Yeah, the Ramona scene doesn't exist (by coincidence, I've also read four of the eight Ramona books in the past couple days). The letter I mentioned was in Superfudge. GPT-4 spots the errors, but refuses to give me the original test.

If I give GPT-3.5 the modernized letter and ask for the original, it gives me a believably correction (but I can't verify). If I don't prompt with the modernized letter's text, it returns a fully fabricated letter.

With GPT-4:

Prompt:
> "A couple years ago, I read Superfudge, by Judy Blume. In it, the protagonist writes a letter to Santa: "Please bring me one or more of the following items. A clock-radio, a remote-controlled model airplane, a laptop computer, an MP3 player and six CD's..
>
> List all of the unusual or inconsistent things about the previous sentence.

GPT-4:

> Here are some potential inconsistencies or unusual things about the sentence:
>
> Outdated technology: The inclusion of items such as an MP3 player and CDs seems somewhat outdated. By 2023, these technologies are largely obsolete, replaced by streaming music services and digital downloads.
>
> Variation in cost/value of items: The items listed in the letter have a wide range of costs and values. A clock-radio or a remote-controlled model airplane are typically much less expensive than a laptop computer, which might seem unusual for a child's wish list to Santa.
>
> Superfudge setting: The book "Superfudge" by Judy Blume was first published in 1980. The technology items listed (a laptop computer, an MP3 player, and CDs) did not exist or were not commonly available at the time of the book's setting. This presents a significant anachronism if the request is supposed to be coming from the book's original time period.
>
> The phrase "one or more": Usually, children write to Santa asking for specific items they desire most, rather than providing a list and suggesting Santa could bring "one or more" of the items. This phrase might be seen as unusual for a child's letter to Santa, which typically would not include such an open-ended option.
>
> The specificity of "six CDs": The child doesn't specify which CDs they want, which is unusual because the type of music or artist would be an important detail for such a request.
>
> Remember, this analysis is based on the context you provided. If there's a different context or specific aspect you want me to consider, please let me know!

(I'm amused that it starts with "that technology is too old" and then switched to "also that technology is too new". Also, the first thing Superfudge asks upon hearing his brother's letter is "How will Santa know which six CD's?" so good job, GPT-4. Smart as a four-year-old.)

Me:

> Good catch about the 1980s publication date! The book must have been edited for re-release as an ebook. What was the original text of the letter in the 1980s edition?

GPT-4:

> I'm sorry for the confusion, but as an AI developed by OpenAI, I don't have the capability to access specific books, their revisions, or editions. As of my last update in September 2021, I don't have the specific text of the letter from the 1980s edition of "Superfudge" by Judy Blume.
>
> However, given the time frame of the original publication, the technology items such as a laptop computer, an MP3 player, and CDs certainly would not have been part of the original list as these items weren't widely available or didn't exist in the 1980s.
>
> For the accurate original text, I recommend finding a copy of the original edition of the book.

---

With GPT-3.5:

Me:

> A couple years ago, I read Superfudge, by Judy Blume. In it, the protagonist writes a letter to Santa: "Please bring me one or more of the following items. A clock-radio, a remote-controlled model airplane, a laptop computer, an MP3 player and six CD's.."
>
> However, the book was originally published in 1980, so this must be an edited version for a later re-publication. Can you tell me the original 1980s version of the letter?

GPT-3.5:

> In the original 1980 version of "Superfudge" by Judy Blume, the protagonist's letter to Santa reads as follows:
>
> "Dear Santa,
>
> Please bring me one or more of the following items: a clock-radio, a remote-controlled car, a Walkman, and six cassette tapes.
>
> Love,
> [Protagonist's Name]"
>
> The updated version you mentioned seems to have incorporated more modern technology, such as a laptop computer and an MP3 player, to reflect the changes in technology over time.

I then asked a new GPT-3 chat "What is the text of the letter to Santa in the original 1980 version of "Superfudge" by Judy Blume?" and it game me something definitely fully fabricated. (Initially it gave me a fabricated letter by Fudge, but after I specified that I wanted Peter's letter, it was still a fabrication.)