Speedy in Oz
 Cover ofSpeedy in Oz. | |
| Author | Ruth Plumly Thompson |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | John R. Neill |
| Language | English |
| Series | The Oz Books |
| Genre | Children's novel |
| Publisher | Reilly & Lee |
Publication date | 1934 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover) |
| Pages | 298 |
| Preceded by | Ojo in Oz |
| Followed by | The Wishing Horse of Oz |
Speedy in Oz(1934) is the twenty-eighth book in theOz seriescreated byL. Frank Baumand his successors, and the fourteenth written byRuth Plumly Thompson.[1]It was illustrated byJohn R. Neill.The novel was followed byThe Wishing Horse of Oz(1935).
This book features yet another island which floats in the sky: Umbrella Island, which flies by virtue of a huge umbrella with lifting and shielding powers. The king is not very good at steering the flying island; he bumps it into a giant's head. For compensation, Loxo, the great brute, demands the King's daughter Gureeda, whom he mistakes for a boy, as a servant to lace his huge boots. However, he grants the Umbrella Islanders three months to train the child to be a bootlacer.
Meanwhile, the boy Speedy (fromThe Yellow Knight of Oz) returns for another adventure. While inspecting adinosaurskeleton, Speedy is blown by a geyser into the air. The skeleton comes magically to life and becomes Terrybubble, a live dinosaur skeleton. Terrybubble and Speedy land on Umbrella Island. Speedy develops a friendship with Princess Gureeda. He also becomes friendly with the island's resident wizard, Waddy. An unscrupulous minister, however, notices that Speedy and Gureeda look very much alike and could pass forfraternal twins.[2]He hatches a plot to compensate the giant by handing Speedy over to him as a slave instead of Gureeda. Terrybubble learns of this plot, and he parachutes off the island with Speedy and Gureeda. All three are captured by Loxo, and it is up to the wizard Waddy to save them.
Aside from a brief consultation withPrincess Ozmaand her advisers at the conclusion, the book deals exclusively with characters of Thompson's creation.[3]
Reception
[edit]The Billings Gazettesaid that the book offers "rollicking fun and quaking amazement for the under 12s," lauding it as a "book of glorified nonsense".[4]The Boston Globecalled it an "entrancing story".[5]
Copyright status
[edit]Under current United States copyright laws,Speedy in Ozis scheduled to enter thepublic domainon January 1, 2030. All of Thompson's subsequent Oz books for Reilly had their copyrights expire prematurely, thus this will be the last copyright in the series to lapse.
References
[edit]- ^Simpson, Paul (2013).A Brief Guide to Oz.Constable & Robinson Ltd. p. 55.ISBN978-1-47210-988-0.Retrieved10 February2024.
- ^Jack Snow,Who's Who in Oz,Chicago, Reilly & Lee, 1954; New York, Peter Bedrick Books, 1988; pp. 87, 200, 210.
- ^Hearn, Michael Patrick (1983). "Ruth Plumly Thompson". In Cech, John (ed.).Dictionary of Literary Biography, vol 22: American Writers for Children, 1900-1960.Gale Research Company. p. 312.ISBN0-8103-1146-1.Retrieved20 May2024.
- ^"Looking Bookward".Billings Gazette.May 20, 1934. p. 18.Retrieved23 February2024.
- ^"Latest Books".Boston Globe.June 23, 1934. p. 15.Retrieved23 February2024.
External links
[edit]- OnSpeedy in Oz
- Speedy in Oztitle listing at theInternet Speculative Fiction Database
| TheOzbooks | ||
|---|---|---|
| Previous book: Ojo in Oz |
Speedy in Oz 1934 |
Next book: The Wishing Horse of Oz |
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