Literary Pranks

Can you guess the books?

Happy Trivia Tuesday!

Tomorrow is April Fool’s Day, so these questions ask us to think back on some of the great pranks of children’s literature. Maybe they’ll inspire you for tomorrow, or perhaps they’ll merely provoke a smile.

None of the pranks below is specifically an April Fool’s Day joke, but they’re silly and quirky and, like all true pranks, they’re done (mostly) for the fun of it. Some turn out to be rather mean and become learning opportunities for our young heroes and heroines. Others are just side-slapping funny and earn the doer praise and cheers from onlookers and participants.

All of the books today are chapter books.

Also, be sure to watch your email for a special edition of The Hundred Acre Bookshelf tomorrow.

“The Children of Nathan Starr” by Ambrose Andrews. They’ve got sufficiently serious poker faces to cover up any number of pranks.

Literary Pranks

Easy: When a ladylike cousin from Boston arrives to visit the frontier, this titular character and her brothers slip an egg down her back and send her out to the sheep, who eat the precious eighty-and-eight buttons off her dress. Answer here.

Medium: This large family tends to gang up on would-be sweethearts of the older sisters, and when Ernestine brings home a young man for a few days’ visit, her younger brothers go all in. They use up the hot water, leave the bathroom window open in winter, and take a screwdriver to the doorknob to prevent it from locking. When Al is freezing in the tub, they take turns walking in on him, sometimes dressed in girls’ attire. It turns out Al does not love Ernestine enough to outlast these pranks. Answer here.

Hard: By sneaking one unshorn sheep up to the barn loft, a young boy manages to get all the fleeces upstairs before the men finish shearing, thereby winning a race. Answer.

Bonus: When her child is kidnapped, this mother pranks the would-be-kidnapper, treating him as her lost son and subjecting him to a bath, medicine, and an early bedtime. Answer here.

Scoring

If you got one question correct: You are Piglet, a loyal friend who appreciates good stories and recognizes quality work when he sees it, but whose exposure to literature is somewhat limited. Keep reading more books!

If you got two questions correct: You are Rabbit, an efficient fellow who knows more than most but needn’t be bothered with mastering all that pertains to book learning.

If you got three or four questions correct: Congratulations! You are Owl. Your knowledge is deep and ponderous and impressive. Feel free to celebrate by restacking this post (but don’t spoil any of the answers for others).

And yes, to clarify, in Winnie-the-Pooh, Rabbit can in fact read and write better than Owl, who cannot do either any better than my kindergartener. But I think it’s still clear that Owl has a deeper well of knowledge than does Rabbit; hence I’m giving Owl’s name to the higher score.

Sharing

If you enjoyed these trivia questions, would you share them a with a friend or restack here on Substack?

And do tell: What are some the funniest moments in children’s literature? Please share in the comments.