The Scarecrow of Oz is book 9 in the Oz series, and I enjoyed it quite a bit more than Tik Tok of Oz, which I liked as a child but as an adult felt like a rehash of the previous stories thrown together. The Scarecrow of Oz has a tighter story arc and several very scary villains, and I liked the companionship of Cap’n Bill and Trot, and the introduction of the Ork. There are some major plot weaknesses, as there are in all the Oz books, but I found this to be one of the more entertaining of the Oz books (though not one of my favorites).
The book begins with yet another watery disaster, as Trot and Cap’n Bill are hurled into a whirlpool and sucked into a watery cave. They are trapped until they meet the Ork, and together they make their way to a series of strange places. In this book, Baum is revisiting some non-Oz characters and places, as he likes to do. The country of Mo comes from his book The Magical Monarch of Mo, but here it’s largely noteworthy because it rains lemonade and snows warm buttered popcorn (oh, if I could only live there).
The group meets up with Button Bright, who was introduced in The Road to Oz and met Trot and Cap’n Bill in Sky Island, which came out two years before this book. They make their way to Jinxland, a small area on the very far corner of Quadling Country, cut off from the rest of Oz by nearly uncrossable mountains. Jinxland is ruled by the terrible King Krewl, who is trying to marry off his niece to a wealthy old man and to keep her from the gardener’s son, Pon, who she truly loves. It’s a bit sappy for an Oz book but there’s lots of treachery and magic at the hands of a wicked witch to satisfy young readers. I loved the way Baum describes the freezing heart scene, and I also liked the magic berries and Trot and Cap’n Bill’s journey in Trot’s bonnet.
The Scarecrow is sent by Glinda to rescue the group, and I have to say he does a truly horrible job of it. He sends Pon to ask the King to surrender, and the King beats the poor boy terribly. Then the Scarecrow, who thinks himself invincible, quickly gets himself captured. Later, the Scarecrow decides who is the rightful ruler of Jinxland based on birth, but then at the last minute he asks the people to choose. If the Scarecrow is the “hero” of this book, he does very little to earn it. Though at least he has a more vital role in this book than Tik Tok did in the last book.
Of course all turns out well in the end. It’s a little silly for the group to have to trek back to the Emerald City when they could of course be magically whisked there, but journeying across Oz lets them all get to know each other and lets Trot meet Dorothy and Betsy (poor Bill is left on his own). Plus it gives the Wizard a chance to magic up a cottage with just the right food and fresh straw for the Scarecrow.
I found myself wondering why Button Bright gets so much space in this story, when he basically does nothing but pop up, get lost, and then show up again. I think Baum admires his fearlessness and curiosity. He’s beholden to no one, doesn’t need to be helped and seems to wander through life with no worries. He’s young enough that what would be completely selfish in an adult seems (sort of) endearing in a child. Otherwise I’m not sure what’s the point of him.
I was intrigued by the dedication in this book to “The Uplifters”. The Uplifters was a men’s club in Los Angeles and included a number of actors and artists. Baum designed their logo and scripted many of their theatricals. Apparently this club was dormant for a long time after the 40’s but has been revived and is now run by two women. I think Baum would have approved.
Please visit Entering the Enchanted Castle for a different perspective on Tik Tok of Oz and The Scarecrow of Oz. And if you’ve read this book, or remember it from childhood, please share your thoughts.
