Lost Lands of Oz

By Dr. Janet Kelly

Lost Lands of OZ is a series of new and exciting adventures exploring the mysterious lands
of OZ that L. Frank Baum wrote about in the books that followed his fi rst book, The Wizard
of OZ written in 1900. Before his death in 1919, Baum authored another 13 books based on
his characters in Oz.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Sep 20, 2013
• ISBN: 9781483691961

Dr. Janet Kelly

About the Author Janet Kelly, Ph.D. is an educator and writer of children's books. She has authored more than 50 publications, conducted many educational workshops, and given numerous presentations nationally and internationally. A former university professor and past Director of the Institute of Science, Mathematics, and Technology Education, she is on emeritus faculty at Texas Christian University. She resides on a ranch near Fort Worth, Texas.

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Copyright © 2013 by edu characters LLC. 141267-PATT

ISBN: Softcover: 978-1-4836-9194-7

Hardcover: 978-1-4836-9195-4

EBook 978-1-4836-7179-6

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Rev. date: 09/26/2013

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Contents

Poof!

There’s a Bug in the House!

The Big Picture

Which Witch Is This?

What Do a Frogman, a Tin Man, and a Pumpkinhead Make?

War and Pieces

Now You See It, Now You Don’t!

Dark and Dangerous

And This Is Only the Beginning!

How This All Began

Lost Lands of OZ® is a series of new and exciting adventures exploring the mysterious lands of OZ that L. Frank Baum wrote about in the books that followed his first book, The Wizard of OZ written in 1900. Before his death in 1919, Baum authored another 13 books based on his characters in Oz.

The first book in the series, The Rain King Is Missing, is an original story based on the amazing geography, the magical places, fascinating characters and unbelievable things that Baum created in his timeless books. We’re introduced to the beautiful fairy princess, Ozma, who is truly the real ruler of OZ. Although she’s only 16 years old, Ozma is the most omniscient and omnipotent in all of OZ. She fairly rules over the land of OZ with Glinda, the good witch. But today evil clouds hang over Emerald City.

Wicked forces in the Outer Lands of Oz are trying to take control of the magical kingdom by capturing the Rain King. It’s a race against time as Princess Ozma enlists the help of three young detectives and one kid sister to find the Rain King before it’s too late, and the plush, green Land of Oz shrivels into a barren wasteland.

Children of all ages can now explore the magical lands and meet new characters as they journey with our search party. With OZ maps they will discover clues, learn problem solving and important life lessons along the way. The Rain King Is Missing will challenge their minds and open up their imagination.

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Poof!

Princess Ozma, Supreme Ruler of the Land of Oz, paced the floor of her dazzling, jeweled throne room, which was decorated in the finest emeralds, diamonds, and pearls. The beautiful princess, with long, blond hair and sparkling green eyes, was obviously troubled. Yesterday, something terrible happened, and she was beside herself with worry. The Rain King, Ruler of the Sky, and a close friend, came to visit and, without any warning, mysteriously vanished.

The princess knew the Rain King liked to play practical jokes, but too much time had passed since his disappearance. Surely, he wouldn’t hide for this long! Besides when the Rain King pulled a poof act on Ozma, he couldn’t resist leaving behind clues for her to solve. But, to Ozma’s dismay, there were no clues. She had searched the palace herself, but there was nothing. She became convinced something unusually peculiar had lured away the Rain King from the palace. But what was it? Who was it? The Princess couldn’t understand why anyone would do this. Sadly, she had no answers, only questions.

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Ozma tried to remember the events of the previous day. She recalled that she and the Rain King had been seated in the throne room, having tea and discussing her latest creation–the seven life treasure scrolls that sat open and in plain sight on the emerald-topped table. Ozma considered the design of these scrolls one of her finest achievements, and she couldn’t resist sharing them with her good friend. These scrolls possessed some of Ozma’s best magic because they contained secrets that she held most sacred for quality of life in Oz.

The Rain King admired her beautiful creation. His royal fingers traced the gold-printed words written on the finest parchment. Who will receive these precious life treasure scrolls?

Ozma replied simply, Children. She told the Rain King, I made the scrolls with magical powers. Once sealed, the scrolls you are looking at now will transform immediately into solid gold bricks with each life treasure secret buried inside. Only the hand of a child who has experienced a particular life treasure can unlock the scroll and receive its gift.

And do you alone have the power to seal the scrolls? asked the king.

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The princess nodded. Only I have the power to close the scrolls with one exception. If the scrolls are touched by enemies to the Kingdom of Oz, they will lock immediately.

Can you re-open them once they are sealed?

Ozma shook her head.

The Rain King was quite perplexed. You mean you cannot open your own scrolls once they are locked?

Only the hand of a child will open them. And that child must experience the life treasure before the scroll will open.

The Rain King smiled. A treasure to behold. A secret to be told.

Not long after the King had uttered these final words to her, the princess fell into a deep, deep sleep. Hours later, when she awoke, the Rain King was gone, and the once-open scrolls were now seven bricks of gold that lay before her. Each of these seven bricks of gold contained a message that was so top secret that the words would remain invisible to all, except the intended recipient. With a single touch, the message holder could breathe life into the scroll, and the secret words would magically appear before their eyes once the gold brick transformed.

Clearly frustrated by the situation, she fussed at herself. "Oh, how I wish I hadn’t gone

to sleep!"

The princess knew the Rain King didn’t have the power to put her to sleep, and who, but an enemy, would do that to her? And why? And where, oh where, was the Rain King? The Land of Oz needed him. With his rainbow, the Rain King traveled Oz spreading rain across the land with lots of good cheer. He alone provided the precipitation and drinking water for all inhabitants of Oz. He made the plants green and the flowers beautiful. Now, he had disappeared without so much as a trace.

The Princess retrieved a gold bar, and in the light, she saw something that she had not previously noticed. It was a tiny, vapor-charged rainbow that was barely visible to the eye. It was the Rain King’s unmistakable signature. No one else could leave the rainbow mark, except him. Strange, she thought to herself, that he would do this.

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One by one, she picked up each gold brick and examined it. Just as she suspected–each one carried his rainbow trademark. She caught her breath!

Now she understood why the Rain King had left his signature—or, at least, she thought she did. Only he knew Ozma’s secret about the scrolls; that is, once they were sealed and locked, only the touch of a child could open them. Could it be the Rain King had left her clues in each of the scrolls?

In desperation, the Princess mumbled something under her breath, tossed a brick into the air, and tried to reverse her own magic. But it didn’t work. Ozma raced to catch it before the brick smashed into the floor. She was afraid of that. No other hand could open it—not even hers. She was unable to reverse her own magic.

Ozma rushed to the picture that hung on the wall in front of her. This was no ordinary picture, it was a Magic Picture, and