The Magical Land of Noom

by Johnny Gruelle

Come on a high-flying adventure with Johnny and Janey as they travel from their own backyard to the mysterious enchanted kingdom they discover on the other side of the moon.
When Johnny and Janey build their Flying Machine out of some old boards and wooden spools, the last thing they expect is for it to actually take off! But that's just what happens, and before they know it, they're soaring high above the clouds on their way to the Magical Land of Noom.
Filled with such wonders as mushrooms that taste of ginger cake and flowing springs of lemonade, Noom seems like a paradise to the children. But the lemonade springs belong to the wicked magician Old jingles, who has kidnapped the beautiful Princess of Nite .
Setting out to rescue the princess and return her to her throne, Johnny and Janey are aided by the many friends they find in Noom, including the kind and gentle Soft-Voiced Cow, the spirited Fun Boys, and the exuberant Mr. Tiptoe and his miraculous umbrella. But can this intrepid band defeat the wily Old Jingles and all his tricks?
Johnny Gruelle -- who introduced the world to Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy, everyone's favorite rag dolls -- is the creator of this stirring, heartwarming tale. Filled with gentle wisdom and delightful whimsy, it is a wonderful introduction to the boundless imagination and loving spirit of Johnny Gruelle.

Genres: Childrens, Fantasy, Classics, Juvenile

158 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1922

About the author

Johnny Gruelle was an American artist, political cartoonist, children's book author and illustrator (and even songwriter). He is known as the creator of Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy. He had such confidence in his design that often he would create the final ink work without first sketching in pencil.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_G...

Reviews

[Nancy C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing to find this book still in publication! I reread my 1922 copy, all tattered and stained (probably a first edition inherited from my own parents) and searched Amazon to see if it was still in print. Voila! - And there it was, including the author’s original drawings. I believe the greatest gift you can give any child is the opportunity to enjoy the fantasy and magic of books. Noom has it all - bubbling lemonade springs, flying umbrellas, a sleeping princess, faun-boys, and so much more. Since my copy is so fragile, I ordered a new edition and can’t wait to compare it with the original. Truly mesmerizing!

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

Until recently I'd never heard of Johnny Gruelle (who created Raggedy Ann) or The Magical Land of Noom, but this kids' book from 1922 was a cute/fun read. At the start, we meet Johnny and his sister Janey, who decide to use the boards left over from the chicken coop their grandfather just built to make themselves a Flying Machine so they can pretend to fly to the Moon. Except the machine somehow actually takes flight, and they somehow actually land on the Moon, which turns out to be a magical place with lemonade springs and giant mushrooms that taste like cake. The kids soon cross paths with a magician, though, and find themselves in a (literal) bind. Luckily their grandparents, having seen them fly off, decide to make a Flying Machine of their own to come after them, so they're able to help the kids out. Except now they're all on the Moon and the magician's threatening to turn them all into animals. They proceed from one adventure/scrape to the next, meeting various characters as they try to make their way to the city of Nite, where they've heard there's someone who can help them get home.

While the characters feel more slight to me than those in other kids' books I like more, I did have fun reading this: the episodic nature of the story kept me interested in what was coming next. There are pleasing little details, like when the characters are attacked by flying boxing gloves, or when they catch fish that end up tasting like other foods entirely when they're cooked, or when a storm turns out to be a rain of ink. And I like Gruelle's illustrations a whole lot. (Here are four of my favorites: 1, 2, 3, 4)

[Tisha (IG: Bluestocking629) · Rating 5 out of 5]

57? 57 Ratings and 9 Reviews???
How, is that even possible?

I implore you to seek out this book. I purchased the Pook Press edition. This is a reprint of the 1922 book. It was a wonderful edition. The size of the book and the size of the font are perfect for wee ones. (or senior eyes).

And the illustrations? Amazing!!! I am in awe. If I had not an intention of rereading this book, I may tear it apart to frame some of the illustrations. But rereading is more important.

The story had me thinking of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland the entire time. I’m not 100% sure but there is a slight chance I enjoyed Noom more than Wonderland. I know!

What a magical fantastical story! What may have given Noom the edge was the inclusion of adults. Like real adults, not Madd Hatter like. Well, not all of them 😉

Trust me – read this book!!

[Ariel Goo · Rating 4 out of 5]

A creatively imaginative read that follows Johnny and Janey after they have discovered they have created a flying machine. They travel to the other side of the moon where they find the kingdom where a princess has gone missing. With the help of other characters and the run-ins with wonderful spirited amusements such as mushrooms and drinks and yummy foods, it has a slight sense of Alice in Wonderland. The children must eventually conquer the antagonist Old Jingles and save the princess ultimately to help the kingdom. This creative read is by the creator if Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy it was very enlightening to learn he was an author as well. I would use this in class as a creative fictional read for students and have them analyze the issues within the story.

[Heather Tribe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bravo for Johnny Gruelle's imagination! Wow! It was fun to read this to my son while discussing how, when this was written, it was some 40 years before humanity would first walk on the moon, and so was still very much a mystery. There is something to be said for the "not knowing"... a temporary gift to the imagination that accommodates for mushroom forests, magic and beautiful cities and soft-spoken cows!

[MaryJo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Historically interesting. This book, as I was told, was written in part because The Wizard of Oz was such a success. The story, however, is difficult to follow as it seems to skip aspects that would connect the various sections.
Entertainingly old-fashion.

[Mhd]

[rec rom Nancy]

[Tyler Vick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun book which sparks the imagination of young readers! Several surprises along the way and a nice ending as well.

[Rylan S. · Rating 2 out of 5]

A lot of awkward writing and not-so-great plotting and characters. If you are looking for something in the magical, imaginative vein try The Wizard of Oz.

[Christina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gruelle, best known for writing the Raggedy Ann and Andy stories that inspired the dolls, published this children's novel in 1922 to capitalize on the popularity of the Oz books. Like many children's stories, it follows the adventures of ordinary children who have a series of episodic adventures in a magical land. A brother and sister build a rough spaceship which actually works, taking them to the far side of the moon (and the title makes sense). Because it was written in the 1920s, before we knew much about the moon, it's as much a fantasy world as Oz, Wonderland, or Neverland. The moon is surprisingly like earth, but with a malignant magician, talking animals, and a surprising amount of sweets. There are houses and villages, and mushrooms that taste like cake ( but have no magic effect). There are also some random reflections of the period-- the male characters must fight magical attacking boxing gloves, and at another point are stuck in a cave that fills with popcorn and molasses to make caramel corn, and (most disturbing) a bare electric wire is used as a trap, electrocuting anyone who touches it with a strong enough current that the person can't let go. Where it differs from most stories of this ilk is that the kids' grandparents quickly notice the children are missing, build their own rocket ship and go to rescue them, leading to the four of them being trapped in Noom. I'm not sure how this went over with kids then, but can you imagine Harry Potter with his grandparents following him to Hogwarts? (Come to think of it, what did happen to Harry's grandparents? But I digress...) There's a bit of a twist at the end, but it's problematic as the rationale is left unresolved. Today, I would assume there was a planned sequel, but I think the author didn't know how to resolve it himself so left it intentionally hanging.
This Books of Wonder edition is part of a series published by the children's bookstore in New York. In 1985 they started an imprint with William Moorow, now part of HarperCollins, publishing over 60 children's classics in beautiful hardcover editions with full color illustrations. Unfortunately, the majority of these books are now out of print, but I've been trying to track them down which is how I came across this rather odd book. It includes the author's black and white and 12-color plate illustrations, and a charming map on the endpapers showing the path of the characters' adventures.

[Vivian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four stars for creativity, and nostalgia. I began reading this to my youngest child years ago, and then we moved before we finished it. Recently she wondered about it, so even though she is now fifteen, we borrowed it through inter-library loan and read it together. It is delightful and very reminiscent of the Oz stories, which I so loved as a child.

Gruelle, most famous for his Raggedy Ann and Andy stories, was born nine years before my paternal grandmother and published this the year she had her youngest child--my father. (More fun for me, these "hooks".) I wish I'd snapped up a copy of this little treasure when it was reissued by William Morrow and Company as one of the "Books of Wonder Classics" in 1998. Already it is collectible, starting at $41 and going all the way up to over $200 at Amazon.

One interesting aspect of reading an older story is the glimpse it gives of everyday life in that time period -- what people knew, assumed, valued, deplored, and so forth. One thing I enjoyed in the Oz books and this one as well were all the magical ways of obtaining food. I don't think today's children think about food so much, so this may not be as enchanting to them as it was to me.

I especially enjoyed the sudden change of nature brought about by means of a puff of magic powder upon some of the characters. Not that the book cries out to be examined or discussed...BUT, if one were so inclined, there are little gems scattered throughout the story that can be "chewed" pleasurably.

[Nathan Dehoff · Rating 3 out of 5]

While best known as the creator of Raggedy Ann, Gruelle also wrote this book, originally published in 1922. It begins with two children, Johnny and Janey, building a flying machine out of wood and other scraps. Somehow, it actually starts flying, taking the kids to the far side of the Moon, hence the title. Their grandparents follow them in a flying boat of their own, also with no explanation as to how it would work. It's interesting that the children are accompanied by adult guardians, which seems a little unusual for such fantasies, but the grandparents are pretty whimsical and accepting of the strange place where they find themselves. It includes such children's fantasy staples as edible landscape, a flying umbrella, and lots of enchantments. There are two villains terrorizing the land, a rhyming magician and a nasty witch. It's not the most original story, I suppose, but it's pretty charming, and has impressive illustrations by the author. Like a lot of other children's books around the time, it bears some clear resemblance to the Oz books. And eventually, Ray Powell would bring Raggedy Ann and Andy into Oz, so there's an additional connection.

[Cicely · Rating 5 out of 5]

The same author who created Raggedy Ann, this story is amusing.

[Vicky · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was really cute, fun and imaginative! The boys loved it.