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Gillian Baxter and her Books Trivia Quiz

Gillian Baxter was a popular pony book writer in the 1960s. She didn't write as many books as some, but they were well plotted and lively. See what you remember...

A multiple-choice quiz by Sallyo. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
Sallyo

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
151,571

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
6 / 10

Plays
198

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. The first book about Roberta "Bobby" Morton and the Bracken Stables is which of the following? Hint

Jump to the Stars

Tan and Tarmac

The Difficult Summer

The Perfect Horse

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Question 2 of 10

2. Bobby has a chestnut mare of which she is particularly fond. She is a show jumper, once owned by Bobby's aunt. What is her name? Hint

Shelta

June Evening

Siani

Nanti

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Question 3 of 10

3. Helen and Charles Camberwell, Bobby's aunt and uncle, have two children. What are their names? Hint

Ellen and Roger

Judy and Jonathan

Reba and Simon

Jill and Ann

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Question 4 of 10

4. In "The Perfect Horse", which horse is referred to in the title? Hint

Tapestry

Minos

Kestrel

Shelta

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Question 5 of 10

5. At the end of "The Perfect Horse", Bobby is engaged to be married to Guy Mathews. They've loved one another for quite a while, so why didn't he ask her before? Hint

He thought she loved Keith Rowlands.

He was injured in a fire and didn't know if he'd be disabled.

They didn't want to upset Heath.

Bobby was underage.

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Question 6 of 10

6. In "Ribbons and Rings", the three main characters are called Shaun, Pauline and Leslie. Who is who? Hint

Shaun is the groom, Pauline is the showjumper and Leslie a rival rider.

Shaun is an Irish showjumper, Pauline the groom and Leslie a rich-girl neighbour.

Leslie is a boy from the wrong side of the tracks, Pauline a trainer and Shaun the groom.

All three are rival riders.

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Question 7 of 10

7. In Gillian Baxter's books, some horses are good, some are clowns and some are dangerous rogues. Which of the horses listed is dangerous, but said to be reclaimable with patient schooling? Hint

Ember, Helen's horse.

Toreador, Shaun's stallion.

Vixen, the mare Shaun rides.

Kestrel, Jay's horse.

NEXT>

Question 8 of 10

8. Gillian Baxter came up with some interesting horse names. Which horses didn't she invent? Hint

Sandstone, Stormcock and June Evening

Pink Froth, Snowgoose and Francine

Sea Pie, Cascade and Pasha.

Orky, Coffee and Painter's Progress

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Question 9 of 10

9. What do Pauline Thomas and Heath Graham have in common? Hint

They are both showjumpers.

They both have a horse called Carousel.

They both work at Bracken Stables.

They are both girl grooms.

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Question 10 of 10

10. What happened to Nightingale and Sergeant in "The Difficult Summer"? Hint

They were killed in the fire.

They went to Harringay.

They were sold to cover costs.

They had to be reschooled.

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. The first book about Roberta "Bobby" Morton and the Bracken Stables is which of the following?

Answer: Jump to the Stars

"Jump to the Stars" is the first of the three books about Bobby and her friends. It was written when Gillian Baxter was eighteen, and published in 1957. The story begins as 16 year old Bobby starts a new school with her cousin. Instead of riding out with Captain Roberts and his slowcoach horses, Bobby and her friend Silvia prefer to ride at Bracken Stables.

This has far reaching consequences for Bobby.

2. Bobby has a chestnut mare of which she is particularly fond. She is a show jumper, once owned by Bobby's aunt. What is her name?

Answer: Shelta

Lively Shelta belongs, in turn, to a stable near Bobby's old school, to Guy Mathews at Bracken, to Helen, Bobby's aunt and then to Bobby herself. Siani is a chestnut mare from Monica Edwards' Romney Marsh books, while Nanti, also chestnut, comes from Monica Edwards' Punchbowl Farm books. June Evening is also in "Jump to the Stars".

3. Helen and Charles Camberwell, Bobby's aunt and uncle, have two children. What are their names?

Answer: Ellen and Roger

Ellen is the same age as Bobby, while Roger is younger and gentler. Reba and Simon are step siblings from "Knightfall", by Sally Odgers. Judy and Jonathan appear in the Paddington books by Michael Bond and Jill and Ann are friends in the Jill books by Ruby Ferguson.

4. In "The Perfect Horse", which horse is referred to in the title?

Answer: Minos

Minos, the beautiful dun, has never put a foot wrong when Ellen Camberwell buys him. Ellen is confident that she can win prizes with Minos, but Bobby wonders what will happen if Minos ever does go wrong. Tapestry is a horse Ellen considers buying, Kestrel belongs to Jay in the same book and Shelta is Bobby's own mare.

5. At the end of "The Perfect Horse", Bobby is engaged to be married to Guy Mathews. They've loved one another for quite a while, so why didn't he ask her before?

Answer: He was injured in a fire and didn't know if he'd be disabled.

Guy was hurt in the fire in "The Difficult Summer". Until quite late in the third book, he didn't know if he would be able to ride again, and he didn't want to hold Bobby back. Bobby was underage, but that doesn't seem to have been a problem. Bobby and Keith were never more than friends, and Heath seems uninterested in men. Actually, Bobby seems to be eighteen years old for rather longer than a year.

6. In "Ribbons and Rings", the three main characters are called Shaun, Pauline and Leslie. Who is who?

Answer: Shaun is an Irish showjumper, Pauline the groom and Leslie a rich-girl neighbour.

Shaun is an Irish showjumper. Pauline is 16. She is nervous, but becomes more confident as the book progresses. Leslie, the daughter of wealthy, ambitious parents, helps Pauline gain confidence and falls in love with Shaun.

7. In Gillian Baxter's books, some horses are good, some are clowns and some are dangerous rogues. Which of the horses listed is dangerous, but said to be reclaimable with patient schooling?

Answer: Kestrel, Jay's horse.

Kestrel, Jay's horse, is dangerous but probably reclaimable with patience. Ember seems ruined, Vixen has to be put down and Toreador is a handful, but not (apparently) in need of reclamation. Shaun doesn't mind falling off him!

8. Gillian Baxter came up with some interesting horse names. Which horses didn't she invent?

Answer: Sea Pie, Cascade and Pasha.

Sea Pie, Cascade and Pasha are all from books by Monica Edwards. The others are all in Gillian Baxter's books.

9. What do Pauline Thomas and Heath Graham have in common?

Answer: They are both girl grooms.

Pauline is the groom in "Ribbons and Rings", while Heath is groom at Bracken Stables. Carousel belongs to Leslie in "Ribbons and Rings".

10. What happened to Nightingale and Sergeant in "The Difficult Summer"?

Answer: They were killed in the fire.

Nightingale and Sergeant both died in the fire. A stolen plane crashed into Bracken Stables and started the fire, which killed and injured many horses. Guy Mathews was badly hurt, and Bobby and Heath had to try to keep the stables going when it was discovered the insurance hadn't been paid up.

Source: Author Sallyo

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor minch before going online.
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