DO YOU know the name of the mountain in The Hobbit and the nickname for Harry Potter’s Forbidden Forest?
This quiz with nostalgic vibes aims to evaluate your familiarity with children’s books, especially those highlighting outdoor settings. From The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe to Treasure Island, this quiz covers a range of titles.
Can you recall the city the Hispaniola sets off from in Treasure Island, or what The Gruffalo has at the end of his nose?
The inspiration for this quiz stemmed from a study involving 1,000 children between the ages of 6 and 16, as well as their parents. According to the research findings, the children’s books most likely to spark an interest in outdoor exploration include Winnie-the-Pooh, We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, and Treasure Island.
And two thirds of children (66 per cent) said reading an adventure book makes them want to be more adventurous.
Nearly half of parents (47 per cent) polled encourage their youngsters to read books which will motivate them to explore the outdoors.
Intriguingly, half of the participants indicated that they had visited a real location because they read about it in a book. Examples include the Forest of Dean from Harry Potter and Ashdown Forest, known for inspiring the adventures of Winnie-the-Pooh.
Favourite locations for children to read about were beaches (40 per cent), islands (37 per cent) and the woods (36 per cent).
Michelle Evans, spokesperson for PGL, said: “It’s wonderful to see how adventure books inspire children to step outside and embrace new challenges.
“Books open young minds to new experiences, encouraging them to push boundaries and creating a desire to try things they might not have considered before.
“This inspires children to take on new adventures, strengthening their confidence and self-assurance along the way.”
The study also found adventure (52 per cent), fantasy (39 per cent) and mystery (38 per cent) were the most popular genres of books for children.
And 64 per cent of children usually read or listen to someone reading to them at bedtime, while 40 per cent enjoy opening a book at school.
More than a third (36 per cent) like to read to themselves, compared to 21 per cent who prefer their parents to read aloud to them, while two thirds (41 per cent) enjoy reading and being read to equally.
While 63 per cent of parents polled like to read both old school classics and modern books to their children.
And 60 per cent have passed down their favourite books to their children, with Winnie-the-Pooh, Treasure Island and The Jungle Book being the most popular.
Top 30 adventure books that inspire kids to go outdoors
1. Winnie-the-Pooh – A.A. Milne
2. We’re Going on a Bear Hunt – Michael Rosen
3. Treasure Island – Robert Louis Stevenson
4. The Gruffalo – Julia Donaldson
5. The Secret Garden – Frances Hodgson Burnett
6. The Famous Five – Enid Blyton
7. Look What I Found in the Woods – Moira Butterfield and Jesús Verona
8. The Adventures of Robin Hood – Roger Lancelyn Green
9. The Jungle Book – Rudyard Kipling
10. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe – C.S. Lewis
11. Frankie’s Magic Football Series – Frank Lampard
12. Where the Wild Things Are – Maurice Sendak
13. The Explorer – Katherine Rundell
14. Running Wild – Michael Morpurgo
15. The Last Bear – Hannah Gold
16. Fantastic Mr Fox – Roald Dhal
17. Peter Pan – J.M Barrie
18. Harley Hitch and the Iron Forest – Vashti Hardy (Author) and George Ermos (Illustrator)
19. Wild Child: A Journey Through Nature – Dara McAnulty
20. The Ice Monster – David Walliams
21. The Railway Children – Edith Nesbit
22. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – JK Rowling
23. The Faraway Tree – Enid Blyton
24. Swallows and Amazons – Arthur Ransome
25. The Hobbit – J.R.R Tolkien
26. Wind in the Willows – Kenneth Grahame
27. The Sky Beneath the Stone – Alex Mullarky
28. Gulliver’s Travels – Jonathan Swift
29. The Boy Who Met a Whale – Nizrana Farook
30. Sabotage on the Solar Express – M.G. Leonard (Author), Sam Sedgman (Author) and Elisa Paganelli (Illustrator)
More than half (53 per cent) said they have kept certain books to pass down because they have happy memories of reading the book themselves.
While 47 per cent want to show their child what they enjoyed reading at their age.
And of the parents who took part in the study by OnePoll.com, 63 per cent believe books are a great way to inspire children and 47 per cent encourage their children to read books which will motivate them to explore the outdoors.
Helen Dodd, Professor of Child Psychology at Exeter Medical School, added: “Reading plays a crucial role in fostering curiosity and creativity. Books introduce children to new ideas and concepts, expanding their world beyond what they already know.
“This not only sparks their imagination but also encourages them to approach the world with a sense of wonder and exploration.
“Providing children with opportunities for adventure, where they can step outside of their comfort zones, helps them learn to recognise and cope with feelings associated with anxiety, such as the sensation of “butterflies” in the stomach.
“If children can experiment with different ways of coping with these feelings in a safe, fun environment, they can build resilience over time. It also strengthens relationships when done with others, fostering a sense of connection and shared experience.”
