A Man With An Agenda

This is a darker entry? There is something bleak in our almost-protagonist's fate, but 'The Magic of Oz' is mostly incidents without any consequence.

It's almost Ozma's birthday, so everyone is scratching their heads what to give the beloved fairy princess who has everything. The Glass Cat tells Trot and Cap'n Bill about a wonderful plant and Dorothy concocts an absurd idea with the Wizard using some talking animals as cute props.

Meanwhile there is a Hyup boy who lives on top of Mount Munch with his family. He's unhappy there, and breaks Ozma's law against practicing magic to explore the world. Kiki Aru soon meets Ruggedo, the former Nome King, who convinces him to enter in on a plan to raise up the talking animals against their Ozian oppressors. The plan doesn't amount to much, but it does give the sprightly old Wizard a chance to show the animals why they're under Ozma's dainty heel.

That makes the book sound better than it is. I'm not sure if this is because Baum was an imperialist, or if he was having a bit of fun at the children's expense. Its an odd idea to promote so soon after the Great War. There is enough story here to prevent its being like the last birthday book, 'The Road to Oz', but there's little to take away.

It all ends, next, with 'Glinda of Oz'.

Oz

Next: 'Glinda of Oz'

Previous: 'The Tin Woodman of Oz'