Take this author quiz on International Children's Book Day 

Every year, the International Board on Books for Young People, an international non-profit organisation sponsors the International Children's Book Day on April 02. This tradition was established in 1967, and is celebrated on the birthday of Hans Christian Andersen, a prolific Danish author who is best known for his literary fairy tales. Take this author quiz to test your knowledge about some of the world’s most popular and well-loved children’s authors and their books. 

Q1. Which popular children’s book author was also well-known for his impressive artistic abilities? 

1. Ludwig Bemelmans 

2. Roald Dahl 

3. Esphyr Slobodkina 

4. Clement Hurd 

Q2. Which of the following was the title of Dr. Seuss’ first published book? 

1. And to think I saw it on Mulberry Street 

2. The Cat in the Hat 

3. Horton Hears a Who 

4. The Grinch who Stole Christmas 

Q3. Which British author served as a fighter pilot in World War II? 

1. Rudyard Kipling 

2. Roald Dahl 

3. C.S Lewis 

4. Percy F. Westerman 

Q4. Which one of the following is the most translated author in the world? 

1. Enid Blyton 

2. J.K Rowling 

3. Jules Verne 

4. Agatha Christie 

Q5. Which author has produced the highest-selling children’s book of all time? 

1. Lewis Carol, ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’ (1865) 

2. Antoine de Saint- Exupry, ‘The Little Prince’ (1943) 

3. J.K Rowling, ‘Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone’ (1997) 

4. C.S. Lewis ‘The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe’ (1950) 

ANSWERS 

1. (c) 

Esphyr Slobodkina was a Russian author who was born in the year 1908. She moved to the United States in 1928, where she began her career as a children’s books author. She is best known around the world for her classic children’s picture book titled ‘Caps for Sale.’ Her talents were not only reserved to writing, she was also a prolific avant garde artist and illustrator. She excelled in the abstract form of art, and worked with oil paints and other materials to create unique collages and constructions. 

2. (a) 

One of the most popular American children’s author, Theodor Seuss Geisel (who goes by the pen name ‘Dr. Seuss’) published his first children’s book ‘And to think I saw it on Mulberry Street’ on December 21, 1937. It is a powerful story about grief, wherein the protagonist Marco learns how to recover from emotional trauma and realises that such experiences do not define his identity. 

3. (b) 

Roald Dahl was a British author, short-story writer, poet and screenwriter who was known for his books like ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’, ‘Matilda’, ‘The BFG’, etc. However, not many know that he was also a fighter pilot in World War II. 23-year-old Roald travelled to Nairobi in 1939 to enlist in the RAF flying Tiger Moths. 

4. (d) 

British mystery author Agatha Christie holds the record for being the most translated author in history. UNESCO’s Index Translationum has catalogued as many as 7,236 translations of her works till date.  

5. (b) 

‘The Little Prince’ (Le Petit Prince) by Antoine de Saint- Exupry holds the record as the highest-selling children’s books of all time. It is estimated to have sold as many as 140 million copies all over the world, and is also one of the most translated books of all time.