Name These Book Buddies

Books for young people often contain stories of remarkable friendships. See if you can identify these famous friends and the books in which they appear.

(Hint: Some books are for older readers, and some are for much younger ones.)

1. "Well," said Thelma, "from now on I will have to be careful when I play with you."

"Being careful is not as much fun as being friends," said Frances. "Do you want to be careful, or do you want to be friends?"

2. On the first day after they came home again they stood by the gate, looking out onto the street, and even then they didn't know that there actually was a playmate so near. Just as they were standing there considering what they should do ... the gate of Villa Villekulla opened and a little girl stepped out. She was the most remarkable girl Tommy and Annika had ever seen.

3. There was a bump. Frog fell off the sled. Toad rushed past trees and rocks. "Frog, I am glad that you are here," said Toad. Toad leaped over a snowbank. "I could not steer the sled without you, Frog," he said.

4. I was invited to sleep at Reggie's house. Was I happy! I had never slept at a friend's house before. But I had a problem. It began when my sister said: "Are you taking your teddy bear along?"

5. "This is all true," said Dorothy, "and I am glad I was of use to these good friends. But now that each of them has had what he most desired, and each is happy in having a kingdom to rule beside, I think I should like to go back to Kansas."

6. Attean held the watch even more carefully. There was no mistaking that he was pleased and impressed. Probably, Matt thought, Attean would never learn to use it. The sun and the shadows of the trees told him all he needed to know about the time of day. But Attean knew that Matt's gift was important.

"Fine gift," he said. He put the watch very gently into his pouch. Then he held out his hand. Awkwardly, the two boys shook hands. "Your father come home soon," Attean said.

"I hope you get the biggest moose in Maine," Matt answered.

Attean turned and walked into the woods.

Answers

1. Thelma and Frances in "A Bargain for Frances," by Russell Hoban (1970).

2. Pippi, Annika, and Tommy in "Pippi Longstocking," by Astrid Lindgren (1950).

3. Frog and Toad in "Frog and Toad All Year," by Arnold Lobel (1976).

4. Ira and Reggie in "Ira Sleeps Over," by Bernard Waber (1972).

5. Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, and the Lion in "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz," by L. Frank Baum (1900).

6. Attean and Matt in "The Sign of the Beaver," by Elizabeth George Speare (1983).