Peter Brown (Oz) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Peter Brown |
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| Oz character | |
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An illustration by John R. Neill in The Gnome King of Oz (1927)
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| First appearance | The Gnome King of Oz (1927) |
| Created by | Ruth Plumly Thompson |
| Information | |
| Species | human |
| Gender | male |
| Nationality | American |
Peter Brown is an important character in the magical Oz stories. These books were written by Ruth Plumly Thompson. She continued the famous Oz series after L. Frank Baum, the original creator, passed away. Peter is the main hero in three of her exciting books. These include The Gnome King of Oz (published in 1927), Jack Pumpkinhead of Oz (1929), and Pirates in Oz (1931).
Contents
Who is Peter Brown?
Peter Brown holds a special place in the Oz series. He was the very first boy from the United States to be the main hero of an Oz novel. Before Peter, other boys like Zeb, Button-Bright, and Bob Up were usually supporting characters. Peter is also like the character Trot. He arrived in Oz already knowing about its wonders because he had read an Oz book!
Peter's First Adventure in Oz
Ruth Plumly Thompson first introduced Peter in The Gnome King of Oz. He was a nine-year-old boy living in Philadelphia. Peter lived with his loving grandfather. Many characters in children's books, including those in Oz, are raised by relatives or guardians.
Peter's journeys to Oz allowed him to show many good qualities. He proved to be very brave, independent, and loyal. These traits made him different from younger characters like Button-Bright or Bob Up. At the end of The Gnome King of Oz, Peter had an amazing offer. He could have become a prince in Oz! However, he chose to return home. He wanted to stay loyal to his friends and baseball team in Philadelphia. Peter also brought bags of gold back for his grandfather.
Peter's Personality and Spirit
Peter has a very carefree and adventurous spirit. He doesn't worry too much about things. In the first chapter of Jack Pumpkinhead of Oz, he casually wondered about the Gnome King. He asked if the Gnome King had "gotten into any more mischief." This shows Peter wasn't too worried about one of Oz's biggest villains!
Understanding Peter's Age
In Pirates in Oz, Peter's third adventure, there's a small puzzle about his age. The book says he is eleven years old. But it also mentions that five years had passed since his first adventure in The Gnome King of Oz. If five years passed, Peter would actually be fourteen. This might mean that the five years refer to time in Oz, not back in Philadelphia.
Ruth Plumly Thompson's Boy Heroes
Ruth Plumly Thompson often preferred to write about boy heroes. This was different from L. Frank Baum, who usually featured girls as his main characters. Baum's famous girl heroes include Dorothy Gale, Princess Ozma, Betsy Bobbin, and Trot. Peter Brown is the most well-known and important of Thompson's boy characters.
