Nostalgia for British Children's Writers Part 2 Quiz

Answer: Drina

As well as the details about the training and the performances there was a mystery about Drina's parentage and background. As the series went on and Drina danced in Italy, Switzerland, Paris, New York etc, there was also the inevitable process of falling in love to be coped with.

Answer: Fizzy

Stephen Tring was the pseudonym for the author Lawrence Meynell. The "Penny" books all had interesting titles like "Penny Dreadful", "Penny Foolish". Penny was only eleven at the start but Fizzy was seventeen and old enough to be involved with boys and men. Inevitably Penny also progressed to the age of seventeen.

Answer: In the "Just William" series by Richmal Crompton

In one book one of the young men who regularly falls in love with Ethel describes her as having a face like a painting by Boticelli. William secretly agrees that his sister does have a face like "a bottled cherry".

Answer: Rebecca Mason

Anne Digby (not her real name) has also written more stories in the Enid Blyton series "The Naughtiest Girl". Rebecca is talented enough to write poetry and to represent her county at tennis. As these stories were set in the 1980s there is also "Boy Trouble at Trebizon".

Answer: Josephine

The mother of the three girls was Joanna Cannan who had written her own popular stories about horses. The three girls did collaborate on some of the very early stories and came together again to write their joint autobiography.

Answer: Jill's Gymkhana

Although most of a typical "Jill" story would be about Jill and the various ponies and pony jobs that she gets involved in, a lot of the attraction comes from the style of the first-person narrative. There is often a contrast drawn between the rather "twee" books that Jill's mother produces for children and the "down-to-earth" style of the young heroine.

Answer: She writes books for small children.

Mrs. Crewe is a widow and struggles to make ends meet until she sells her first story. The only one who doesn't seem to like what she writes is Jill herself. Later in the series the mother gets invited to go on a tour of the U.S.A. to promote her books.

Answer: White Boots

Most of Noel Streatfield's books were retitled for the U.S.A. market where "White Boots" became "Skating Shoes" to fit in with the "Shoes" series idea which they wanted to promote. In the film "You Got Mail" the heroine is shown identifying a book in the "Shoes" series to an anxious customer.

Answer: Cynthia Harnett

"The Wool-Pack" must be one of the few novels for children about English history in which an arranged marriage between two young people is not dreaded by either the boy or the girl who have to do what their parents want. Meticulous drawings by the author herself always accompany each of Cynthia Harnett's plausible stories.

Answer: Susan Loses Her Way

"Susan Muddles Through", "Susan Rushes In", "No Trouble for Susan" and "Susan's Helping Hand" are amongst the other titles in this amusing series about a girl whose kind heart and positive attitude often bring trouble to her family.

Answer: Titty

Left behind on the island in the dark Titty hears the Amazons raiding the camp on Wild Cat Island. She sneaks on board the "Amazon" and manages to anchor off Cormorant Island during the night. She also overhears the thieves who have raided Captain Flint's houseboat.

Answer: O'Sullivan

When the twins first arrive at the school they deliberately set out to cause havoc and confusion. This causes great amusement to the other girls at their boarding school but brings increasing frustration to the members of staff. Eventually, of course, the headmistress realises they have "the makings of fine girls."

Answer: a pony

The action of the story takes place on one of the Channel Islands during World War Two and the children concerned get themselves mixed up the invasion plans of the Germans.

Answer: She had an accident when young that makes her walk with a limp.

Penny's life seems to be blighted by the accident which makes her limp. She has both the voice and the looks to be very successful. She also has the talent and the understanding to make the most of any roles she is given. Of her friends only Bill realises quite how deeply she is upset by this inevitable conclusion to her hopes.

Answer: Eric Leyland

Eric Leyland wrote hundreds of books under his own name as well -including at least eight series with different heroes whose development spilled over from one story to the next. Arthur Catherall also sometimes used female pseudonyms for his girls' stories.

Answer: Marston Baines

Simon is Marston's nephew and is obviously is being groomed to replace him in the Secret Service. Marston's cover identity is that of a writer. Simon has a slightly complicated love-life but eventually looks destined to settle down with Rosina.

Answer: Gwendoline Courtney

"Elizabeth of the Garret Theatre" is all about the influence a new stepmother has upon the girls of a very talented but very disorganised family. "Torley Grange" is all about a girl disovering a very different life with a new family.

Answer: Veronica Weston

The first four stories in the "Wells" series are about Veronica and her relationship with Sebastian Scott as she makes her way to the top of the world of ballet. Later she fades into the background promoting the well-being of other girls from the north of England. Her daughter Vicki proves to be her biggest problem.

Answer: Joan

Joan Worralson is her full name. It seems inevitable that the author was trying to create a female equivalent for "Biggles" but in fact Worrals was often entirely different in outlook and personal relationships. Captain W.E. Johns was asked to write these stories to help recruitment into the W.A.A.F. He succeeded beyond all expectations.

Answer: Marise

The other three names are heroines in some of Dorothy Carter's other books e.g. "Jan's Flying Start". The first Marise Duncan story was "Mistress of the Air" and the last broke with tradition by being named "Marise Flies South" rather than using "of the Air" in the title.

Answer: Barbara Willard

Amongst these stories is "The Iron Lily" which concerns a very determined heroine who manages to make her own way in the world of men. A strange secret links the main characters in each of these adventures. "The Iron Lily" won the Guardian Award for Children's Fiction in 1974.

Answer: Wales

The story concerns both gain and loss as the children come to grips with the new household that is so unlike what they are familiar with.

Answer: catch a unicorn

There is an ancient legend that a "grass rope" which is "woven by a young virgin" is the only way to catch a unicorn. In William Mayne's book reality and myth are both gloriously and dangerously intermixed before the resolution to the story is reached.

Answer: The "Abbey" series

The three books are all part of the "Abbey" series even though they do not have "Abbey" in the title. Some fans regard them as "connectors" rather than the main "Abbey" stories. In any event they were all written by Elsie J. Oxenham.

Answer: Daphne

The "Dimsie" stories trace her life from the moment she arrives as a new girl until the story when she arrives to help out her old school. In the meantime she also succeeds in creating a remarkable garden and in getting herself married in spite of her earlier "Anti-Soppist" society.