Handy Mandy in Oz facts for kids
Cover of Handy Mandy in Oz
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| Author | Ruth Plumly Thompson |
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| Illustrator | John R. Neill |
| Cover artist | John R. Neill |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | The Oz Books |
| Genre | Fantasy |
| Publisher | Reilly & Lee |
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Publication date
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1937 |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover) |
Handy Mandy in Oz is an exciting adventure story from 1937. It is the thirty-first book in the famous Oz series, which was started by L. Frank Baum. This particular book was written by Ruth Plumly Thompson and illustrated by John R. Neill. It tells the tale of a unique girl named Mandy and her journey through the magical Land of Oz.
Contents
The Amazing Adventure of Handy Mandy
The story begins with a hardworking goat-girl named Mandy. She lives on Mt. Mern and has something very special about her: seven arms and hands! Each hand has a different job, like ironing, cleaning, or dishwashing. One day, a powerful geyser blasts Mandy high into the sky. She flies all the way across the dangerous Deadly Desert and lands in a small kingdom in Munchkin Country within Oz. A magic blue daisy cushions her fall.
Meeting New Friends and Foes
In this new land, Mandy finds a shiny silver hammer. She also meets a friendly white ox with golden horns named Nox. Mandy soon learns that Nox's horns are magical! The right horn can grant wishes, and the left horn gives clues.
Mandy and Nox discover that the kingdom is in trouble. The rightful young king, Kerry, has disappeared. His uncle, King Kerr, has taken over the throne. Mandy and Nox become good friends, and Nox even gives her the nickname "Handy Mandy."
The Quest for the Missing King
Following clues from Nox's magic horn, Mandy and Nox set off to find King Kerry. Their journey takes them through rivers and floods, eventually leading them to the Gillikin Country. They find a secret doorway hidden behind a waterfall. This door leads them to a hidden world beneath the Silver Mountain.
This underground world is ruled by a wicked wizard named Wutz. Wizard Wutz is a very sneaky villain. He has a secret network of spies all over Oz. His plan is to steal all the important magical items in Oz. He manages to steal the Magic Picture, Glinda's Great Book of Records, and even the jug that holds the Gnome King, Ruggedo. Mandy and Nox also learn that King Kerr, the uncle who took the throne, is one of Wutz's spies. Wizard Wutz is holding the real King Kerry prisoner!
Heroes to the Rescue
Meanwhile, Princess Ozma, the Wizard of Oz, Princess Dorothy, and the Scarecrow are trying to stop Wutz. But it's hard without their magic items.
When Mandy and Nox finally face Wutz, he throws them into a dungeon. By accident, Mandy frees Ruggedo from his jug. Wutz and Ruggedo team up and head for the Emerald City to take over Oz.
Luckily, Mandy's silver hammer turns out to be magic too! When she strikes it, a helpful purple elf named "Himself" appears. Himself has amazing magic powers. With the hammer, the elf, the blue daisy, and Nox's magic horns, Mandy and Nox escape. They rescue King Kerry and reach Ozma's palace just in time! They stop Wutz and Ruggedo. Himself the elf turns the two villains into potted cacti. This is the last time Ruggedo the Gnome King appears in the main Oz books.
Order Restored in Oz
Princess Ozma uses her Magic Belt to fix everything. Wutz's spies are turned into moles, and King Kerry is returned to his throne. Mandy is rewarded with a beautiful emerald necklace and something she always wanted: gloves! Ozma gives her seven sets of seven gloves for her seven hands. After visiting her home on Mt. Mern, Mandy returns to Oz with her goats, ready for a new life.
This story is a bit like another Oz book, The Lost Princess of Oz. In that book, a character named Ugu also steals magic items and kidnaps a ruler.
Meet the Characters
Handy Mandy
Mandy is a kind and hardworking goat-girl. She is special because she has seven hands, each used for different tasks. In the book, she comes from a race of seven-handed people. She is brave and clever, always ready for an adventure.
Wizard Wutz
Wizard Wutz is the main villain of the story. He is handsome and smooth, but completely evil. He leads a secret organization of spies who try to overthrow the government of Oz. He is very ambitious and wants to control all the magic in Oz.
Ruggedo the Gnome King
Ruggedo, the former Nome King, makes a very brief appearance in this book. He starts out trapped in a jug, as he was at the end of Pirates in Oz. He quickly becomes an ally of Wizard Wutz, but their plans are stopped. He ends up being turned into a cactus. This is his last appearance in the original series of Oz books.
