John Dough and the Cherub facts for kids
First edition design
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| Author | L. Frank Baum |
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| Illustrator | John R. Neill |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's novel |
| Publisher | Reilly & Britton |
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Publication date
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1906 |
| Media type | Print (hardcover) |
John Dough and the Cherub is an exciting fantasy novel for kids, written by the American author L. Frank Baum. He's the same person who wrote the famous Oz books! This story is all about a gingerbread man who magically comes to life and goes on many amazing adventures. The book was illustrated by John R. Neill and first published in 1906.
Unlike some of Baum's other stories, John Dough was published under his real name. It was a very popular book, selling many copies each year.
Contents
Is Chick a Boy or a Girl?
In John Dough and the Cherub, one of the main characters is named Chick the Cherub. What's really interesting is that the author, L. Frank Baum, never tells us if Chick is a boy or a girl! He even uses the word "it" when talking about Chick. Chick wears pajamas that could be for either a boy or a girl. The drawings by John R. Neill also show Chick with a haircut that doesn't give away their gender.
The people who published the book wanted Baum to decide if Chick was a boy or a girl, but he said no. So, they came up with a fun idea! They held a contest where kids who read the book could vote on Chick's gender. Children who gave the best reasons (in 25 words or less) won prizes. The contest form was right at the front of the first edition of the book. Because of this, it's very rare to find a first edition with the contest page still attached.
One boy won a prize for saying, "The Cherub was a girl because if it had been a boy he would have eaten the ginger-bread man at once whether it agreed with him or not."
The Story of John Dough
The story begins in the bakery of Jules and Leontine Grogrande, who are French immigrants in the United States. A mysterious customer named Ali Dubh visits them. He is being chased because he has a special liquid called the Great Elixir, also known as "the Water of Life." Just a tiny drop of this liquid can make someone very healthy, strong, and live a long time. Ali Dubh asks Madame Grogrande to hide the golden bottle of the Elixir. She agrees, especially after he gives her a silver bottle with a cure for her sore joints.
However, Leontine is colorblind and mixes up the gold and silver bottles. She pours the Great Elixir into a bowl of water and bathes her sore limbs in it. Instantly, her pain is gone! She feels "as light and airy as a fairy." She decides to go to bed, leaving the bowl of diluted elixir in the kitchen.
Her husband, Jules, comes into the bakery very early on the Fourth of July. He decides to bake a huge gingerbread man for his store window. He mixes his dough and uses the water from the bowl, which now has the elixir in it. He shapes a gingerbread figure the size of a "fourteen-year-old boy," making it look like a "typical French gentleman." Jules adds glass eyes, white candy teeth, and candy buttons.
John Dough Comes to Life
When Jules bakes the gingerbread man, he is shocked to find that it comes to life! The full dose of the Great Elixir has given John Dough the gingerbread man not only life, but also intelligence and the ability to speak many languages. Jules runs away in a panic. John Dough puts on the baker's top hat and grabs a candy-cane cane, then sets out to explore the world.
Ali Dubh is very angry when he finds out what happened. But then he realizes he can just eat the gingerbread man to get the elixir's benefits. So, Ali Dubh starts chasing John Dough.
Adventures on the Isle of Phreex
On the evening of the Fourth of July, John Dough accidentally hitches a ride on a large rocket. The rocket carries him all the way to the Isle of Phreex! John falls from the sky onto a person who was sleeping outdoors. On Phreex, John meets many strange beings. Most importantly, he meets Chick the Cherub, who is called "the first and only Original Incubator Baby." Even though Chick is only six or eight years old, they are brave and calm, and speak in a unique way. Chick becomes John's friend and protector in this strange new world.
The people of Phreex are very unusual. Some memorable ones include: a Wooden Indian that can move; a girl who is supposed to be an executioner but never gets to do her job; a two-legged talking horse; and the young, powerful "Kinglet" of Phreex. The island is also home to inventors who create strange machines. One of them has built a working flying machine. When Ali Dubh shows up on Phreex (he bought a magic spell to follow John), John and Chick use the flying machine to leave for unknown places.
New Friends and Challenges
Their first stop is a small island with the Palace of Romance. There, John and Chick get into a tricky situation: they have to keep telling stories to avoid being harmed. They soon escape in the flying machine, which then crashes onto another island with more strange creatures. They meet Pittypat, a talking white rabbit, and Para Bruin, a big, bouncy rubber bear.
The Mifkets, who also live on the island, are mean, gnome-like creatures who cause the heroes a lot of trouble. John has to sacrifice his hand to save a pretty young girl who is wasting away on the island. His gingerbread flesh, full of elixir, saves her life. Pittypat the rabbit introduces the heroes to the King of the Fairy Beavers. The King helps them with his magic and solves their problems. The girl is returned to her parents, whom John and Chick had rescued from being slaves in the Mifkets' kitchen. John, Chick, and Para Bruin are then carried into the sky by friendly flamingoes. After a short and unpleasant stop on Pirate Island, the flamingoes take the three adventurers to their final destination. Ali Dubh is left behind on the Mifket island because his magic spell only worked twice.
Becoming King
The twin countries of Hiland and Loland are on opposite sides of an island, separated by a tall wall and a large castle. The people of Hiland are tall and thin, and live in tall, thin houses. The people of Loland are short and stout, with matching homes. The king who ruled both lands has died. Both groups of people are waiting for a new, non-human ruler, as predicted in a prophecy.
John Dough fits the description, so he becomes the new King of Hiland and Loland. A local baker repairs any damage John got during his travels. Para Bruin becomes the Chief Counselor, and Chick claims the title of Head Booleywag, which means "the one that rules the ruler." Together, the three of them rule very well for many years. However, the history books of Hiland and Loland still never make it clear whether Chick, the Head Booleywag, is male or female.
