Australian Children's Literature Quiz

Answer: a rotary fruit peeler

This is a very funny scene. The old man, looking very scared at the prospect of the peeler, is saved by the intervention of the schoolgirl cat-burglar, Leonie.

Answer: Violet-Anne

"The Web" was short-listed in the Book of the Year Younger Readers category in 1992. It is a touching story of Jenny's relationship with her great-grandmother. A spider plays a pivotal role!

Answer: "Drac and the Gremlin" and "The Eleventh Hour"

It is unusual for two books to be named joint winners, but it has happened a few times. The voting system is rigid, with 8 judges (one from each state or territory) casting preferential votes and a points system used to determine the outcome. "My Place in Space" was the runner-up (or Honour Book) for that year. "The Very Best of Friends" was the winner the following year, while the remaining 2 books were shortlisted for 1989.

Answer: Magabala Books

Magabala Books was established in Broome, Western Australia in 1987. The name "Magabala" means "bush banana", a plant which disperses its seeds so that they travel long distances. They have published a number of award-winning books.

Answer: 1897

Despite the modernity of the title, "Teens", subtitled "A story of Australian Schoolgirls", was actually published in 1897. Its sequel, "Girls Together", appeared the following year. However, the third book about Lennie and her friends, "Teens Triumphant", was not published for another 36 years (1933).

Answer: Dee Huxley

Ann James, Gregory Rogers and Craig Smith are all award-winning illustrators of Australian children's books. Margaret Wild has teamed with most of them, but "Remember Me", a touching depiction of a young girl and her grandmother with a failing memory, was illustrated with Dee Huxley's soft watercolours.

Answer: fairy bread

Fairy bread is actually an Australian party food. It consists of white bread, buttered and sprinkled with the small, coloured sweets known as either nonpareils or, as Aussies call them, hundreds and thousands. Bob, a burly builder, is quite embarrassed when he opens his lunchbox and finds this delicate treat!

Answer: Patrick and Eugene

Grandma gave two bears to her grandsons. The scruffy bear (Boris) belongs to the best-behaved child in the world, the studious Eugene, and the neat and polite Borsch is saddled with his cousin Patrick, the worst-behaved. Neither bears nor owners are happy with this situation, but of course a swap is effected to the delight of all parties including the unsuspecting Grandma, who is pleased that her boys seem to be spending more time with their bears.

Answer: Nutcote

Wallaringa Avenue is the location of the house. Gumnut Babies were the characters who peopled her work, and the Bad Banksia Men were the villains of her books. Her characters are based on Australian native flora and fauna.

Answer: Scottish terrier

May kept Scotties all her life and had around 22 of them over the years. Her home, Nutcote, has an open day during January to celebrate May's birthday. People who are accompanied by Scotties get in free, and the dogs are allowed to roam off-lead, as they would have done in May's time.