When my dear friend Stilo asked if I’d read The Land of Green Ginger, I said no but thought she was talking about the Winifred Holtby novel of that name. I also haven’t read The Land of Green Ginger (1937) by Noel Langley, but it had the added distinction that I hadn’t heard of it. I’d only heard of Langley’s novel Cage Me a Peacock, and had read nothing by him – and was only about 70% sure he was a man.
Well, Stilo said she and her mum loved it, and lent me her copy – illustrated by the wonderful Edward Ardizzone. It’s a sort of sequel to Aladdin, about his son Abu Ali (who can talk from birth).
“I understand you called the Queen Mother a Button-Nosed Tortoise?” he inquired.
“That’s not quite true,” replied his SOn and Heir politely. “I only said she had a Face like One.”
“He only said you had a Face like One, Mamma,” Aladdin explained weakly.
“And what right had he to say even that?” demanded the Widow Twankey indignantly. “Even if there were such a thing as a Button-Nosed Tortoise; he hasn’t seen one!”
“True,” agreed the Son and Heir, “but I’d know him as soon as I saw him!”
“How?” the Widow Twankey challenged him.
“It’d look like you,” said the Son and Heir simply.
Fast forward a bit and as a young man, he has to go on a quest to win the love of a fair maiden. Yes, it’s a children’s book – but it’s extremely funny. I love any author who can get humour from mixing tones successfully. Playing with the expectations of register, and distorting them, is the sort of whimsical wit that I rush towards – and The Land of Green Ginger was great fun. I’m keen to see what other sorts of things Langley wrote…
Noel Langley was also one of the screenwriters of my favorite movie, “The Wizard of Oz.” He was responsible for changing Dorothy’s silver shoes to the famous Ruby Slippers.
This sounds great fun. BTW I started the memoir When We Were Young and Gay by Cornelia Otis Skinner yesterday (audio version). Very lively! Thanks for introducing me to her.
Ooh – sounds lovely, and Ardizzone, too – bliss!
Yay I am glad you liked it! Now you know I suggest good books you’ll be happy to read any teen fiction/horrifying Scandi thrillers I suggest right?
Stilo xoxo
The Land of Green Ginger is great. But do try to get the 1966 edition of the text with 12 1/2 chapters. Noel Langley revised it in 1973 or 1975, and cut Nosi Parka out. The current UK Kindle edition seems to be the 1966 text.