The Magic Dishpan of Oz
| Author | Jeff Freedman |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Denis McFarling |
| Cover artist | Denis McFarling |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | The Oz Books |
| Genre | Children's novel Fantasy |
| Publisher | Emerald City Press / Books of Wonder |
|
Publication date
|
1994 |
| Media type | |
| Pages | 108 |
| ISBN | |
| OCLC | 33988248 |
The Magic Dishpan of Oz is a 1994 children's book written by Jeff Freedman and illustrated by Denis McFarling. As its title indicates, the book is one contribution to the ever-growing literature on the Land of Oz, originated by L. Frank Baum and continued by many successors.
The book was published by the Emerald City Press, an imprint of Books of Wonder that specializes in Oz literature.
Freedman's book draws on the general Oz mythos, and in particular on two volumes of the "Famous Forty" — Baum's The Lost Princess of Oz (1917) and Ruth Plumly Thompson's The Silver Princess in Oz (1938). The magic dishpan of Freedman's title is the diamond-encrusted golden dishpan that belonged to Cayke the Cookie Cook in the Baum book.
The protagonists of The Magic Dishpan of Oz are two sisters, seven-year-old Rebecca and three-year-old Shoshanna. Natives of Oregon, the two girls are playing by a stream near their home one day, when they find an unusual frog. The animal seems to want to communicate with them, and Shoshanna thinks she can understand it. The frog (they come to call it "Froggie") also appears to want them to follow it; and when the girls do, Froggie leads them to a semi-submerged object, a gem-studded gold dishpan. The girls take their new treasure home. At one point, Rebecca says, "Oh, I just wish I knew where this dishpan came from!" The magic talisman obligingly transports the girls (and frog) to Oz.
Familiar as they are with Oz from books, Rebecca and Shoshanna are unpleasantly surprised by the welcome they receive. Landing in the Winkie Country, they find that the locals are hostile and suspicious, so much so that the girls are locked in a barn overnight, so that they can be turned over to "our illustrious Magician" the next day. With the aid of some friendly talking sheep, girls escape with the dishpan. (And frog. They concluded that Froggie is under an enchantment, since he does not gain the ability to speak when he comes to Oz. At one point, Shoshanna impulsively tries to kiss the frog, but he evades her lips.) The children make their way toward the Emerald City along the yellow brick road. In an abandoned house, the girls find Scraps the Patchwork Girl, the Scarecrow, and the Tin Woodman, disassembled. The three Oz inhabitants are quickly restored to normal.
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