Ruth Plumly Thompson was an American writer of children's stories, best known for writing many novels placed in Oz, the fictional land of L. Frank Baum's classic children's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and its sequels.
Mombi is a fictional character in L. Frank Baum's classic children's series of Oz Books. She is the most significant antagonist in the second Oz book The Marvelous Land of Oz (1904), and is alluded to in other works. Mombi plays a very important role in the fictional history of Oz.
Kabumpo, the Elegant Elephant of Pumperdink, is a fictional character in the Oz books of Ruth Plumly Thompson.
The Cowardly Lion of Oz (1923) is the seventeenth book in the Oz series created by L. Frank Baum and his successors, and the third written by Ruth Plumly Thompson. It was illustrated by John R. Neill. The book was followed by Grampa in Oz (1924).
The Yellow Knight of Oz (1930) is the twenty-fourth book in the Oz series created by L. Frank Baum and his successors, and the tenth written by Ruth Plumly Thompson. It was illustrated by John R. Neill. The novel was followed by Pirates in Oz (1931).
Ojo in Oz (1933) is the twenty-seventh book in the Oz series created by L. Frank Baum and his successors, and the thirteenth written by Ruth Plumly Thompson. It was illustrated by John R. Neill. The novel was followed by Speedy in Oz (1934).
The Wishing Horse of Oz (1935) is the twenty-ninth book in the Oz series created by L. Frank Baum and his successors, and the fifteenth written by Ruth Plumly Thompson. It was illustrated by John R. Neill. The novel was followed by Captain Salt in Oz (1936). This entry marked the point at which Thompson had written more Oz books than Baum.
Captain Salt in Oz (1936) is the thirtieth book in the Oz series created by L. Frank Baum and his successors, and the sixteenth written by Ruth Plumly Thompson. It was illustrated by John R. Neill. The novel was followed by Handy Mandy in Oz (1937).
Handy Mandy in Oz (1937) is the thirty-first book in the Oz series created by L. Frank Baum and his successors, and the seventeenth written by Ruth Plumly Thompson. It was illustrated by John R. Neill. The novel was followed by The Silver Princess in Oz (1938).
The Silver Princess in Oz (1938) is the thirty-second book in the Oz series created by L. Frank Baum and his successors, and the eighteenth written by Ruth Plumly Thompson. It was illustrated by John R. Neill. The novel was followed by Ozoplaning with the Wizard of Oz (1939).
The Shaggy Man of Oz (1949) is the thirty-eighth book in the Oz series created by L. Frank Baum and his successors, and the second and last by Jack Snow. It was illustrated by Frank G. Kramer. The book was followed by The Hidden Valley of Oz (1951). The novel entered the public domain in the United States when its copyright was not renewed as required.
King Pastoria is a fictional character mentioned in the Oz books by American author L. Frank Baum. He was the rightful ruler and King of the undiscovered Land of Oz, but was mysteriously removed from his position when the Wizard of Oz unexpectedly came to the country and took the throne, proclaiming himself as the new dominant ruler of Oz. Shortly after, Pastoria's only child and heir, Princess Ozma, suddenly vanished, leaving not a single clue of her whereabouts.
Jellia Jamb is a fictional character from the classic children's series of Oz books by American author L. Frank Baum. She is first introduced in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900), as the head maid who works in the royal palace of the Emerald City which is the imperial capital of the Land of Oz. In later books, Jellia eventually becomes Princess Ozma's favorite servant out of the Emerald City's staff administration. She is also the protagonist of Ruth Plumly Thompson's 1939 novel Ozoplaning with the Wizard of Oz. Her name is a pun on the phrase "Jelly or jam?"
The Red Jinn, later known as Jinnicky, is one of Ruth Plumly Thompson's most frequently occurring characters in her Oz books. According to David L. Greene and Dick Martin, he is "the most fondly remembered" of all the characters Thompson created. The Jinn is a supernatural force that lives in a large red ginger jar.
Yankee in Oz is a 1972 novel in the Oz series by Ruth Plumly Thompson. It was the first published by The International Wizard of Oz Club. The novel was originally written in 1959, but because the Oz books were not selling, it was not published. 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.
Peter Brown is a major character in the Oz novels of Ruth Plumly Thompson, who continued the series of Oz books after the death of their creator, L. Frank Baum. Thompson used Peter as the protagonist in three of her books: The Gnome King of Oz (1927), Jack Pumpkinhead of Oz (1929), and Pirates in Oz (1931).
The copyright status of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and related works in the United States is complicated for several reasons. The book series is very long-running, and written by multiple authors, so the books often fall on opposite sides of eligibility for copyright laws. There have also been multiple adaptations across many different media, which enjoy different kinds of copyright protection. The copyright law of the United States has changed many times, and impacted Oz works every time. As of 2024, twenty-nine Oz books and five films are in the public domain. Starting in 2019, an Oz book has entered the public domain every year. Barring another extension of copyright terms, all of the Famous Forty will be in the public domain by 2059.
