# Button-Bright — The Road to Oz character guide > Button-Bright in The Road to Oz by L. Frank Baum. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Button - Bright, poor Button - Bright, little Button - Bright **First appearance:** 0003-ii-dorothy-meets-button-bright ## Snapshot A small boy in a sailor hat who answers almost everything with "Don't know," and who is so thoroughly lost that being lost has stopped bothering him. ## Who they are Button-Bright attaches himself to the shaggy man at once — partly because of the Love Magnet, partly because he has nowhere else to be. He asks the fox-captain what a prisoner is, then what a captive is, and keeps asking until the captain admits that questions are how anyone learns anything. His blank incuriosity is comic, but it also makes him fearless in a way the older travelers are not, and it quietly earns him a place among Ozma's birthday guests. ## Relationships ### [Dorothy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_road_to_oz_se/characters/dorothy) _friendship_ Button-Bright is a lost boy who becomes Dorothy's loyal and curious companion during their adventures. ### [Shaggy Man](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_road_to_oz_se/characters/shaggy_man) _friendship_ Button-Bright and the Shaggy Man are travel companions, with the Shaggy Man looking after the boy during their journey. ### [King Dox](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_road_to_oz_se/characters/king_dox) _social_ Button-Bright encounters King Dox as a curious child meeting the fox king, with no deep connection. ### [Toto](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_road_to_oz_se/characters/toto) _friendship_ Button-Bright and Toto are casual companions, with the boy often playing or walking alongside the dog. ### [Dorothy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_road_to_oz_se/characters/dorothy) _friendship_ Button-Bright is a lost boy who becomes Dorothy's loyal and curious companion during their adventures. ### [Shaggy Man](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_road_to_oz_se/characters/shaggy_man) _friendship_ Button-Bright and the Shaggy Man are travel companions, with the Shaggy Man looking after the boy during their journey. ### [Dorothy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_road_to_oz_se/characters/dorothy) _friendship_ Button-Bright is a lost boy who becomes Dorothy's loyal and curious companion during their adventures. ### [King Dox](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_road_to_oz_se/characters/king_dox) _social_ Button-Bright encounters King Dox as a curious child meeting the fox king, with no deep connection. ### [King Dox](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_road_to_oz_se/characters/king_dox) _social_ Button-Bright encounters King Dox as a curious child meeting the fox king, with no deep connection. ### [Shaggy Man](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_road_to_oz_se/characters/shaggy_man) _friendship_ Button-Bright and the Shaggy Man are travel companions, with the Shaggy Man looking after the boy during their journey. ## In the story ### [To My Readers](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_road_to_oz_se/chapters/to-my-readers) Introduced as a new character, described as stupid little Button-Bright. ### [The Road to Oz](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_road_to_oz_se/chapters/the-road-to-oz) A lost boy who joins the group. ### [Dorothy Meets Button-Bright](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_road_to_oz_se/chapters/ii-dorothy-meets-button-bright) A lost little boy in sailor clothes who only answers 'don't know' to questions; he joins Dorothy and the Shaggy Man. ### [A Queer Village](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_road_to_oz_se/chapters/iii-a-queer-village) Asks many questions, including about prisoners and captives; holds the Shaggy Man's hand and is curious about the surroundings. ### [King Dox](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_road_to_oz_se/chapters/iv-king-dox) Still transformed with a fox head; comforted by Dorothy and praised by fox princesses. ### [The Rainbow's Daughter](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_road_to_oz_se/chapters/v-the-rainbow-s-daughter) Present but still transformed with a fox head; Dorothy notes his good nature. ### [The City of Beasts](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_road_to_oz_se/chapters/vi-the-city-of-beasts) Wears a fox head, eats turkey during lunch, and is mistaken for a fox by the donkeys. ### [The Shaggy Man's Transformation](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_road_to_oz_se/chapters/vii-the-shaggy-man-s-transformation) Still has a fox head from Foxville; observes the Shaggy Man's new donkey ears with interest, which distracts him from his own transformation. ### [VIII: The Musicker](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_road_to_oz_se/chapters/viii-the-musicker) Button-Bright is curious about the musicker, asks a whimsical question about swallowing a mouth-organ, and declares the musicker 'nice.' ### [IX: Facing the Scoodlers](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_road_to_oz_se/chapters/ix-facing-the-scoodlers) Frightened by the Scoodlers' threat, cries and protests being made into soup. ### [X: Escaping the Soup-Kettle](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_road_to_oz_se/chapters/x-escaping-the-soup-kettle) Frightened and repeatedly says 'Don't want to be soup'; carried by the Shaggy Man during the escape. ### [XI: Johnny Dooit Does It](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_road_to_oz_se/chapters/xi-johnny-dooit-does-it) Button-Bright is hungry and weary, but watches with interest as Johnny Dooit builds the sand-boat. ### [The Deadly Desert Crossed](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_road_to_oz_se/chapters/xii-the-deadly-desert-crossed) Button-Bright sits in front of Dorothy during the crossing; after the crash his fox head gets stuck in a gopher hole. ### [XIII: The Truth Pond](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_road_to_oz_se/chapters/xiii-the-truth-pond) Cries upon seeing his fox head in the pool; accidentally falls into the Truth Pond and is restored to his original appearance. ### [Tik-Tok and Billina](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_road_to_oz_se/chapters/xiv-tik-tok-and-billina) Fascinated by Tik-tok's clockwork nature, he wants to see the wheels inside and later winds the copper man. ### [The Emperor’s Tin Castle](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_road_to_oz_se/chapters/xv-the-emperor-s-tin-castle) Curious about the Tin Woodman's lack of appetite; enjoys the tin orchestra. ### [Visiting the Pumpkin-Field](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_road_to_oz_se/chapters/xvi-visiting-the-pumpkin-field) Winds up Tik-Tok's clockwork in the morning and becomes friends with Jack Pumpkinhead. ### [The Royal Chariot Arrives](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_road_to_oz_se/chapters/xvii-the-royal-chariot-arrives) Present in the group traveling toward the Emerald City. ### [The Emerald City](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_road_to_oz_se/chapters/xviii-the-emerald-city) Initially fearful of the Lion and Tiger but soon delighted; rides in the chariot and is amazed by the Emerald City. ### [The Shaggy Man's Welcome](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_road_to_oz_se/chapters/xix-the-shaggy-man-s-welcome) Dressed in a blue-and-gold satin suit, accompanies Dorothy to meet Ozma. ### [Princess Ozma of Oz](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_road_to_oz_se/chapters/xx-princess-ozma-of-oz) Sits beside Ozma, asks about the Musicker, and declines the Love Magnet. ### [Dorothy Receives the Guests](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_road_to_oz_se/chapters/xxi-dorothy-receives-the-guests) Joins breakfast and explains his name to the Scarecrow. ### [Important Arrivals](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_road_to_oz_se/chapters/xxii-important-arrivals) Button-Bright is recognized by Santa Claus, who knows his home, and he quickly befriends little King Bud of Noland. ### [The Grand Banquet](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_road_to_oz_se/chapters/xxiii-the-grand-banquet) So excited and interested by the festivities that he pays little attention to his dinner, focusing instead on the queer companions. ### [The Birthday Celebration](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_road_to_oz_se/chapters/xxiv-the-birthday-celebration) Walks with Polychrome in the procession and is beloved by the people. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_road_to_oz_se/characters/button_bright - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_road_to_oz_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_road_to_oz_se/characters