Elinor Writes a Book Trivia Quiz

Answer: Gerry

"Gerry Goes to School" was Elinor's first book, published in 1922. It became the first of the La Rochelle series - seven books published between 1922 and 1953 which introduce a number of characters who later appear in the longer, and more well-known Chalet School series. Gerry, short for Geraldine, Challoner had lived for many years with her great-aunts - two elderly ladies.

However they had to move abroad to a warmer climate for the sake of their health, so Gerry was sent to live with a friend.

He was a rector with a family of ten children. The story tells of how Gerry learned to live amongst the large family, and in the modern world.

Answer: Judy

"Judy the Guide" was first published in 1929. Judy Carey and her family lived in Saskatchewan in the middle of Canada, where there was only a very small school. Judy would enjoy and benefit from more education, so her godfather offered to pay for her to go to school in England.

The school she attended was not far from north-west London, so she was able to see something of her older brother, who was studying at Oxford. Judy made friends with the girls, and was excited to join the Girl Guide company run at school.

Her first term was not without its problems, but after a surprising resolution to the main one, Judy was looking forward to the following term.

Answer: Carnation

"Carnation of the Upper Fourth" was first published in 1934. Motherless for many years, Carnation de Lisle had lived a nomadic life with her father - a musician. They returned to England and lived in a small town where Carnation could attend the local school.

She quickly settled in and made friends with a girl who lived nearby. However life was not a bed of roses for her, although it did reach a happy conclusion after many problems, nearly all of which will be familiar to readers of Elinor's other stories.

Answer: Monica

"Monica Turns Up Trumps" was first published in 1936. Monica Marilliar brought home another bad report from her boarding school, so her father decided to keep her at home and sent her to a very small local school instead. Then two of her cousins were sent home from Kenya to live with their uncle and go to school with Monica. Monica was very unhappy, both about the change of school, and having her cousins living with the family.

However she saw the error of her ways, and knuckled down to her schoolwork. Later, when Braemar House closed down, the three girls were sent to the Chalet School.

Answer: Lorna

"Lorna at Wynyards" was written in 1947. Lorna Carey had hoped to go to the same boarding school as her elder sisters, but the family circumstances had changed. She was sent to live with her aunt and cousin in the small town of Wynyards in the Cotswolds. Lorna found it hard to settle, but made friends with some of the girls in her class.

She also came to accept that she was required to help her aunt and cousin with some of the housework, and enjoyed learning how to cook. When her father died and her mother had to take Lorna's widowed sister-in-law and small children to Madeira, both Lorna's aunt and cousin, and Lorna herself, were pleased that she would make her home at Wynyards for the foreseeable future.

Answer: Bess

"Bess on her Own in Canada" is one of the four geography readers which Elinor wrote in 1951. It tells the story of fifteen year old Bess Mackinnon travelling across western Canada to find a distant cousin with whom the family has lost touch. She left her home in Alberta and travelled by train to Vancouver in British Columbia, only to find that her cousin had moved to another part of the province.

The story gives the opportunity for the author to explain a lot about the fruit growing in that part of Canada.

The other geography readers, also published in 1951, are set in New Zealand, Kenya and Australia.

Answer: Carola

"Carola Storms the Chalet School" was first published in 1951, and is book number twenty-three in the series. Carola Johnstone had made her home with her Cousin Maud since her parents were based in West Africa, where her father worked as a doctor, in a climate deemed unsuitable for his daughter. Carola's cousin was addicted to travel and had taken her niece, accompanied by a governess, on many cruises. Now aged fourteen, Carola was tired of the nomadic lifestyle and wanted to go to school. Having met one of the old girls, who was about to go back as the History mistress, Carola decided that she would go to the Chalet School.

She managed to escape as she and her cousin were about to embark on a trip to Jamaica, and made her way to the Chalet School.

Answer: Nan

"Kennelmaid Nan" was published in 1954, and was Elinor's contribution to the many career novels being published at that time. Annabel Peters, usually known as Nan, had always wanted to be a vet, and was widely regarded as having a 'way with animals'. Nan had always worked well at school, but was apparently unable to cope with taking exams; no matter how much she had revised and practised beforehand, she seemed incapable of passing her School Certificate.

Her aunt suggested that she should get a job as a kennelmaid, since that would not require exams, and she would be able to work with the animals that she loved.

The story tells how she learned to look after the many cocker spaniels at the kennels, and settled in to what would become her new life.

Answer: Nesta

"Nesta Steps Out" was first published in 1954. It was the first of three 'evangelical books' written by Elinor. The other two were published in the following two years; It was a time when there was a market for such books to be awarded as Sunday School prizes.

The book is quite short, and tells of Nesta Davies' efforts to learn to control her temper. She was helped by realising the need after a Sunday sermon, and praying for help. She also had the unwavering support of her best friend, Sally.

Answer: Jean

"Jean of Storms" is Elinor's only story written for adults. It was originally serialised in the "Shields Daily Gazette", a local paper covering the area known as South Tyneside, in 1930. It did not appear as a book until 1996, twenty-seven years after the author's death.

It tells the story of Jean McCleod who lived with her aunt in a big house, Storms, on the Northumberland coast. They received news that Jean's widowed sister-in-law had died in India, and her daughters would be sent back to England. Jean's niece, Allison, would come to Storms, and Allison's step-sister would go to relatives in Hampshire. Jean and her friend, Mollie, were both very keen folk dancers, and friends with a young curate and the new doctor.

As might be expected from a serialised story, there are many twists, turns, and misunderstandings before all is resolved, and everyone settles down happily.