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Oz Continued #16
Kabumpo in Oz
During Prince Pompadore of Pumperdink's eighteenth birthday celebration, his birthday cake explodes, revealing a magic scroll, a magic mirror, and a doorknob. The scroll warns the prince that if the he doesn't wed a "proper princess" within seven days, his entire kingdom will disappear. The prince, along with the kingdom's wise elephant Kabumpo, set off on an adventure to the Emerald City so Pompa can marry Princess Ozma, the only "proper princess" the Elegant Elephant can think of as worthy of his prince.
297 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1922
14 people are currently reading
645 people want to read
About the author
Ruth Plumly Thompson
108 books51 followersAn avid reader of Baum's books and a lifelong children's writer, Thompson was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and began her writing career in 1914 when she took a job with the Philadelphia Public Ledger; she wrote a weekly children's column for the newspaper. She had already published her first children's book, The Perhappsy Chaps, and her second, The Princess of Cozytown, was pending publication when William Lee, vice president of Baum's publisher Reilly & Lee, solicited Thompson to continue the Oz series. (Rumors among fans that Thompson was Baum's niece were untrue.) Between 1921 and 1939, she wrote one Oz book a year. (Thompson was the primary supporter of her widowed mother and invalid sister, so that the annual income from the Oz books was important for her financial circumstances.)
Thompson's contributions to the Oz series are lively and imaginative, featuring a wide range of colorful and unusual characters. However, one particular theme repeats over and over throughout her novels, with little variation. Typically in each of Thompson's Oz novels, a child (usually from America) and a supernatural companion (usually a talking animal), while traveling through Oz or one of the neighboring regions, find themselves in an obscure community where the inhabitants engage in a single activity. The inhabitants of this community then capture the travelers, and force them to participate in this same activity.
Another major theme has elderly characters, most controversially, the Good Witch of the North, being restored to "marriageable" age, possibly because Thompson herself never married. She had a greater tendency toward the use of romantic love stories (which Baum usually avoided in his fairy tales, with about 4 exceptions). While Baum's child protagonists tended to be little girls, Thompson's were boys. She emphasized humor to a greater extent than Baum did, and always considered her work for children, whereas Baum, while first and foremost considering his child audience, knew that his readership comprised all ages.
Thompson's last Oz story, The Enchanted Island of Oz(1976), was not originally written as an Oz book.
Thompson's contributions to the Oz series are lively and imaginative, featuring a wide range of colorful and unusual characters. However, one particular theme repeats over and over throughout her novels, with little variation. Typically in each of Thompson's Oz novels, a child (usually from America) and a supernatural companion (usually a talking animal), while traveling through Oz or one of the neighboring regions, find themselves in an obscure community where the inhabitants engage in a single activity. The inhabitants of this community then capture the travelers, and force them to participate in this same activity.
Another major theme has elderly characters, most controversially, the Good Witch of the North, being restored to "marriageable" age, possibly because Thompson herself never married. She had a greater tendency toward the use of romantic love stories (which Baum usually avoided in his fairy tales, with about 4 exceptions). While Baum's child protagonists tended to be little girls, Thompson's were boys. She emphasized humor to a greater extent than Baum did, and always considered her work for children, whereas Baum, while first and foremost considering his child audience, knew that his readership comprised all ages.
Thompson's last Oz story, The Enchanted Island of Oz(1976), was not originally written as an Oz book.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
April 15, 2018
This is the book that halted my sharing the Oz series with my children.
While this book was by far superior to "The Royal Book of Oz", it was not as able to keep my kids' attention captivated enough. I finally decided to just finish it myself, so that I could be returned to the bookshelf.
Thompson certainly is coming into her own as Oz's Royal Historian, but to me her style is nowhere near as charming and fun as Baum's. Don't get me wrong, she has great ideas of how to craft a fairy tale, but the problem is that the world L. Frank Baum built was not the typical fairy tale world. Baum had fun and whimsy with many of his creations, but Thompson seems to rely more on how she can explore (exploit?) the puns or word play. Baum certainly did the same, but it never felt as crammed full or over the top.
I did really enjoy Prince Pompa, Peg Amy, and Wag, but I have never been a big fan of Kabumpo. I will say though, that time has made me dislike him less than I recall. Having Ruggedo back was fun and I do think that Thompson used him well. The big reveal of the true villain was a bit underwhelming and everything was concluded with a textbook deus ex machina. The plots were good and I really wish that more time was spent on that versus finding more and more relatively pointless groups of Oz inhabitants that were usually there and gone within one chapter or less.
All and all, not the best Oz book, but Thompson's sophomore outing still had a lot of positives and a fair amount of fairy tale charm.
While this book was by far superior to "The Royal Book of Oz", it was not as able to keep my kids' attention captivated enough. I finally decided to just finish it myself, so that I could be returned to the bookshelf.
Thompson certainly is coming into her own as Oz's Royal Historian, but to me her style is nowhere near as charming and fun as Baum's. Don't get me wrong, she has great ideas of how to craft a fairy tale, but the problem is that the world L. Frank Baum built was not the typical fairy tale world. Baum had fun and whimsy with many of his creations, but Thompson seems to rely more on how she can explore (exploit?) the puns or word play. Baum certainly did the same, but it never felt as crammed full or over the top.
I did really enjoy Prince Pompa, Peg Amy, and Wag, but I have never been a big fan of Kabumpo. I will say though, that time has made me dislike him less than I recall. Having Ruggedo back was fun and I do think that Thompson used him well. The big reveal of the true villain was a bit underwhelming and everything was concluded with a textbook deus ex machina. The plots were good and I really wish that more time was spent on that versus finding more and more relatively pointless groups of Oz inhabitants that were usually there and gone within one chapter or less.
All and all, not the best Oz book, but Thompson's sophomore outing still had a lot of positives and a fair amount of fairy tale charm.
Want to read
June 30, 2016When the Scarecrow returns to the corn field where Dorothy first found him, he discovers that his old bean pole is magical. Sent tumbling far below the surface of Oz down to the Silver Islands, the Scarecrow discovers that he is supposedly the re-created Emperor Chang Wang Woe of this distant kingdom. But is the Scarecrow ready to give up his life in Oz?
I swear I've read this story with a different title.
I swear I've read this story with a different title.
September 22, 2024
In the second Oz book written by Ruth Plumly and the 16th in the series, we meet again a strange group of characters who embark on a journey of many adventures. At the same time, the classic Ruggedo reappears with a bizarre plot.
Highlights in this book include the Elegant Elephant and Peg Amy.
Not quite up to the best books, but still an entertaining read with some amusing and imaginative characters and situations.
Highlights in this book include the Elegant Elephant and Peg Amy.
Not quite up to the best books, but still an entertaining read with some amusing and imaginative characters and situations.
March 14, 2010
Kabumpo of Oz is a big improvement over The Royal Book of Oz, Thompson's first. There are a few mistakes (the constant misspellings of "Gillikin" as "Gilliken" and "Nome" as "gnome", for instance), but Thompson does a nice job using Ruggedo the Nome King as the villain and introducing several other excellent characters: Kabumpo the Elegant Elephant, Peg Amy the wooden doll, and Wag the rabbit, whose constant spoonerisms are very amusing.
June 20, 2018
I didn’t enjoy this as much as the other Oz books. It started slow and I wasn’t fond of the initial main characters or the core plot.
March 14, 2018
Okay, Thompson redeemed herself with this book. No more racism or weird, unfinished plot lines - this is a solid entry into the Oz canon. It does not 'feel' as if it were written by Baum, which is the only downfall of the novel.
Thompson has created several memorable characters and 'areas' of Oz that we've never seen before - and although some are relatively stupid and too short - they're perfectly suited for inclusion into the most magical place on earth. Illumi-Nation with it's candlewick people was cute - but we only got one chapter there. The Runaway Country was great - sour, cantankerous, unhappy and leaving to become an island ... I liked him. Ruggedo, the NOME King is back (Thompson changed it to "gnome" and that's a huge no-no for me...but whatever), and once again, is properly dismissed. (I don't know why they can't just transform him into an object and let him disappear but all great stories need a great villain, so...).
Of the characters that we will (most likely) see again; Peg Amy, the wooden doll - was kind of annoying to me. Her constant "clues" basically gives away the ending ... not to mention that a GIANT spoiler is right there in the cover art. Kabumpo was positively flawless. I cannot wait to see him again - there are too many reasons to love him and you'll have to read the story to see what I mean but, I'm pretty sure, Kabumpo qualifies as the first gay character in Oz. He's over the top, he's effeminate, he's hilarious and he really loves pearls. Prince Pompadore of Pumperdink wasn't that amazing - but his dynamic is what propels the plot along, so I excused him for boring the sh*t out of me for 200 pages. Wag the giant bunny ... I don't know ... I saw very little point to him but I have a feeling Thompson is doing her best to invent new friends for us to return to in future volumes.
A lot happens in this book - but I'm not going to type it all out. It's a good, solid, believable entry into the canon and that's what I was looking for when I decided to try out Thompson's Oz.
#NailedIt
Now ... onto book 17 - The Cowardly Lion of Oz.
...this better be good...
Thompson has created several memorable characters and 'areas' of Oz that we've never seen before - and although some are relatively stupid and too short - they're perfectly suited for inclusion into the most magical place on earth. Illumi-Nation with it's candlewick people was cute - but we only got one chapter there. The Runaway Country was great - sour, cantankerous, unhappy and leaving to become an island ... I liked him. Ruggedo, the NOME King is back (Thompson changed it to "gnome" and that's a huge no-no for me...but whatever), and once again, is properly dismissed. (I don't know why they can't just transform him into an object and let him disappear but all great stories need a great villain, so...).
Of the characters that we will (most likely) see again; Peg Amy, the wooden doll - was kind of annoying to me. Her constant "clues" basically gives away the ending ... not to mention that a GIANT spoiler is right there in the cover art. Kabumpo was positively flawless. I cannot wait to see him again - there are too many reasons to love him and you'll have to read the story to see what I mean but, I'm pretty sure, Kabumpo qualifies as the first gay character in Oz. He's over the top, he's effeminate, he's hilarious and he really loves pearls. Prince Pompadore of Pumperdink wasn't that amazing - but his dynamic is what propels the plot along, so I excused him for boring the sh*t out of me for 200 pages. Wag the giant bunny ... I don't know ... I saw very little point to him but I have a feeling Thompson is doing her best to invent new friends for us to return to in future volumes.
A lot happens in this book - but I'm not going to type it all out. It's a good, solid, believable entry into the canon and that's what I was looking for when I decided to try out Thompson's Oz.
#NailedIt
Now ... onto book 17 - The Cowardly Lion of Oz.
...this better be good...
February 28, 2020
Miss Thompson did an amazing thing in the Royal Book of Oz. She took a known and beloved world and character list and transposed it into something new and strange and interesting. In this book she looses that momentum, by sliding back into old tropes. In Fact she only has one new and exciting portion in this book, that that is in the land of Illume, with the candle people. Thompson's strength is in the surreal, and unfortunately in this book she relied far too heavily on the old OZ feel. That could have come from publisher pressure, reader pressure, or just the fact that the Royal Book of OZ was a one off and this is how she plans on proceeding. I really hope it's one of the two previous reasons.
This book introduces a bevy of new characters and a new land, not previously in any of the OZ books. We are also introduced to a new anthropomorphized character in the Elegant Elephant, Kabumpo. Kabumpo himself is a fun character and the quest that he and Pompa go on is interesting, but Thompson uses the same basic outline to the quest as so many of the previous OZ books had. It's a fun quest, where the characters have a lot of confidence, then it becomes overwhelming, then Glinda and Ozma get involved and resolve it for the main characters. Thompson tries to infuse this standard plot with newness by word play (for example the land of candles is Illume Nation), but she uses SO much of it, that it just becomes obnoxious. I'm going to keep on with the series, because I always believe there will be one offs (maybe multiple of them), but I really hope that she goes back to what she did in The Royal Book.
This book introduces a bevy of new characters and a new land, not previously in any of the OZ books. We are also introduced to a new anthropomorphized character in the Elegant Elephant, Kabumpo. Kabumpo himself is a fun character and the quest that he and Pompa go on is interesting, but Thompson uses the same basic outline to the quest as so many of the previous OZ books had. It's a fun quest, where the characters have a lot of confidence, then it becomes overwhelming, then Glinda and Ozma get involved and resolve it for the main characters. Thompson tries to infuse this standard plot with newness by word play (for example the land of candles is Illume Nation), but she uses SO much of it, that it just becomes obnoxious. I'm going to keep on with the series, because I always believe there will be one offs (maybe multiple of them), but I really hope that she goes back to what she did in The Royal Book.
August 13, 2020
I definitely found this more enjoyable than Royal Book of Oz.
The new characters like Kabumpo (the original sassy gay friend) and Wag and pre-transformation Peg Amy were all really delightful. I also loved the Cottabus, and wish he’d returned.
The story moved swiftly, had life not been hectic, I would have finished it much faster. My chief complaint is that we really had two A stories that got blended together. I actually wanted more of Ruggedo and the Emerald City caper, but because of the equally engaging Kabumpo/Pompa storyline, neither really got their due.
I was also surprised by the outright murder of Glegg, everyone talks about Mombi’s fate in Lost King...but they literally explode him with magical tea! And then Scraps has a cute verse about it and The End! So far that puts the weird death count in Thompson to 3 (The pet dragon in Royal, Glegg and Mombi) to Baum’s 3 (East Witch, West Witch, and Vegetable Person in DotWiz)
Overall, I enjoyed it...but I do fear that from what I’ve heard, that Thompson is going to be a hard yellow brick road to travel.
The new characters like Kabumpo (the original sassy gay friend) and Wag and pre-transformation Peg Amy were all really delightful. I also loved the Cottabus, and wish he’d returned.
The story moved swiftly, had life not been hectic, I would have finished it much faster. My chief complaint is that we really had two A stories that got blended together. I actually wanted more of Ruggedo and the Emerald City caper, but because of the equally engaging Kabumpo/Pompa storyline, neither really got their due.
I was also surprised by the outright murder of Glegg, everyone talks about Mombi’s fate in Lost King...but they literally explode him with magical tea! And then Scraps has a cute verse about it and The End! So far that puts the weird death count in Thompson to 3 (The pet dragon in Royal, Glegg and Mombi) to Baum’s 3 (East Witch, West Witch, and Vegetable Person in DotWiz)
Overall, I enjoyed it...but I do fear that from what I’ve heard, that Thompson is going to be a hard yellow brick road to travel.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 10, 2022
So this is the first Oz book RPT wrote completely on her own. Is it any good?
I'll go so far as to say that it's better than some of Baum's, during his slump in the middle books.
Prince Pompadore of Pumpernick is having his 18th birthday celebration (not his only one; in Oz people don't age like they do here). His birthday cake mysteriously disappears, then reappears, then, when it is brought out to the royal table to be cut, it explodes -- leaving a huge mess and three magical objects: a scroll, a mirror, and a doorknob. The scroll informs all and sundry that, unless Pompa marries a proper fairy princess within seven days, the entire kingdom of Pumpernick will disappear. His royal father immediately thinks of a rather ugly old fairy princess living in the next forest over, but, during the night, Kabumpo the Elegant Elephant, one of the courtiers, spirits him away with the idea of his proposing to Ozma.
Meanwhile in the Emerald City, Ruggedo the former Gnome King (RPT has restored the G in Gnome) is up to new mischief. He is held in the City to keep him out of trouble, but (of course) it doesn't work. Like a proper gnome, he hates the sunlight, so -- with the help of his hireling Wag the rabbit -- he digs a tunnel and breaks through into a huge chamber under the Royal Palace of Oz, where he finds "Glegg's Box of Mixed Magic". After some difficulties opening it, he brings a wooden doll, Peg Amy, to life; grows Wag to full human size; stiffens his hair to spikes; and then grows himself to immense height, at which point the Palace is sitting on top of his head. He walks away from Oz, not knowing exactly what has happened. (He is mountainous in size, large enough to cross the Deadly Desert without touching it.)
Wag and Peg Amy decide to rescue Ozma and company, but how will they cross the Deadly Desert? Like Pompa and Kabumpo, they have various adventures, and eventually the two pairs meet up and off to the rescue they go.
As always: enough plot summary. The writing on the level of the sentences is, I think, a little better than Baum's, and if there are fewer and less clever puns, I can live with that in exchange for a fairly tightly plotted story, in which all comes out in the end. My question in starting these was, Is this a real Oz book, or a cheap imitation? And, you know, I think RPT made a worthy successor as Royal Historian of Oz.
I'll go so far as to say that it's better than some of Baum's, during his slump in the middle books.
Prince Pompadore of Pumpernick is having his 18th birthday celebration (not his only one; in Oz people don't age like they do here). His birthday cake mysteriously disappears, then reappears, then, when it is brought out to the royal table to be cut, it explodes -- leaving a huge mess and three magical objects: a scroll, a mirror, and a doorknob. The scroll informs all and sundry that, unless Pompa marries a proper fairy princess within seven days, the entire kingdom of Pumpernick will disappear. His royal father immediately thinks of a rather ugly old fairy princess living in the next forest over, but, during the night, Kabumpo the Elegant Elephant, one of the courtiers, spirits him away with the idea of his proposing to Ozma.
Meanwhile in the Emerald City, Ruggedo the former Gnome King (RPT has restored the G in Gnome) is up to new mischief. He is held in the City to keep him out of trouble, but (of course) it doesn't work. Like a proper gnome, he hates the sunlight, so -- with the help of his hireling Wag the rabbit -- he digs a tunnel and breaks through into a huge chamber under the Royal Palace of Oz, where he finds "Glegg's Box of Mixed Magic". After some difficulties opening it, he brings a wooden doll, Peg Amy, to life; grows Wag to full human size; stiffens his hair to spikes; and then grows himself to immense height, at which point the Palace is sitting on top of his head. He walks away from Oz, not knowing exactly what has happened. (He is mountainous in size, large enough to cross the Deadly Desert without touching it.)
Wag and Peg Amy decide to rescue Ozma and company, but how will they cross the Deadly Desert? Like Pompa and Kabumpo, they have various adventures, and eventually the two pairs meet up and off to the rescue they go.
As always: enough plot summary. The writing on the level of the sentences is, I think, a little better than Baum's, and if there are fewer and less clever puns, I can live with that in exchange for a fairly tightly plotted story, in which all comes out in the end. My question in starting these was, Is this a real Oz book, or a cheap imitation? And, you know, I think RPT made a worthy successor as Royal Historian of Oz.
April 10, 2024
This was a fresh new adventure in the Oz Serie. I really enjoyed this story, more than The Royal Book of Oz which, in my humble opinion, it turned out to be one of the biggest disappointment in the Oz Serie I've read, one of the most boring adventures of all... yet. Not exactly the great debut of Ruth Plumly Thompson as a Royal Historian of Oz.
However, Kabumpo in Oz is full of surprises, with new friends and old enemies who come back to cause real troubles.
Despite the short mention of some of the new characters introduced by Ruth in the previous book (some boring character as Sir Hokus of Pokes, and some others a little more funny and interesting as the Confortable Camel and the Doubtful Dromedary) I consider this book to be the real new start (continuation) of the serie created by L. Frank Baum.
This book is going to be among my all-time favorite books of Oz, next to Ozma of Oz , Rinkiting of Oz and The Lost Princess of Oz . I sincerely have no words to explain how much I loved and enjoyed this book/adventure.
However, Kabumpo in Oz is full of surprises, with new friends and old enemies who come back to cause real troubles.
Despite the short mention of some of the new characters introduced by Ruth in the previous book (some boring character as Sir Hokus of Pokes, and some others a little more funny and interesting as the Confortable Camel and the Doubtful Dromedary) I consider this book to be the real new start (continuation) of the serie created by L. Frank Baum.
This book is going to be among my all-time favorite books of Oz, next to Ozma of Oz , Rinkiting of Oz and The Lost Princess of Oz . I sincerely have no words to explain how much I loved and enjoyed this book/adventure.
June 12, 2022
this one is really nostalgic. i read it many times as a kid. the elegant elephant, peg amy the wooden doll, the beautiful sun mountain, the scary yet whimsical candle caves, the cantakerous runaway country, and above all the sea of soup. something about the sea of soup really appealed to me as a kid. i still see the magic. imagine you're fishing in the sea and you catch a carrot! you go a little closer and smell soup... how strange... you are very hungry... you wonder where that scent is coming from. you notice some strangely shaped bowl-like seashells... then a sea monster appears and sings you a song, sends you crisp buttered rolls, and you realize the whole sea is soup. delicious soup. absolutely incredible. (only topped by the jello sea which i swear i read in a different book, just don't recall which)
June 11, 2023
Kabumpo in Oz is the second Oz book by Ruth Plumly Thompson. It reminded me a lot of her first book, The Royal Book of Oz. This book starts in Pumperdink and focuses on the search for a bride for Prince Pompadore to keep Pumperdink from disappearing. The journey of Pompadore and his elegant elephant adviser, Kabumpo, go to parts of Oz that are new to those who read the previous books.
Ruggedo, the former Gnome King, is the source of mischief that sends the entire Emerald City and its inhabitants on an adventure to Ev. The story is entertaining, even if is predictable to fans of Oz. It is worth reading, but only as part of the Oz series. Without the background of the previous books, the story would not make much sense.
Ruggedo, the former Gnome King, is the source of mischief that sends the entire Emerald City and its inhabitants on an adventure to Ev. The story is entertaining, even if is predictable to fans of Oz. It is worth reading, but only as part of the Oz series. Without the background of the previous books, the story would not make much sense.
November 27, 2025
This is the first I read of Ruth Plumly Thompson’s Oz adaptations. (I took others’ advice and skipped her first effort, The Royal Book of Oz.) Had I not known beforehand that this book wasn’t written by Baum, I wouldn’t have suspected otherwise. This has much of the same playful fantasy, Ozian characters (old and new), magical objects, and whimsical wordplay. Our eight-year-old sometimes got confused in the story (“Who is Prince Pumperdink again?”), which made me realize that this story is a bit less simplistically episodic than many former Oz books are. But overall, it’s a fun little book about a bizarre birthday and an elegant elephant. If you liked Baum’s other Oz books, this is more of the same.
September 9, 2020
The prince of Pumperdink is celebrating his 18th birthday again when the cake explodes and a cryptic scroll appears directing him to marry or his kingdom will disappear. He sets off with his friend, Kabumpo the elephant, to find the proper princess. Meanwhile, Ruggedo is up to his old antics, turning the Emerald City upside down.
After the disastrous first attempt to continue the Oz books after L. Frank Baum's death, Ms. Thompson returns to the familiar formula in this installment, definitely for the better. It's definitely not literary genius, but less painful to read than the last one. My 7yo wants to keep going, so we'll be visiting Oz again!
After the disastrous first attempt to continue the Oz books after L. Frank Baum's death, Ms. Thompson returns to the familiar formula in this installment, definitely for the better. It's definitely not literary genius, but less painful to read than the last one. My 7yo wants to keep going, so we'll be visiting Oz again!
January 28, 2021
This was such a delightful entry in the Oz series!! As usual, new characters are introduced in the book: of course, we have the Elegant Elephant, Kabumpo. We are also introduced to Peg Amy, and Wag the Rabbit, among others. Dorothy, Ozma, Glinda, as well as other past characters from previous books are all back.
This is the second book written by Ms. Thompson that I have read, and so far, her story telling is not disappointing at all. She really has captured the essence of what Baum originally had created, and it shows straight from the first page to the last page. I am looking forward to reading the next entry in the series!
This is the second book written by Ms. Thompson that I have read, and so far, her story telling is not disappointing at all. She really has captured the essence of what Baum originally had created, and it shows straight from the first page to the last page. I am looking forward to reading the next entry in the series!
June 9, 2018
I must say this is the strangest book of Oz yet. I know the series was out for almost 20 years at this time but this is also the most adult book in the series. This book deals with marriage, kidnapping, toucher, war, drugs, and breaking laws. It was strange reading this one. They are still very progressive books and Ruth did keep up with Frank's world I did enjoy it. There are still moments in this book that it would not be published in today's world, due to the old terminologies. Still a fun book to read and keeps up with the craziness of Oz with a more adult feel.
March 31, 2019
This is what should have been Thompson's debut. It's a solid narrative that feels more like an Oz story, if in a different writing style than Baum. While you might see the twist involving her from a mile away I did like the character of Peg Amy, a living doll that seems to have vague memories of a past life. The Prince is an amusing character who all sorts of bad things happen to; the best scene involving him has to be when he asks Princess Ozma to marry him and gets a blunt, stinging rejection. Like ouch, had to feel for the poor guy. At least he finds love by the end of it. I had a lot of fun reading this book though, and it encouraged me to keep going with Thompson's books. Probably my second favorite of hers behind Handy Mandy in Oz.
June 1, 2022
This was easily the least enjoyable Oz book for me, but for a very specific reason. The copy that I picked up was a low quality public domain print that had tiny print and a ton of errors. It’s not what I was expecting when I bought it.
The actual story was okay, but I’ve also read better, especially this far into the Oz series. There were some fun ideas and a ton of great wordplay though, so there’s that. But by this point, I’m really only reading for the sake of it.
The actual story was okay, but I’ve also read better, especially this far into the Oz series. There were some fun ideas and a ton of great wordplay though, so there’s that. But by this point, I’m really only reading for the sake of it.
February 28, 2017
Love the Oz books.
February 21, 2021
Another book that you would swear was written by Baum!
March 14, 2022
The best written, most charming and coherent since the 1st--and not even written by Baum (written by his daughter)! So much fun!
July 21, 2024
Lovely reread of a very old favorite!
May 11, 2016
3.5 stars. A huge improvement over The Royal Book of Oz, Kabumpo in Oz brings us a cast of lovable new characters and marks the return of the greatest villain of the Oz universe. Prince Pompa of Pumperdink has to find a princess to marry in order to keep his little corner of Oz from disappearing, so he sets out to the Emerald City to propose to Princess Ozma with his friend Kabumpo the Elegant Elephant. Meanwhile, things are not well in the Emerald City. Crafty old Ruggedo, former Gnome King, has regained his memory and is plotting revenge. He stumbles onto a box of powerful Mixed Magic and ends up turning into a giant, carrying the whole city (along with Ozma and her friends) off on top of his head as he runs toward the Deadly Desert. Pompa, Kabumbo, Peg Amy the wooden doll, and Wag the giant rabbit join forces to rescue Ozma and defeat Ruggedo. Along the way, they become fast friends and discover some surprising things about themselves.
There was a lot to like about this book. The characters are interesting. We get a good mix of new friends and old favorites. I have always been fascinated by Ruggedo, so it was good to see Thompson engaging with the core of the Oz universe by bringing him into play. The episodic adventures through various kingdoms are entertaining. The magic was whimsical in classical Oz fashion. And there isn't any inadvertent racism as there was in The Royal Book of Oz, which was a relief.
An avid Oz fan can still see the ways that Thompson's style is different from L. Frank Baum's style, of course--but that's all right. Thompson is a different person, after all. But given that I am a huge fan of Baum, I will note some of the differences here. I felt that Thompson could have taken more time with the mini adventures. Sometimes, as with the Sea of Soup or the Illumi Nation, it just seemed a little too quick and not developed enough. Baum really took the time to make every little kingdom of Oz whimsical and special in its own way. And Thompson does that with Pumperdink, for example, but she isn't always consistent. Similarly, I would have liked to see a bit more of a role for Ozma, Glinda, and even Ruggedo. Considering that Ruggedo is the major antagonist of the book, it's weird that we don't get to hear more of his thoughts and feelings. I also felt that Thompson is generally a bit more cruel than Baum was. I found it a little shocking that the Ozites had J. Glegg drink his own magic tea and explode--and that they weren't bothered by this. Ozma is famously (and sometimes foolishly) gentle. For this same reason, I find it hard to believe that Ozma would really give up on Ruggedo entirely. I mean, that is clearly the wise thing to do, but I feel like Baum's Ozma would continue to try to reform Ruggedo.
But overall, this was an immense improvement over The Royal Book of Oz.
There was a lot to like about this book. The characters are interesting. We get a good mix of new friends and old favorites. I have always been fascinated by Ruggedo, so it was good to see Thompson engaging with the core of the Oz universe by bringing him into play. The episodic adventures through various kingdoms are entertaining. The magic was whimsical in classical Oz fashion. And there isn't any inadvertent racism as there was in The Royal Book of Oz, which was a relief.
An avid Oz fan can still see the ways that Thompson's style is different from L. Frank Baum's style, of course--but that's all right. Thompson is a different person, after all. But given that I am a huge fan of Baum, I will note some of the differences here. I felt that Thompson could have taken more time with the mini adventures. Sometimes, as with the Sea of Soup or the Illumi Nation, it just seemed a little too quick and not developed enough. Baum really took the time to make every little kingdom of Oz whimsical and special in its own way. And Thompson does that with Pumperdink, for example, but she isn't always consistent. Similarly, I would have liked to see a bit more of a role for Ozma, Glinda, and even Ruggedo. Considering that Ruggedo is the major antagonist of the book, it's weird that we don't get to hear more of his thoughts and feelings. I also felt that Thompson is generally a bit more cruel than Baum was. I found it a little shocking that the Ozites had J. Glegg drink his own magic tea and explode--and that they weren't bothered by this. Ozma is famously (and sometimes foolishly) gentle. For this same reason, I find it hard to believe that Ozma would really give up on Ruggedo entirely. I mean, that is clearly the wise thing to do, but I feel like Baum's Ozma would continue to try to reform Ruggedo.
But overall, this was an immense improvement over The Royal Book of Oz.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 7, 2023
"Our adventures have only begun."
What is the definition of a "proper princess?" Well obviously one would think that would be Ozma of Oz, if one were Prince Pompadore. And so begins another Oz adventure complete with talking animals, princess in disguise (of course) and lots of random shenanigans taking place seemingly out of nowhere.
What is the definition of a "proper princess?" Well obviously one would think that would be Ozma of Oz, if one were Prince Pompadore. And so begins another Oz adventure complete with talking animals, princess in disguise (of course) and lots of random shenanigans taking place seemingly out of nowhere.
March 22, 2012
Talk about your giant step up from the Royal Book! Even if the Royal Book weren't full of racism, this one would be better. I love Kabumpo in Oz.
I love Peg Amy the most. Also, I love Kabumpo, and I like Pompa, especially bald!Pompa, and I like the hilarious runaway plot of land. Ruggedo is back and at his best (slash worst). Wag is great too. I do not object to the romance, even though Baum rarely included romantic plots. I like that Scraps has a bit that is more than just the standard character-from-a-previous-book-who-now-lives-in-the-Emerald-City cameo.
And oh my gosh, the scene where they describe the penal system in Pumperdinck - dipping people in the blue well - had such an effect on me as a child! It was my go-to punishment in all imaginary games for years! Although I think it mutated in my brain into a purple well. I love it!
Here is my favorite passage about Ruggedo, and everything that I love about him encapsulated: "Ruggedo could not bear life above ground. The sunlight hurt his eyes, and the contented, happy faces of the people hurt his feelings." Happiness hurts his feelings! He might be my favorite villain of all time.
I do have to say that Tik-Tok never used to run down this often. They seem to be winding him up in the middle of sentences all the time in the last several books, both Baum and RPT, but I remember back when he was found in Ev that he ran several days at a time when fully wound! He was much more functional back then.
Also, this crap about Dorothy, Betsy, and Trot all fainting when the palace gets shaken around. Come on, Ruth. Get your girls up to Baum's level. Don't do this to them.
Also, eggs seem to have different consequences for Nomes in every book (p.s. Ms. Thompson thinks they're "gnomes," and I object). At one point they destroyed them; at one point they made them mortal; in this one they make them "shrivel up and disappear." A minor point, but one I notice. (I'm sure there are a bunch I don't; the Oz books are not known for their internal consistency.)
Still, those last few things are minor quibbles about what is one of my favorites of all the Oz books, and possibly my favorite RPT Oz book (I'll let you know once I've re-read them all!)
I love Peg Amy the most. Also, I love Kabumpo, and I like Pompa, especially bald!Pompa, and I like the hilarious runaway plot of land. Ruggedo is back and at his best (slash worst). Wag is great too. I do not object to the romance, even though Baum rarely included romantic plots. I like that Scraps has a bit that is more than just the standard character-from-a-previous-book-who-now-lives-in-the-Emerald-City cameo.
And oh my gosh, the scene where they describe the penal system in Pumperdinck - dipping people in the blue well - had such an effect on me as a child! It was my go-to punishment in all imaginary games for years! Although I think it mutated in my brain into a purple well. I love it!
Here is my favorite passage about Ruggedo, and everything that I love about him encapsulated: "Ruggedo could not bear life above ground. The sunlight hurt his eyes, and the contented, happy faces of the people hurt his feelings." Happiness hurts his feelings! He might be my favorite villain of all time.
I do have to say that Tik-Tok never used to run down this often. They seem to be winding him up in the middle of sentences all the time in the last several books, both Baum and RPT, but I remember back when he was found in Ev that he ran several days at a time when fully wound! He was much more functional back then.
Also, this crap about Dorothy, Betsy, and Trot all fainting when the palace gets shaken around. Come on, Ruth. Get your girls up to Baum's level. Don't do this to them.
Also, eggs seem to have different consequences for Nomes in every book (p.s. Ms. Thompson thinks they're "gnomes," and I object). At one point they destroyed them; at one point they made them mortal; in this one they make them "shrivel up and disappear." A minor point, but one I notice. (I'm sure there are a bunch I don't; the Oz books are not known for their internal consistency.)
Still, those last few things are minor quibbles about what is one of my favorites of all the Oz books, and possibly my favorite RPT Oz book (I'll let you know once I've re-read them all!)
January 3, 2016
This is the first Oz book claimed to have been written by Thompson (though I suspect the previous one was too, despite Baum's name on it). It's only okay. There are some interesting parts - the runaway country, for example, and the candle people. But a lot of it reminds me of what the Disney Channel does with Winnie the Pooh - if you throw in enough "Hoo boohoo hoo!" lines from Tigger, it sound like the story without having to have any substance. In this instance, it seems that characters are just there to establish that it's an Oz story. The worst example is Scraps, the Patchwork Girl, whose sole function seems to be to make redundant rhymes out of whatever someone just said. In one case, she mentions the Tin Woodsman, but it seems an accident - he isn't in the scene before or since, but he actually made it into the illustration for that page.
However, it was enjoyable enough to read. I would have given it three stars, since the plot was completely predictable - except for the final ending. I won't spoil it, but it's the reason WHY all the action took place, which I did not see coming. So it earned an extra star for pulling the rug out from under my expectations!
However, it was enjoyable enough to read. I would have given it three stars, since the plot was completely predictable - except for the final ending. I won't spoil it, but it's the reason WHY all the action took place, which I did not see coming. So it earned an extra star for pulling the rug out from under my expectations!
January 19, 2024
Not bad. This was Ruth Plumly Thompson's second Oz book after the death of creator L. Frank Baum, and the first under her own name. A birthday party disaster in the kingdom of Pumperdink sends the prince on a quest to find -- and Marry -- Princess Ozma. At the same time, Ruggedo the Nome King is planning his latest assault of the people of Oz. Like most of the books, this story introduces several new characters to the Oz lore, and some of them are fairly charming (although Peg Amy kind of loses what makes her so at the end of the book). I am happy to see that the book actually has a pretty strong storyline. Several seemingly unrelated plot threads actually converge and connect at the end, which is actually rare for the Oz books. It's well thought-out. Not a masterpiece, but pretty good.
July 1, 2017
This was an interesting read but it definitely ended up losing a bunch of its goodness in my opinion due to it being an Oz book. Instead this definitely could have been a fairytale re-telling for towards the end it reminded me a lot about "Beauty and the Beast" although with a twist.
The characters following Ms. Ruth's writing have a bit more personality than the regular Oz books while being more human. And yet within this writing you see the same repetitive formula and character building as within the original Oz series while continually using the same villain is getting to be on the wearying side.
I am definitely grateful that this is the last Oz book that I am partaking in and I won't be picking up this series again.
The characters following Ms. Ruth's writing have a bit more personality than the regular Oz books while being more human. And yet within this writing you see the same repetitive formula and character building as within the original Oz series while continually using the same villain is getting to be on the wearying side.
I am definitely grateful that this is the last Oz book that I am partaking in and I won't be picking up this series again.
August 21, 2025
Overall I liked Kabumpo much more than the previous couple. That said, the inconsistencies continue. Added to the list is some spelling changes: Nome become Gnome and Gillikin becomes Gilliken.
But it's also a dark one. It ends with the magical execution of the wizard who is behind everything in this book. It's a brutality I haven't seen in an Oz book.
To reiterate that's this execution is final, the book ends with the illustration of Scraps pushbrooming up the wizard's ashen remains.
https://pussreboots.com/blog/2025/com...
Privileged Wild lands Labyrinth 009999
But it's also a dark one. It ends with the magical execution of the wizard who is behind everything in this book. It's a brutality I haven't seen in an Oz book.
To reiterate that's this execution is final, the book ends with the illustration of Scraps pushbrooming up the wizard's ashen remains.
https://pussreboots.com/blog/2025/com...
Privileged Wild lands Labyrinth 009999
October 1, 2018
This is the best of the Thompson Oz books, but that's not saying much.
ETA: I reread this one Thompson book as part of my grand reread of Oz books, and it reminded me of how I just don't especially care for Thompson's style. Kabumpo is irritating and histrionic, he needs to take a big chill pill. And the travelogue portion of the book shows none of Baum's inventiveness: "Look, it's a kingdom of candles/numbers/whatever that are alive, let's spend two pages of puns with them and then run away!"
ETA: I reread this one Thompson book as part of my grand reread of Oz books, and it reminded me of how I just don't especially care for Thompson's style. Kabumpo is irritating and histrionic, he needs to take a big chill pill. And the travelogue portion of the book shows none of Baum's inventiveness: "Look, it's a kingdom of candles/numbers/whatever that are alive, let's spend two pages of puns with them and then run away!"
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