Bartholomew and the Oobleck facts for kids
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| Author | Dr. Seuss |
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| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's literature |
| Publisher | Random House |
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Publication date
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1949 (renewed 1976) |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover) |
| Pages | 48 pages |
| ISBN | 0-394-80075-3 |
| Preceded by | Thidwick the Big-Hearted Moose |
| Followed by | If I Ran the Zoo |
Bartholomew and the Oobleck is a popular children's book written by Dr. Seuss (whose real name was Theodor Geisel). It was first published in 1949. The story follows a brave young boy named Bartholomew Cubbins. He has to save his kingdom from a strange, sticky green goo called "oobleck."
This book is like a follow-up to another Dr. Seuss story, The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins. Unlike most of Dr. Seuss's books, which have a rhyming, musical style, Bartholomew and the Oobleck is written in regular story form, like a novel.
Dr. Seuss got the idea for the book during World War II. He was in Belgium and heard a soldier complain about the constant rain. The soldier said, "Rain, always rain. Why can't we have something different for a change?" This made Dr. Seuss think about what might happen if something truly different fell from the sky.
In 1950, the book was recognized as a Caldecott Honor Book. This award celebrates excellent American picture books for children.
Contents
The Story of the Oobleck
The book begins by telling us about a special year in the Kingdom of Didd. This was "The year the King got angry with the sky." It was also the year Bartholomew Cubbins, who was the King's page boy (a young helper), saved everyone.
The King's Strange Wish
Throughout the year, King Derwin was unhappy with the weather. He disliked the rain in spring, the sun in summer, the fog in autumn, and the snow in winter. The King wanted something completely new to fall from the sky. He believed he should be able to control the weather.
So, the King ordered Bartholomew to find the Royal Magicians. They lived in a dusty cave deep under the castle. The King told them his wish for new weather. The magicians promised to create "oobleck," something totally unlike anything seen before. That evening, they made the strange substance on their mystic mountain, Neeka-tave, and released it into the air.
Oobleck Falls
The next morning, Bartholomew saw strange green drops falling from the sky. The oobleck had arrived! The King was thrilled when he saw it. He declared the day a holiday. He told Bartholomew to have the Royal Bell Ringer announce the celebration.
But the bell ringer couldn't ring the bell. The oobleck was falling harder now. It was sticky and gooey, and it had glued the bell shut. Bartholomew then saw a mother bird stuck in her nest by the oobleck. He also saw a cow trapped in the green goo. He realized the oobleck was dangerous and decided to warn the kingdom.
Warning the Kingdom
The Royal Trumpeter tried to sound the alarm. But oobleck got into his trumpet. He got his hand stuck trying to get it out. Bartholomew then told the Captain of the Guard to warn everyone. But the captain wanted to show he wasn't scared. He scooped up some oobleck with his sword and ate it. His mouth got stuck, and he started blowing green bubbles!
Bartholomew knew he had to warn the kingdom himself. He rushed to the Royal Stables for a horse. But all the horses were covered and stuck in the oobleck.
Bartholomew's Solution
In the throne room, the King was now covered in oobleck too. He ordered Bartholomew to bring the magicians to stop the storm. But Bartholomew had bad news. "Their cave on Mountain Neeka-tave is buried deep in oobleck," he said. The King then thought of using the magicians' magic words to stop it. But he couldn't remember the full spell, and he wasn't a magician anyway.
Finally, Bartholomew bravely told the King off for making such a silly wish. He told the King to use simple words, like "I'm sorry," instead of magic spells.
As soon as the King said those simple words, the oobleck storm stopped. The sun came out and melted away all the green slime. Everyone was free! After the oobleck was gone, Bartholomew took the King to the bell tower. The King rang the bell, announcing a new holiday. This holiday was not for oobleck, but for the good old rain, sun, fog, and snow. These are the four things that should always come down from the sky.
A Different Version
An actor named Marvin Miller recorded a slightly different version of the story. In his version, the King first finds oobleck in his bathtub. It comes out of the water faucet, making him stuck. Also, Bartholomew meets Gussie, the royal cook, who is very scared by the oobleck.
What is Oobleck?
The word "Oobleck" is now used in real life! It describes a mixture of corn starch and water. This mixture acts strangely: it's like a liquid when you pour it slowly, but it becomes solid when you hit it or squeeze it fast. This type of substance is called a non-Newtonian fluid. It was named after the gooey substance in Dr. Seuss's book.
The web series RWBY also has a character named Dr. Bartholomew Oobleck. This character is named after the book's main character and the strange green goo.
