The Hungry Tiger of Oz

Chicago: The Reilly & Lee Co. Reprint, ca. 1933 to late 1950s. Octavo (23.5cm); red cloth-covered boards, with titling and decorations stamped in black on spine, with semi-script publisher's imprint, and illustrated front cover label; pictorial endpapers; 261pp; black and white illustrations throughout. Previous owner's name erased from ownership page. Spine-faded, with shelf-wear, and rubbing to board edges; Good.

"Publication of The Hungry Tiger of Oz in 1926 brought a flurry of promotional gimmicks, including a revival of The Ozmapolitan newspaper that had originally been used by Reilly & Britton to promote The Marvelous Land of Oz in 1904. The paper urged children to join the Ozmite Club and receive 'a special Ozmite pin to wear, a newspaper of their own, Oz secrets, parties, games, picnics, etc.'" (see Bienvenue & Schmidt, The Book Collector's Guide to L. Frank Baum, p.96).

Artist's name misprinted on cover label, as was common: "From the first book he illustrated to the last one published during his lifetime (Lucky Bucky in Oz, 1942), Neill often signed his drawings 'Jno' (sometimes followed by a period) rather than John, with 15 of Thompson's 19 official Oz titles carrying that attribution on the cover" (see Bienvenue & Schmidt, The Book Collector's Guide to L. Frank Baum, p.125).