawing. She was also one of the first children's authors to use convincing villains; Samuel Whiskers, Mr. Tod, and Tommy Brock were just a few of the characters that gave children the shivers.

From Quiz Christmas Picture Books for Young and Old

Answer: Helen Ward

Helen Ward is the author of this compelling story, "Finding Christmas" (2004). Wayne Anderson created the beautiful illustrations of this story in which a little girl believes that she has no gift to give to her baby brother because there are no toys left in the toy store. On her way back home, through the snow, she hears a bell ring and a stuffed bear floats down to her. It was Santa who cleared out the toy store but made sure that the little girl had what she wanted, the perfect gift for her little brother. Other books by Helen Ward include "The Rooster and the Fox" (Six editions from between 2002 to 2004), "Little Moon Dog" (Six editions from between 2005 and 2007) and "The Dragon Machine" (Seven editions from between 2003 and 2007).

From Quiz Sequels to Classic Children's Books

Answer: Son

Children never tire of the "Railway" stories, and neither it seems did the Awdry family. The Reverend Wilbert (1911-1997) wrote 26 of these books between 1945 ("The Three Railway Engines") and 1972 ("Tramway Engines"). His son Christopher wrote the first of his sequels, "Really Useful Engines", in 1983; by 2010, he had written a total of 15 more books, with "Thomas and Victoria" (2007) being so far the most recent.

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