FREE! Click here to Join FunTrivia. Thousands of games, quizzes, and lots more!

Life and Times of J.K. Rowling Quiz

This brief quiz is about the life of the author of the 'Harry Potter' series, J.K. Rowling. Good luck!

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

Author
NalaMarie

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
61,106

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
5 / 10

Plays
4983

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. What does the J.K. stand for in her pen name? Hint

Jennifer Kate

Julie Karen

Joanna Katrina

Joanne Kathleen

NEXT>

Question 2 of 10

2. What are her parents' names? Hint

Peter and Anne

Philip and Adrienne

Paul and Annette

Parker and Antoinette

NEXT>

Question 3 of 10

3. Where was she when she thought up the idea of the fictional character, Harry Potter? Hint

In her kitchen

On a plane

In her car

On a train

NEXT>

Question 4 of 10

4. When is her birthdate? Hint

May 31, 1965

October 31, 1965

January 31, 1965

July 31, 1965

NEXT>

Question 5 of 10

5. Which of the following statements is not true about her? Hint

She was a French teacher

She writes her books in shorthand

She was an English teacher

She writes her books in longhand

NEXT>

Question 6 of 10

6. On what date did she marry Jorge Arantes? Hint

October 16

December 16

March 16

February 16

NEXT>

Question 7 of 10

7. Who does she now consider her favorite author to be? Hint

Stephen King

Jane Austen

Louisa May Alcott

Agatha Christie

NEXT>

Question 8 of 10

8. Which of these awards did her first book, "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" win? Hint

Guardian Fiction Award

None of these

Carnegie Medal

Gold Medal for ages 9-11

NEXT>

Question 9 of 10

9. How much money did Arthur Levine pay for the American rights to the book, "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone"? Hint

$150,000

$115,000

$125,000

$105,000

NEXT>

Question 10 of 10

10. How many siblings does she have? Hint

1 - a brother

1 - a sister

2 - a sister and a brother

2 - brothers

(Optional) Create a Free FunTrivia ID to save the points you are about to earn:

Select a User ID:

Choose a Password:

Your Email:

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. What does the J.K. stand for in her pen name?

Answer: Joanne Kathleen

Joanne Kathleen Rowling was born in Chipping Sodbury, near Bristol (England). Kathleen isn't her real middle name however. When her first book was published, the publishers felt that little boys wouldn't like a book by a female author, so she used the initials, J.K., (J for her first name and the K for the name Kathleen which is her grandmother's name).

2. What are her parents' names?

Answer: Peter and Anne

Her father Peter was an engineer for Rolls-Royce.

3. Where was she when she thought up the idea of the fictional character, Harry Potter?

Answer: On a train

She was on a delayed train for four hours when she thought of Harry Potter. (The last name Potter was her friend's last name back in Winterbourne.)

4. When is her birthdate?

Answer: July 31, 1965

5. Which of the following statements is not true about her?

Answer: She writes her books in shorthand

She taught French in Edinburgh while waiting for her first book to be published and moved to Portugal to teach English as a second language.

6. On what date did she marry Jorge Arantes?

Answer: October 16

They were married for about a year and conceived one child together, a daughter, Jessica.

7. Who does she now consider her favorite author to be?

Answer: Jane Austen

Although these are all great authors, her favorite is Jane Austen. She loved Noel Streatfield, Paul Gallico and C.S. Lewis' 'Narnia' books as a young girl.

8. Which of these awards did her first book, "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" win?

Answer: Gold Medal for ages 9-11

It was also named the British Book Awards Children's Book of the Year, won the FCBG Children's Book Award, the Birmingham Cable Children's Book Award, the Young Telegraph Paperback of the Year and the Sheffield Children's Book Award and was shortlisted for the Guardian Fiction Award and Carnegie Medal for which it got a 'Commended' citation.

9. How much money did Arthur Levine pay for the American rights to the book, "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone"?

Answer: $105,000

Arthur is the editorial director for Scholastic Books and they say that this amount was an unprecedented figure for a first-time children's author. It was also retitled, (in the American edition), as Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone".

10. How many siblings does she have?

Answer: 1 - a sister

Her only sibling is her younger sister, Di.

Source: Author NalaMarie

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor DakotaNorth before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.