The Magical Land of Noom

In Short

This whimsical fantasy follows two children, Johnny and Janey, whose backyard play turns into a literal voyage to the Moon. Once they arrive, they accidentally stir up trouble with a grumpy magician named Jingles, forcing their grandparents to embark on a rescue mission. Along the way, the party encounters talking animals, invisible people, and a displaced princess. It is a classic tale of domestic adventure that celebrates the comfort of hearth and home, sustained by its earnest, dreamlike tone and the persistent, protective pluck of its elderly protagonists.

The Story

Johnny and Janey, tired of waiting for their grandfather to finish chores, construct a crude flying machine from scrap boards and spools. Once airborne, they inadvertently drift far beyond the Earth, landing on the surface of the Moon. There, they discover a land of giant mushrooms and sour lemonade springs. Their exploration is cut short by a rude, magic-wielding man who threatens to turn them into pigs. Back home, the children’s grandparents, devastated by their disappearance, miraculously manage to track them down.

The family is soon caught in a whirlwind of magical mishaps. They encounter faun-boys, a "Soft-Voiced Cow" who eventually reveals herself to be a bewitched lady, and a prince-turned-magician who has lost his memory. The plot revolves around a journey toward the City of Nite to help a deposed princess regain her throne. Along the way, the travelers must navigate a bog of "molasses candy mud," survive a rain of ink, and thwart the persistent, spiteful schemes of Jingles, who chases them with a magic whistle.

The climax arrives at the royal palace, where the travelers confront the source of their woes. Gran’ma proves to be the most formidable member of the party, consistently standing her ground and famously tweaking the magician’s nose whenever he attempts to hex them. Through the intervention of a dancing master and the application of magic powder, the villainous Jingles is transformed back into a pleasant, young King. With the kingdom restored and the princess secure, the family is transported back to their own backyard. They arrive home to find their house exactly as they left it, settling in for a breakfast of ham and eggs, grateful to be surrounded by the familiar comforts of their own kitchen after their surreal, interstellar journey.

How It Unfolds

The voyage begins Johnny and Janey build a flying machine and accidentally drift until the Earth is a distant star. They land on the Moon, where they find a spring of lemonade and a threatening, magical stranger.

The grandparents intervene Hearing the children’s plight, the grandparents follow them to the Moon to initiate a rescue. They encounter the faun-boys and learn that the magician Jingles is the primary threat to the family.

The journey through the Moon The group traverses a strange landscape filled with giant flora and perilous obstacles like the "Rubber River." They gather allies, including an invisible man and woman, while constantly evading the pursuing magician.

The transformation of the villain Upon reaching the palace, the family confronts the magician. Gran’ma’s persistent physical intervention and the use of a magical powder reveal the magician to be a bewitched young king.

The return home With the kingdom saved, the family is whisked back to their own farm by a mysterious flying boat. They reunite with their quiet life, reflecting on the adventure as a strange but happy dream.

The People

Johnny and Janey are the curious, impulsive sparks of the story. While Johnny provides the initial drive to experiment, Janey’s caution is often overridden by their shared sense of wonder, leading them into the heart of magical danger.

Gran’ma and Gran’pa serve as the emotional anchors of the narrative. Gran’pa is an active, protective figure who uses his cane to fend off foes, but it is Gran’ma who truly defines the family’s spirit. She is remarkably bold, refusing to be intimidated by magic; her defining act is her persistent, no-nonsense "tweaking" of the villain’s nose, which symbolizes her victory over malice through sheer, stubborn humanity.

Jingles starts as a frustrated, spiteful hermit who uses his magic to bully the innocent. He is characterized by his obsession with control and his inability to cope with anyone else enjoying his “lemonade.” His eventual transformation into a young, pleasant King highlights the book’s underlying belief in the possibility of redemption.

The Soft-Voiced Cow, eventually revealed as a human, adds a layer of quiet dignity and gentle humor to the party. She acts as a sounding board for the children and a loyal companion who suffers indignities—like having her tail used as a tether—with grace.

In Its Own Voice

“Gran’pa struck them right and left with his cane, but was finally knocked down.”

Grandfather proves his devotion by attempting to defend his grandchildren against a group of wolves.

“Gran’ma, Janey and Mrs. Tiptoe rode in the Magic Umbrella and the men rode underneath.”

The group relies on a fantastical mode of transport to reach the Princess’s castle.

“Catching his long nose in her hands she gave it a tweak.”

Gran’ma takes a direct, physical approach to humbling the powerful, wicked magician.

What It's Really About

At its heart, the book argues that the most extraordinary adventures are only valuable because they eventually lead you back to where you belong. It explores the tension between the chaotic, often irrational nature of the magical world and the stability of the domestic sphere. The narrative suggests that kindness, persistence, and a strong sense of family are more effective against "wickedness" than any amount of sorcery. By placing a grandmother and grandfather at the center of the heroics, the book validates the idea that ordinary, elderly people possess a quiet strength—a moral clarity—that can tame the most hostile forces, whether they be magical magicians or the strange, ink-stained dangers of an alien lunar landscape.

Why Read It Today

This book will appeal to readers who enjoy the dreamlike, improvisational quality of early 20th-century fantasy. It captures a specific, charming era of storytelling where children and grandparents are partners in adventure, fueled by a curiosity that is both reckless and endearing. The prose is straightforward and episodic, making it feel like a series of interconnected bedtime stories rather than a modern, tight-plotted thriller.

Modern readers should be prepared for the book's period attitudes and its unconventional structure. The dialogue often features light dialect and the occasional nonsensical rhyme, reflecting the whimsical, somewhat surreal logic of the era’s children’s literature. There is no heavy-handed moralizing; instead, the story moves with a frantic, bouncy energy that mimics the logic of a dream. Because the book is largely a sequence of encounters—the Rubber River, the invisible people, the bog—it lacks the narrative tension of contemporary fantasy, but replaces it with a warm, steady heartbeat. If you are looking for a story where the threat of being turned into a pig is handled with the same domestic gravity as baking a batch of biscuits, this book offers a unique, nostalgic experience that emphasizes the restorative power of a home-cooked meal at the end of the day.