Book info

• Title The Scarecrow of Oz
• Author L. Frank Baum
• Year 1915
• Genre Childrens

Cap'n Bill and Trot journey to Oz and, with the help of the Scarecrow, the former ruler of Oz, overthrow the villainous King Krewl of Jinxland. Cap'n Bill and Trot had previously appeared in two other novels by Baum, The Sea Fairies and Sky Island. Based in part upon the 1914 silent film, His Majesty, the Scarecrow of Oz.

Thoughts

This next adventure in the Oz series seemed to go back to its roots. A couple of non-fairy folk are transported to the fairy land and have to go through heaps of adventures to find their way to safety (which invariably means back to the Emerald City).

I quite enjoyed this one, following the trials and tribulations along the way. Particularly Pessim, the eternally grumpy islander, and the forbidden love story at King Krewl’s castle.

As I’ve been reading through this series, I’ve had a growing problem with the way Ozma and Glinda can just jump in whenever they like. I totally understand that this can be entertaining and is a handy plot device, but it really didn’t work for me in this one. Sending the scarecrow in to save the day was good but it felt very un-Ozma like to sit and watch as her friend was almost burned at the stake, without intervening. A hint of the stories getting darker, here, perhaps?

Rating: 3 / 5