Del Rey Kabumpo

Michael Herring's cover for the Del Rey edition of Kabumpo in Oz features several of the main characters from the book. I think he goes a step too far in this piece, as he pretty much reveals the end of the book on the front cover - not always the best thing to do!

It's a fun painting featuring Kabumpo, Wag the rabbit, Prince Pompa, and Peg Amy the wooden doll. The overall image isn't based on any specific illustration by John R. Neill, although the characters are based on his concepts. Kabumpo himself is taken from a Neill illustration early in the story. Herring was less dependent on Neill's work for the covers of the Ruth Plumly Thompson titles.

The composition of this piece, with the large block of yellow wall at the top and the characters in the lower portion of the canvas, is obviously designed to provide background for the book title. The cover for Royal Book has a similar division. Most of the Herring paintings are not quite as divided as this, making use of sky and clouds to fill the areas that end up being obscured by type.

Not to be political, but I had to laugh when a relative of mine, with no Oz knowledge, was intrigued by this piece - he did his best to interpret it as a Republican elephant barring the way and shutting out a band of Democratic travelers. Not an interpretation I would ever have thought of!