Ruth Plumly Thompson
Encyclopedia
Ruth Plumly Thompson was an American writer of children's stories.
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.
A short collection of Thompson's Oz poetry, The Cheerful Citizens of Oz, was published in 1992.
Life and work
An avid reader of Baum's books and a lifelong children's writer, Thompson was born in Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
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
Reilly & Britton
The Reilly and Britton Company, or Reilly & Britton was an American publishing company of the early and middle 20th century, famous as the publisher of the works of L. Frank Baum.-Founding:...
, 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
Good Witch of the North
The Good Witch of the North is a fictional character in the Land of Oz, created by American author L. Frank Baum. She is the elderly and mild-mannered Ruler of the Gillikin Country...
, 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
The Enchanted Island of Oz
The Enchanted Island of Oz is a children's novel written by Ruth Plumly Thompson and illustrated by Dick Martin, and first published in 1976. As its title indicates, the book is an entry in the series of Oz books created by L. Frank Baum and his successors...
(1976), was not originally written as an Oz book.
Oz books by Thompson
- 1921 — The Royal Book of OzThe Royal Book of OzThe Royal Book of Oz is the fifteenth in the series of Oz books, and the first to be written by Ruth Plumly Thompson after L. Frank Baum's death. Although Baum was credited as the author, it was written entirely by Thompson. Beginning in the 1980s, some editions have correctly credited Thompson,...
- 1922 — Kabumpo in OzKabumpo in OzKabumpo in Oz is the sixteenth Oz book, and the second written by Ruth Plumly Thompson. It was the first Oz book fully credited to her. Kabumpo in Oz (1922) is the sixteenth Oz book, and the second written by Ruth Plumly Thompson. It was the first Oz book fully credited to her. Kabumpo in Oz...
- 1923 — The Cowardly Lion of OzThe Cowardly Lion of OzThe Cowardly Lion of Oz is the seventeenth in the series of Oz books created by L. Frank Baum and his successors, and the third written by Ruth Plumly Thompson. It was illustrated by John R. Neill.-Plot:...
- 1924 — Grampa in OzGrampa in OzGrampa in Oz is the eighteenth in the series of Oz books created by L. Frank Baum and his successors, and the fourth written by Ruth Plumly Thompson.-Plot:...
- 1925 — The Lost King of OzThe Lost King of OzThe Lost King of Oz is the nineteenth in the series of Oz books created by L. Frank Baum and his successors, and the fifth written by Ruth Plumly Thompson. It was Illustrated by John R. Neill.-Thompson's approach:...
- 1926 — The Hungry Tiger of OzThe Hungry Tiger of OzThe Hungry Tiger of Oz is the twentieth in the series of Oz books created by L. Frank Baum and his successors, and the sixth written by Ruth Plumly Thompson. It was Illustrated by John R. Neill.-Plot summary:...
- 1927 — The Gnome King of OzThe Gnome King of OzThe Gnome King of Oz is the twenty-first in the series of Oz books created by L. Frank Baum and his successors, and the seventh by Ruth Plumly Thompson. Like nineteen of the twenty previous books, it was illustrated by John R. Neill.-The plot:...
- 1928 — The Giant Horse of OzThe Giant Horse of OzThe Giant Horse of Oz is the twenty-second in the series of Oz books created by L. Frank Baum and his successors, and the eighth written by Ruth Plumly Thompson. It was Illustrated by John R...
- 1929 — Jack Pumpkinhead of OzJack Pumpkinhead of OzJack Pumpkinhead of Oz is the twenty-third of the series of Oz books created by L. Frank Baum and continued by other writers; it is the ninth Oz book written by Ruth Plumly Thompson. It was Illustrated by John R...
- 1930 — The Yellow Knight of OzThe Yellow Knight of Ozthumb|200px|Cover of The Yellow Knight of Oz.The Yellow Knight of Oz is the twenty-fourth in the series of Oz books created by L. Frank Baum and his successors, and the tenth written by Ruth Plumly Thompson. It was illustrated by John R. Neill....
- 1931 — Pirates in OzPirates in Ozthumb|200px|Cover of Pirates in Oz.Pirates in Oz is the twenty-fifth in the series of Oz books created by L. Frank Baum and his successors, and the eleventh written by Ruth Plumly Thompson. It was illustrated by John R...
- 1932 — The Purple Prince of OzThe Purple Prince of Ozthumb|200px|Cover of The Purple Prince in Oz.The Purple Prince of Oz is the 26th in the series of Oz books created by L. Frank Baum and his successors, and the 12th written by Ruth Plumly Thompson. It was illustrated by John R...
- 1933 — Ojo in OzOjo in Ozthumb|200px|Cover of Ojo in Oz.Ojo in Oz is the twenty-seventh in the series of Oz books created by L. Frank Baum and his successors, and the thirteenth written by Ruth Plumly Thompson. It was illustrated by John R...
- 1934 — Speedy in OzSpeedy in Ozthumb|200px|Cover of Speedy in Oz.Speedy in Oz is the twenty-eighth in the series of Oz books created by L. Frank Baum and his successors, and the fourteenth written by Ruth Plumly Thompson. It was Illustrated by John R...
- 1935 — The Wishing Horse of OzThe Wishing Horse of Ozthumb|200px|Cover of The Wishing Horse of Oz.The Wishing Horse of Oz is the twenty-ninth in the series of Oz books created by L. Frank Baum and his successors, and the fifteenth written by Ruth Plumly Thompson. It was Illustrated by John R. Neill...
- 1936 — Captain Salt in OzCaptain Salt in OzCaptain Salt in Oz is the thirtieth in the series of Oz novels created by L. Frank Baum and his successors, and the sixteenth written by Ruth Plumly Thompson. It was illustrated by John R...
- 1937 — Handy Mandy in OzHandy Mandy in OzHandy Mandy in Oz is the thirty-first of the Oz books created by L. Frank Baum and his successors, and the seventeenth written by Ruth Plumly Thompson. It was illustrated by John R. Neill.-Synopsis:...
- 1938 — The Silver Princess in OzThe Silver Princess in Ozthumb|200px|Cover of The Silver Princess in Oz.The Silver Princess in Oz is the thirty-second of the Oz books created by L. Frank Baum and his successors, and the eighteenth written by Ruth Plumly Thompson. It was illustrated by John R...
- 1939 — Ozoplaning with the Wizard of OzOzoplaning with the Wizard of OzOzoplaning with the Wizard of Oz is the thirty-third in the series of Oz books created by L. Frank Baum and his successors, and the nineteenth and last written by Ruth Plumly Thompson. It was illustrated by John R...
- 1971 — Yankee in OzYankee in OzYankee in Oz is a 1972 Oz novel by Ruth Plumly Thompson. It was the first published by The International Wizard of Oz Club. A letter from the Henry Regnery Company, which bought Reilly & Lee, is reproduced in the front indicating the publisher's blessing for the new Oz book to appear...
- 1976 — The Enchanted Island of OzThe Enchanted Island of OzThe Enchanted Island of Oz is a children's novel written by Ruth Plumly Thompson and illustrated by Dick Martin, and first published in 1976. As its title indicates, the book is an entry in the series of Oz books created by L. Frank Baum and his successors...
A short collection of Thompson's Oz poetry, The Cheerful Citizens of Oz, was published in 1992.
Non-Oz books by Thompson
- The Perhappsy Chaps, P.F. Volland Co. (1918)
- The Princess of Cozytown, P.F. Volland Co. (1922)
- The Curious Cruise of Captain Santa, Reilly & Lee (1926)
- King Kojo, illustrated by MargeMarge (cartoonist)Marjorie Henderson Buell was an American cartoonist who worked under the pen name Marge. She was best known as the creator of Little Lulu....
, Donald MacKay (1938) - The Wizard of Way-Up and Other Wonders, International Wizard of Oz Club (1985)
- Sissajig and Other Surprises, International Wizard of Oz Club (2003).