L. Frank Baum's Juvenile Speaker
Encyclopedia
L. Frank Baum's Juvenile Speaker: Readings and Recitations in Prose and Verse, Humorous and Otherwise is an anthology of literary works by L. Frank Baum
, author of the Oz books. The book was first published in 1910
, with illustrations by veteran Baum artists John R. Neill
and Maginel Wright Enright; a subsequent 1912 edition was retitled Baum's Own Book for Children. The book constitutes a complex element in the Baum bibliography.
Baum intended the anthology for schools, to be used in instruction in public speaking. The collection includes versions of previously published material from Baum's Oz books, Father Goose
, and other works, plus new selections like Prince Marvel, a short play for child actors based on The Enchanted Island of Yew
.
One of the selections is "Little Bun Rabbit," the final piece in Baum's Mother Goose in Prose
from 1897. The protagonist in Baum's version of the nursery rhyme is a little girl who can talk to animals — named Dorothy. When Baum reprinted in story in his Juvenile Speaker, he changed the character's name to Doris, to forestall confusion with Dorothy Gale
from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
.
Baum made other revisions in his reprinted texts. One example: the 20th chapter in The Wonderful Wizard, "The Dainty China Country," was revised into a stand-alone tale, "In Chinaland;" and Baum removed the detail in which the Cowardly Lion accidentally destroys a small china church with his tail.
issued stories from the anthology in six smaller 62-page books collectively called The Snuggle Tales, with black-and-white Neill illustrations. (They were originally sold for $0.40 each.) The publisher had used this approach successfully in the Little Wizard Stories of Oz
in 1913–14, as a way of reaching beginning readers. The six Snuggle Tales books are:
In turn, The Snuggle Tales were later republished with added color plates as the Oz-Man Tales, issued in 1920.
To illustrate the type of materials involved, consider the contents of the fourth Snuggle Tales volume, The Magic Cloak and Other Stories:
L. Frank Baum
Lyman Frank Baum was an American author of children's books, best known for writing The Wonderful Wizard of Oz...
, author of the Oz books. The book was first published in 1910
1910 in literature
The year 1910 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*April - Halley's comet reappears , and Mark Twain dies on April 21, 1910, the day following the comet's perihelion. In his biography, Twain had written, "I came in with Halley's comet in 1835. It's coming again...
, with illustrations by veteran Baum artists John R. Neill
John R. Neill
John Rea Neill was a magazine and children's book illustrator primarily known for illustrating more than forty stories set in the Land of Oz, including L. Frank Baum's, Ruth Plumly Thompson's, and three of his own. His pen-and-ink drawings have become identified almost exclusively with the Oz series...
and Maginel Wright Enright; a subsequent 1912 edition was retitled Baum's Own Book for Children. The book constitutes a complex element in the Baum bibliography.
Baum intended the anthology for schools, to be used in instruction in public speaking. The collection includes versions of previously published material from Baum's Oz books, Father Goose
Father Goose: His Book
Father Goose: His Book is a collection of nonsense poetry for children, written by L. Frank Baum and illustrated by W. W. Denslow, and first published in 1899. Though generally neglected a century later, the book was a groundbreaking sensation in its own era; "once America's best-selling children's...
, and other works, plus new selections like Prince Marvel, a short play for child actors based on The Enchanted Island of Yew
The Enchanted Island of Yew
The Enchanted Island of Yew: Whereon Prince Marvel Encountered the High Ki of Twi and Other Surprising People is a children's fantasy novel written by L. Frank Baum, illustrated by Fanny Y...
.
One of the selections is "Little Bun Rabbit," the final piece in Baum's Mother Goose in Prose
Mother Goose in Prose
Mother Goose in Prose is a collection of twenty-two children's stories based on Mother Goose nursery rhymes. It was the first children's book written by L. Frank Baum, and the first book illustrated by Maxfield Parrish. It was originally published in 1897 by Way and Williams of Chicago, and...
from 1897. The protagonist in Baum's version of the nursery rhyme is a little girl who can talk to animals — named Dorothy. When Baum reprinted in story in his Juvenile Speaker, he changed the character's name to Doris, to forestall confusion with Dorothy Gale
Dorothy Gale
Dorothy Gale is the protagonist of many of the Oz novels by American author L. Frank Baum, and the best friend of Oz's ruler Princess Ozma. Dorothy first appears in Baum's classic children's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and reappears in most of its sequels...
from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is a children's novel written by L. Frank Baum and illustrated by W. W. Denslow. Originally published by the George M. Hill Company in Chicago on May 17, 1900, it has since been reprinted numerous times, most often under the name The Wizard of Oz, which is the name of...
.
Baum made other revisions in his reprinted texts. One example: the 20th chapter in The Wonderful Wizard, "The Dainty China Country," was revised into a stand-alone tale, "In Chinaland;" and Baum removed the detail in which the Cowardly Lion accidentally destroys a small china church with his tail.
Reprints
Materials from the Juvenile Speaker were republished in different volumes in later years. In 1916 and 1917, Baum's publisher Reilly & BrittonReilly & Britton
The Reilly and Britton Company, or Reilly & Britton was an American publishing company of the early and middle 20th century, famous as the publisher of the works of L. Frank Baum.-Founding:...
issued stories from the anthology in six smaller 62-page books collectively called The Snuggle Tales, with black-and-white Neill illustrations. (They were originally sold for $0.40 each.) The publisher had used this approach successfully in the Little Wizard Stories of Oz
Little Wizard Stories of Oz
Little Wizard Stories of Oz is a set of six short stories written for young children by L. Frank Baum, the creator of the Oz books. The six tales were published in separate small booklets, "Oz books in miniature," in 1913, and then in a collected edition in 1914 with illustrations by John R. Neill...
in 1913–14, as a way of reaching beginning readers. The six Snuggle Tales books are:
- Little Bun Rabbit and Other Stories (1916)
- Once Upon a Time and Other Stories (1916)
- The Yellow Hen and Other Stories (1916)
- The Magic Cloak and Other Stories (1916)
- The Gingerbread Man (1917)
- Jack Pumpkinhead (1917).
In turn, The Snuggle Tales were later republished with added color plates as the Oz-Man Tales, issued in 1920.
To illustrate the type of materials involved, consider the contents of the fourth Snuggle Tales volume, The Magic Cloak and Other Stories:
- "The Weaving of the Magic Cloak" — from Queen Zixi of IxQueen Zixi of IxQueen Zixi of Ix, or The Story of the Magic Cloak is a children's book written by L. Frank Baum and illustrated by Frederick Richardson. It was originally serialized in the early 20th century American children's magazine St. Nicholas from November 1904 to October 1905, and was published in book...
- "When the Whistle Blows" (poem)
- "In Chinaland" — from The Wonderful Wizard of OzThe Wonderful Wizard of OzThe Wonderful Wizard of Oz is a children's novel written by L. Frank Baum and illustrated by W. W. Denslow. Originally published by the George M. Hill Company in Chicago on May 17, 1900, it has since been reprinted numerous times, most often under the name The Wizard of Oz, which is the name of...
- "The Greedy Goldfish" (poem)
- "Santa Claus's First Journey" — from The Life and Adventures of Santa ClausThe Life and Adventures of Santa ClausThe Life and Adventures of Santa Claus is a 1902 children's book, written by L. Frank Baum and illustrated by Mary Cowles Clark.-Infancy, Youth, Motivation:...
- "The Head of the King" — from The Magical Monarch of MoThe Magical Monarch of MoThe Surprising Adventures of the Magical Monarch of Mo and His People is the first full-length children's fantasy book by L. Frank Baum...
- "The Tramp" (poem)
- "The Mantle of Immortality" — from The Life and Adventures of Santa ClausThe Life and Adventures of Santa ClausThe Life and Adventures of Santa Claus is a 1902 children's book, written by L. Frank Baum and illustrated by Mary Cowles Clark.-Infancy, Youth, Motivation:...
- "The King of Thieves" — from The Enchanted Island of YewThe Enchanted Island of YewThe Enchanted Island of Yew: Whereon Prince Marvel Encountered the High Ki of Twi and Other Surprising People is a children's fantasy novel written by L. Frank Baum, illustrated by Fanny Y...
- "Melting a Wicked Witch" — from The Wonderful Wizard of OzThe Wonderful Wizard of OzThe Wonderful Wizard of Oz is a children's novel written by L. Frank Baum and illustrated by W. W. Denslow. Originally published by the George M. Hill Company in Chicago on May 17, 1900, it has since been reprinted numerous times, most often under the name The Wizard of Oz, which is the name of...
- "Miss Violin's Beau" (a punning poem)
- "The Beautiful Valley of Mo" — from The Magical Monarch of MoThe Magical Monarch of MoThe Surprising Adventures of the Magical Monarch of Mo and His People is the first full-length children's fantasy book by L. Frank Baum...
.