Children's Classic Stories Trivia Quiz

Answer: Winnie-the-Pooh

Was Winnie-the-Pooh a real bear? Well, sort of. You see, in WW1 the troop A.A. Milne served in had as a mascot a real bear cub that was owned by a Canadian soldier. The soldier named his pet bear "Winnipeg", after the city in Canada. All the soldiers called the pet "Winnie". After the war ended the bear lived at the London Zoological Gardens. It was there that A.A. Milne's son, Christopher Robin Milne first met "Winnie". Christopher liked the bear so much that he named his own teddy bear after her. The rest of the characters in the story are Christopher's toy animals.

Answer: a monkey

"Curious George" has been described as "a good little monkey and always very curious". This quote is found in "Curious George takes a Job". The curious monkey is captured by The Man in the Yellow Hat when the monkey, in the first book, puts the hat on and is blinded by its size.

Hans Rey and his wife Margaret were Jews who had to escape from Paris on homemade bicycles just before the Nazis entered the city. With them they carried the manuscripts for what would become "Curious George". Margaret did the writing and Hans did the illustrating. Together they wrote six "Curious George" sequels.

Answer: Fern

"Charlotte's Web" is the classic story of an 8 year-old girl named Fern Zuckerman who talks her parents into letting her keep the runt of a litter of pigs. While growing up the pig, named Wilbur, makes friends with a spider named Charlotte. Eventually Wilbur becomes too big, and Fern's parents decide to slaughter him and have him for Christmas dinner. In an effort to save Wilbur, Charlotte spins webs praising him.

"Charlotte's Web" was written by E.B. White and published in 1952.

Answer: The White Rabbit

Alice, while sitting by a brook one day took notice of a white rabbit scurrying by muttering to itself something about being late. This was not entirely unusual, until the rabbit proceeded to remove a watch from its pocket. The rabbit hurried on, and Alice, curiosity piqued, followed it down its hole. Down and down she went and thus began her series of adventures.

Answer: giant dogfish

"Pinocchio" is a story about a mischievous wooden puppet who wants to be a real boy and is given life by Geppetto, his creator. In spite of warnings from various creatures, Pinocchio is constantly telling lies and falling in with the wrong crowd. At one point Pinocchio is turned into a donkey as punishment for his laziness. While swimming in an attempt to escape a gang of villainous boys, Pinocchio sees the beautiful child with blue hair, who had rescued him earlier, perched on a rock. As he swam for the rock the giant dogfish overtook him and swallowed him whole. While calling for help in the darkness of the dogfish's stomach he finds his "father", Geppetto, who had been swallowed by the dogfish when his boat was swamped in heavy seas. Together they escape by crawling up the dogfish's throat and out of its mouth while it is sleeping.

This book is very much the story of the trials and tribulations of growing up and teaching that along with actions come consequences. The book is one of the world's most translated.

Answer: the scarecrow

"The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" was to be Baum's only book about Oz, but public demand and financial hardships encouraged him to write a sequel. He ended up writing 13 sequels.
As Dorothy and Toto are walking on the yellow brick road, they first encounter a Scarecrow who complains that he wants a brain, the Tin Man wants a heart, and the Cowardly Lion wants courage.

Answer: Mr. McGregor's

"The Tale of Peter Rabbit" was written by English author Beatrix Potter and published in 1902. Peter's mother tells him that his father went in to Mr. McGregor's garden and ended up being dinner for the McGregors. Peter cannot stand the temptation and invades the garden. He is seen by Mr. McGregor and chased until he finally escapes, wiser for the experience.

Answer: Colin Craven

"The Secret Garden" is a story about the coming of age of both Mary Lennox and Colin Craven. Mary is a spoiled little rich girl who finds herself basically abandoned in a large English Manor. Colin is a cripple who is locked in a room, unable to walk. Both of their lives are completely made over by their discovery of a secret garden on his father's property.

The refurbishment of the garden gives them both purpose and hope.

Answer: Peter's shadow

"Peter and Wendy", (the original book title), "Peter Pan" and "The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up" are titles from the original book and play. Peter and Tinker Bell take the Darling children on a magical trip to Neverland. There, Captain Hook awaits with his villainous band of pirates.

Peter lost his shadow when the Darling family dog snatched it. When Peter returned Wendy sewed it back on.

Answer: green

In this short book (actually it's more of a poem) the child bids "goodnight" to objects in its great green room. There no handsome princes, beautiful princesses or crazy characters, just everyday objects. The book has sold over 40 million copies and been translated into a dozen languages.
Far from being a fairy tale, the book's illustrations depict everyday things with which a child is familiar and invite the child to identify them.