The Runaway in Oz

Oz Continued #46

by John R. Neill, Eric Shanower (Illustrator/Editor)

Running away from Oz, Scraps, the patchwork girl, encounters the Wogglebug's castle in the air, Fanny the Weather Witch, and Popla, a power plant

Genres: Fantasy, Childrens, Classics, Fiction

242 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 1995

About the author

John Rea Neill (November 12, 1877 - September 19, 1943) was a magazine and children's book illustrator primarily known for illustrating more than forty stories set in the Land of Oz, including L. Frank Baum's, Ruth Plumly Thompson's, and three of his own. His pen-and-ink drawings have become identified almost exclusively with the Oz series. He did a great deal of magazine and newspaper illustration work which is not as well known today.

(Wikipedia)

Reviews

[Orion · Rating 5 out of 5]

When John R. Neill died in 1943 after writing three Oz books, the manuscript of this book was left without illustrations and unpublished. Preserved by Neill's family for over 50 years, Eric Shanower finally editing it and provided his own marvelous black-and-white drawings to bring it to press.

At the time of his death, Neill had illustrated all but the first Oz book and his illustrations have come to define the people and land of Oz to generations of readers. Shanower's illustrations follow in Neill's style, improving, if that is possible, on the work of the master.

The story evolves around the theme of anger and its effects as Scraps, the Patchwork Girl, in a fit of anger decides to run away. Scraps is a living life-size doll that was introduced by L.Frank Baum in the novel The Patchwork Girl of Oz. She was created by Dr. Pipt with his amazing Elixir of Life that brings anything to life on which it is sprinkled, including the Wooden Sawhorse, Jack Pumpkinhead and the Gump. Originally designed to be obedient and submissive, Scraps brain was surreptitiously redesigned by Ojo. He felt it would be unfair for a living creature to only have a servile brain and he added lots of brain powders that made Scraps one of the most interesting beings in Oz.

Upsetting many of the people she runs into, Scraps still manages to befriend Popla, the Power Plant, who is possibly the most unusual character in a land known for its strange inhabitants. Popla is the strongest plant in the world and grows alone on a windswept mountaintop. Scraps, finding a flowerpot, takes the Power Plant, who has never left the spot where she first sprouted, on a exciting and enjoyable journey. Together they travel on Scraps spoolicle, a bicycle with wooden spools for wheels, and through their adventures a lasting friendship is created that dissolves Scraps anger. Anyone who has ever enjoyed an Oz book will love this unique contribution to the Oz corpus.

[Nathan Dehoff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before Neill's death in 1943, he had completed a manuscript for this, his fourth Oz book. He hadn't finished the illustrations, however, and that and other factors led to its not being published for another fifty years. There were some versions of the manuscript circulating before that, mostly ones with edits by Fred Meyer and Robert R. Pattrick, under the title A Runaway in Oz. I have a photocopied and stapled copy that was even further revised by Marcus Mebes. Finally, Books of Wonder published an official edition with consent from Neill's daughters, with Eric Shanower as editor and illustrator. The story is about Scraps messing up the palace floors and generally annoying everyone right before a reception for some visiting Gillikin monarchs, so she runs away on her Spoolicle, a vehicle designed by Jack Pumpkinhead. It's interesting that Neill seems to have been purposely giving the generally simple Jack some hidden talents, as he's building a pipe organ and conducting an orchestra (one comprised of shoes, but still) in Wonder City, has an uncanny painting ability in Lucky Bucky, and here designed a vehicle. There's some precedent for it in a brief mention in Emerald City that Jack designed the Scarecrow's home, but I don't know whether Neill would have remembered that. Finding that everyone she wants to stay with expects her to take some responsibility, she seeks out the Weather Witch on her mountaintop, hoping to ride the wind outside Oz. (Sorry, Scraps, but I think most people in the rest of the world also expect that.) She meets along with the way with an incredibly strong Power Plant (sort of a mobile bush with a human-like face) named Popla, and her attraction to her new friend seems to go beyond simply platonic. An accident results in Scraps and Popla being blown into the sky instead, where they ride on a mechanical shooting star and befriend the Twinkler, then spend time in an air castle that the Wogglebug dreamed up for a vacation, but that the Patchwork Girl and the student Alexample unintentionally set loose. Meanwhile, the Wogglebug, Jack, and Jenny Jump go looking for Scraps, but wind up in an enchanted orchard where a bunch of sour quinces have revolted. While better plotted than Neill's other Oz books, the stakes really aren't that high for anyone. Scraps is the main protagonist, but she's rude and reckless throughout most of the adventure. It would have been pretty simple to just have her learn responsibility, especially as she kind of does toward her new companions, but it's downplayed. She does stop the quinces, but she isn't trying to, and the sacrifice she makes (her patches are covered in gunk from smoke bombs) is only temporary. And other books have already shown that Scraps is perfectly capable of being serious when she needs to be, although less so than usual in the Neill books. The character who gets the most of the experience might be the Twinkler, who becomes a really skilled cook, and he's not even there for the conclusion. But it's fun, and the book looks great.

[Christopher Schmehl · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Runaway in Oz is a splendid book about Scraps, The Patchwork Girl, and her continuing misadventures. It was John R. Neill's fourth and final writing effort in the land over the rainbow. He nailed it. I've read his third Oz tale Lucky Bucky in Oz. I prefer this one. It is less clunky, flows nicely, and he masters Scraps's character.
Think of The Runaway as The Patchwork Girl of Oz Part Two. She's the star even more so than in her self-titled debut novel. Neill died before he could do final edits and illustrate the book. Eric Shanower illustrated the book, and quite fantastically. His pictures recapture the fun, liveliness, and uniqueness of Oz and its inhabitants.
One noticeable absence is the Scarecrow. He's been Scraps's love interest for decades. The two even married in a short children's book titled The Patchwork Bride of Oz.
Scraps encounters some new characters: Popla the power plant, Alexample, Fanny the weather witch, and the Twinkler. Professor Wogglebug, Jack Pumpkinhead, and Jenny Jump round out the book's main character list.
If you enjoy the Oz books, then I highly recommend this book.

[Jeff · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I have always loved Neill’s Oz illustrations, he is probably my least favorite of the Royal Historians (at least of the Famous Forty). This book however, is boosted due to Eric Shanower’s amazing artwork and I’m confident that his editing helped as well.
The pace was breakneck, so much that I wish many of the characters would have a chance to have deeper experiences. While nothing new to any Oz book, this one felt especially rushed. Factor in that some of the many characters include some of my least favorite Ozians (the Wogglebug, Jenny Jump, and [unpopular opinion] Scraps) and it is far from my favorite Oz book. That being said, there is a lot to like as well and new characters like Popla and Alexample were enjoyable. A must read for any true Oz fan, if for now other reason than the history behind getting the book published and Shanower’s stellar art.