The Cowardly Lion of Oz - Ruth Plumly Thompson Book Review

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Review Summary

The Mustafa of Mudge -- a hot, dry, and barbarous kingdom in the southwest corner of the Munchkin Country of Oz -- owns 9,999 and 1/2 lions, but he wants another: He wants the Cowardly Lion of Oz. The Mudgers live an isolated life behind their moat and lion enclosure, because they used to attack other countries until Glinda the Good decreed any Mudger who left his home country would lose his head.

Through a mysterious bit of magic, a clown who calls himself Notta Bit More and an orphan boy named Bob are transported from the American Midwest to Mudge, where the King decrees that the "invaders" must capture and bring him the Cowardly Lion or be thrown to the lions themselves. His magic ring guarantees that they become paralyzed and turn blue every time they try to turn away from their task.

Meanwhile, the Cowardly Lion has set out from the Emerald City on his own. Tired of being a coward, he hopes to find a brave man and eat him, and thereby acquire courage. This 1923 tale was Thompson's third Oz book, and features a visit to the "skyle of Un," populated by Featherbrains, Nickadoodle the Snorer bird, and Crunch, the giant Stone Man of Oz, who also decides he'd like to keep the Cowardly Lion for himself.
David Loftus, Resident Scholar

Detailed literary breakdown of The Cowardly Lion of Oz

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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot

Composition of Book
Descript. of chases or violence - 20%
planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 20%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 10%
Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 50%

Tone of book - very upbeat
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - fantasy story on current Earth
Explore/1st contact/ enviro story Yes
Plotlets: - exploring a CUTESY fantasy world
Is this an adult or child's book? - Kid's book (ages 7-14)

Main Character
Identity: - animal
Eccentric: Yes - eccentric - deluded
How sensitive is this character? - middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Average intelligence
Physique - bulging muscles

Main Adversary
Identity: - Male
Profession/status: - Prince/Nobleman/King
Has magical powers? Yes
Eccentric: Yes - obsessed - emotionally unstable
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a moderate amount
How sensitive is this character? - mean, arrogant

Setting
Earth setting: - 20th century
Takes place on Earth? Yes

Style
Person? - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - no torture/death
scientific jargon? (SF only) - none/very little science jargon needed
How much dialogue? - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog

Most similar books to The Cowardly Lion of Oz
Handy Mandy in Oz by Ruth Plumly Thompson
Glinda of Oz by L. Frank Baum
The Lost Princess of Oz by L. Frank Baum
Tik-Tok of Oz by L. Frank Baum
The Phoenix and the Carpet by Edith Nesbit

Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).

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