The Giant Horse of Oz

Oz Continued #22

by Ruth Plumly Thompson

Return to L. Frank Baum’s wonderful world of Oz with this illustrated children’s book series.

The Scarecrow, tiny Trot from California, and Benny (a living stone statue from Boston) encounter High Boy, whose telescopic legs and airy personality make him in every way the Giant Horse of Oz! High Boy himself is on an expedition with Herby the Medicine Man and little Prince Philador of the spectacular Ozure Isles, whose home has been threatened with utter destruction by a terrifying monster sea serpent.
 
They all come together in a thrilling episode of Ozian history—which includes the discovery of the enchanted past of the wonderful Good Witch of the North, the very first person Dorothy met when she arrived from Kansas many years before.
 
Praise for the Oz series
 
“Where the young stay young and the old grow young forever—these books are for readers of all ages.” —Ray Bradbury
 
“The land of Oz has managed to fascinate each new generation. . . . The Oz books continue to exert their spell . . . and those who read [them] are often made what they were not—imaginative, tolerant, alert to wonders.” —Gore Vidal
 
“I was raised with the Oz books, and their enchantment, humor and excitement remain with me. They are still a joy and a treasure. I welcome this Oz revival.” —Stephen R. Donaldson

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Childrens, Classics, Middle Grade, Science Fiction Fantasy, Adventure

252 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1928

About the author

An 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.

Reviews

[Dane Cobain · Rating 4 out of 5]

I mean, it’s another Wizard of Oz book. What more do you want from me?

By this point in the series, it’s starting to feel a bit samey, and the only real standout here was the Public Benefactor, a statue from our world that was given life after someone discovered a book in a second hand jacket and decided to read the magic aloud from it. I quite liked him, mainly because as soon as he came to life, people started making his life hell, running away from him and even spraying him with hoses from fire trucks.

I read this as part of my ongoing buddy read with Joel Swagman, although he’s about ten books behind me by now and so I’m not sure if it still counts as a buddy read. I’ve got to be honest, if he’s reading this and trying to decide whether to stick with the series, I’d probably tell him not to. But I’m now so far in that it’d feel like a failure if I bailed.

All in all, it’s just another Oz book, with many of the same themes and even the same plot beats that we’ve seen before. It’s got to the point where it’s starting to imitate itself, and that’s okay because that’s what the series is all about.

[Nathan Dehoff · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an important book from an Oz-as-history perspective, as it provides Thompson's solution for the Munchkin and Gillikin Countries not really having consistent rulers, while the Tin Woodman rules the Winkies and Glinda the Quadlings. It also largely sticks to the plot a little better than most of Thompson's work, tying a lot of the story to the attempts to save the Ozure Isles from the monster Quiberon and restore their lost queen. At the same time, it's difficult to identify a main protagonist (it certainly isn't the titular horse), and the resolution is brought about by interference from Ozma and the Wizard of Oz rather than the characters solving their problems themselves. It's an enjoyable read if you like Thompson's breezy, whimsical style, although parts of it seem rushed. That said, it also starts with a lyrical description of the Ozure Isles instead of immediately getting into dialogue, often frantic or angry dialogue, as is more common for her.

[Kristen (belles_bookshelves) · Rating 2 out of 5]

*"The way to be a real person is to act like a real person."

We start in the land of Orizon, whose beaches are blue because the sand is made of sapphires and the king has an entire palace built of sapphires. Somehow, even though the place must be blinding in the sun, everyone in Oz has forgotten about it so much it doesn't appear on maps anymore. This is unfortunate because Mombi, the gift that keeps on giving, had placed a sea-dragon in the waters that they are beset by.

Meanwhile, a state in Boston has come to life and wound up in Oz, meeting up with the Scarecrow and Trot. Trot is immediately kidnapped by the Soothsayer to be a servant for the dragon. There's Tattypoo, the good witch of the North and her pet house-dragon, Agnes. There's High Boy, the giant horse of Oz. King Joe King and his queen, Hyacinth. Orpah the mer-man. The Medicine Man of Oz who had been trapped in a bottle by Mombi. Orin, the missing queen of Orizon.

[Pierce Franco · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another Ruth Plumly Thompson's book with no essence at all. It is the Land of Oz, but without the Wonderful or the Marvelous in its name.

I think one of his biggest mistakes (or let's call it a continuity error, one of many other contradictions) while Mr Baum was alive was not developing a backstory for the Good Witch of the North himself earlier in the series, and letting someone else do it for him. (I could give some credit to Ruth Plumly Thompson for reminding us that there was once a Good Witch of the North when it all started back in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900). Although this story in particular is poorly imaginative and a complete nonsense.

Fortunately, it's not all bad... There are good things to remark in this book. I personally liked the King of Uplanders and the meeting with High Boy, and the Roun-abouties country.

[Derek L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a whole lot to say this time, but I will always appreciate the humor and the message of acceptance Thompson communicates in the Oz series. The message of acceptance really hit home with this book, and I'm so glad that this book is available in a time when we need to hear that message the most.

[Kay Hawkins · Rating 2 out of 5]

And this is where the books get weird....

[Fred Klein · Rating 3 out of 5]

More of the usual. New kingdoms and characters introduced. Lots of traveling and magic. Many, many puns (a character has an actual "medicine chest"; the title character is a "high horse"). The most unique thing about this story is that it brings back the Witch of the North, whom we have not seen since the very first book. She was the first witch Dorothy met (not Glinda, like in the movie), and for some reason we never saw her again. Her back story is explained. I like the Thompson Oz stories best when they pay attention to the original Oz characters and give them their own adventure and/or a back story.

[Neil · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of Thompson's best Oz books, her approach to Oz is very different to Baum's but if you can accept that then several of her books have much to commend them and this is one such. A fairly good plot with the characters having more motivation for their actions than usual. High boy, the giant horse of the title, who moves up and down on telescopic legs (!) is an excellent addition to the Oz canon.
Of John R. Neill's artwork, although variable some of the pictures especially several of the chapter headings are amongst his best work.

[Marti · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had forgotten that we had bought this book in Dryden, NY and had Marianna Holzer restore it for us. This was not one of the original Oz books written by L. Frank Baum, but fits in with the original ones quite well. Mrs Thompson has quite a vivid imagination and fits in new original characters with the old well known ones. Oniberon is a dreadful sea serpent who terrorizes the Ozure Isles. The Queen has been missing for years, and her son, Prince Philador sets out to find her.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

My kids really enjoyed this 'continuation' of The Wizard of Oz.

[Guy Terry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Seriously this is book 22!? I always just assumed it was 15 since it was the only non-Baum one we owned.

[hpboy13 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nowhere close to the charm, magic, and inventiveness of the originals. These books should not be considered Oz canon.

[Steve Shilstone · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gnome King is still my favorite of Ruth's, but this one has plenty of imagination, too.