The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

By L. Frank Baum

Dorothy and her little dog Toto are swept away from their home in Kansas by a powerful tornado and dropped into an enchanting new land called Oz. To get home, the Witch of the North tells her she must follow the yellow brick road to the Emerald City and ask the mysterious Wizard of Oz for help. Along the way, she meets the Tin Man, the Scarecrow, and the Cowardly Lion, and together they embark on a strange and magical adventure.
 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Union Square Kids
• Release date: Dec 6, 2022
• ISBN: 9781454945734

L. Frank Baum

L. Frank Baum (1856-1919) published The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in 1900 and received enormous, immediate success. Baum went on to write seventeen additional novels in the Oz series. Today, he is considered the father of the American fairy tale. His stories inspired the 1939 classic film The Wizard of Oz, one of the most widely viewed movies of all time. MinaLima is an award-winning graphic design studio founded by Miraphora Mina and Eduardo Lima, renowned for establishing the visual graphic style of the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts film series. Specializing in graphic design and illustration, Miraphora and Eduardo have continued their involvement in the Harry Potter franchise through numerous design commissions, from creating all the graphic elements for The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Diagon Alley at Universal Orlando Resort, to designing award-winning publications for the brand. Their best-selling books include Harry Potter and the Philospher’s Stone, Harry Potter Film Wizardry, The Case of Beasts: Explore the Film Wizardry of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, The Archive of Magic: Explore the Film Wizardry of Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, and J.K. Rowling’s Fantastic Beasts screenplays. MinaLima studio is renowned internationally for telling stories through design and has created its own MinaLima Classics series, reimagining a growing collection of much-loved tales including Peter Pan, The Secret Garden, and Pinocchio.

Book preview

Introduction

FOLK LORE, LEGENDS, MYTHS AND FAIRY TALES HAVE FOLLOWED childhood through the ages, for every healthy youngster has a wholesome and instinctive love for stories fantastic, marvelous and manifestly unreal. The winged fairies of Grimm and Andersen have brought more happiness to childish hearts than all other human creations.

Yet the old-time fairy tale, having served for generations, may now be classed as historical in the children’s library; for the time has come for a series of newer wonder tales in which the stereotyped genie, dwarf and fairy are eliminated, together with all the horrible and bloodcurdling incident devised by their authors to point a fearsome moral to each tale. Modern education includes morality; therefore the modern child seeks only entertainment in its wonder-tales and gladly dispenses with all disagreeable incident.

Having this thought in mind, the story of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz was written solely to pleasure children of today. It aspires to being a modernized fairy tale, in which the wonderment and joy are retained and the heart-aches and nightmares are left out.

L. Frank Baum

Chicago, April, 1900.

Chapter 1

The Cyclone

DOROTHY LIVED IN THE MIDST OF THE GREAT KANSAS PRAIRIES, WITH Uncle Henry, who was a farmer, and Aunt Em, who was the farmer’s wife. Their house was small, for the lumber to build it had to be carried by wagon many miles. There were four walls, a floor and a roof, which made one room; and this room contained a rusty looking cooking stove, a cupboard for the dishes, a table, three or four chairs, and the beds. Uncle Henry and Aunt Em had a big bed in one corner, and Dorothy a little bed in another corner. There was no garret at all, and no cellar—except a small hole, dug in the ground, called a cyclone cellar, where the family could go in case one of those great whirlwinds arose, mighty enough to crush any building in its path. It was reached by a trap-door in the middle of the floor, from which a ladder led down into the small, dark hole.

When Dorothy stood in the doorway and looked around, she could see nothing but the great gray prairie on every side. Not a tree nor a house broke the broad sweep of flat country that reached the edge of the sky in all directions. The sun had baked the plowed land into a gray mass, with little cracks running through it. Even the grass was not green, for the sun had burned the tops of the long blades until they were the same gray color to be seen everywhere. Once the house had been painted, but the sun blistered the paint and the rains washed it away, and now the house was as dull and gray as everything else.

When Aunt Em came there to live she was a young, pretty wife. The sun and wind had changed her, too. They had taken the sparkle from her eyes and left them a sober gray; they had taken the red from her cheeks and lips, and they were gray also. She was thin and gaunt, and never smiled, now. When Dorothy, who was an orphan, first came to her, Aunt Em had been so startled by the child’s laughter that she would scream and press her hand upon her heart whenever Dorothy’s merry voice reached her ears; and she still looked at the little girl with wonder that she could find anything to laugh at.

Uncle Henry never laughed. He worked hard from morning till night and did not know what joy was. He was gray also, from his long beard to his rough boots, and he looked stern and solemn, and rarely spoke.

It was Toto that made Dorothy laugh, and saved her from growing as gray as her other surroundings. Toto was not gray; he was a little black dog, with long, silky hair and small black eyes that twinkled merrily on either side of his funny, wee nose. Toto played all day long, and Dorothy played with him, and loved him dearly.

To-day, however, they were not playing. Uncle Henry sat upon the door-step and looked anxiously at the sky, which was even grayer than usual. Dorothy stood in the door with Toto in her arms, and looked at the sky too. Aunt Em was washing the dishes.

From the far north they heard a low wail on the wind, and Uncle Henry and Dorothy could see where the long grass bowed in waves before the coming storm. There now came a sharp whistling in the air from the south, and as they turned their eyes that way they saw ripples in the grass coming from that direction also.

Suddenly Uncle Henry stood up.

There’s a cyclone coming, Em, he called to his wife; I’ll go look after the stock. Then he ran toward the sheds where the cows and horses were kept.

Aunt Em dropped her work and came to the door. One glance told her of the danger close at hand.

Quick, Dorothy! she screamed; run for the cellar!

Toto jumped out of Dorothy’s arms and hid under the bed, and the girl started to get him. Aunt Em, badly frightened, threw open the trapdoor in the floor and climbed down the ladder into the small, dark hole. Dorothy caught Toto at last, and started to follow her aunt. When she was half way across the room there came a great shriek from the wind, and the house shook so hard that she lost her footing and sat down suddenly upon the floor.

A strange thing then happened.

The house whirled around two or three times and rose slowly through the air. Dorothy felt as if she were going up in a balloon.

The north and south winds met where the house stood, and made it the exact center of the cyclone. In the middle of a cyclone the air is generally still, but the great pressure of the wind on every side of the house raised it up higher and higher, until it was at the very top of the cyclone; and there it remained and was carried miles and miles away as easily as you could carry a feather.

It was very dark, and the wind howled horribly around her, but Dorothy found she was riding quite easily. After the first few whirls around, and one other time when the house tipped badly, she felt as if she were being rocked gently, like a baby in a cradle.

Toto did not like it. He ran about the room, now here, now there, barking loudly; but Dorothy sat quite still on the floor and waited to see what would happen.

Once Toto got too near the open trap-door, and fell in; and at first the little girl thought she had lost him. But soon she saw one of his ears sticking up through the hole, for the strong pressure of the air was keeping him up so that he could not fall. She crept to the hole, caught Toto by the ear, and dragged him into the room again; afterward closing the trap-door so that no more accidents could happen.

Hour after hour passed away, and slowly Dorothy got over her fright; but she felt quite lonely, and the wind shrieked so loudly all about her that she nearly became deaf. At first she had wondered if she would be dashed to pieces when the house fell again; but as the hours passed and nothing terrible happened, she stopped worrying and resolved to wait calmly and see what the future would bring. At last she crawled over the swaying floor to her bed and lay down upon it; and Toto followed and lay down beside her.

In spite of the swaying of the house and the wailing of the wind, Dorothy soon closed her eyes and fell fast asleep.

Chapter 2

The Council with The Munchkins

SHE WAS AWAKENED BY A SHOCK, SO SUDDEN AND SEVERE THAT IF Dorothy had not been lying on the soft bed she might have been hurt. As it was, the jar made her catch her breath and wonder what had happened; and Toto put his cold little nose into her face and whined dismally. Dorothy sat up and noticed that the house was not moving; nor was it dark, for the bright sunshine came in at the window, flooding the little room. She sprang from her bed and with Toto at her heels ran and opened the door.

The little girl gave a cry of amazement and looked about her, her eyes growing bigger and bigger at the wonderful sights she saw.

The cyclone had set the house down, very gently—for a cyclone—in the midst of a country of marvelous beauty. There were lovely patches of green sward all about, with stately trees bearing rich and luscious fruits. Banks of gorgeous flowers were on every hand, and birds with rare and brilliant plumage sang and fluttered in the trees and bushes. A little way off was a small brook, rushing and sparkling along between green banks, and murmuring in a voice very grateful to a little girl who had lived so long on the dry, gray prairies.

While she stood looking eagerly at the strange and beautiful sights, she noticed coming toward her a group of the queerest people she had ever seen. They were not as big as the grown folk she had always been used to; but neither were they very small. In fact, they seemed about as tall as Dorothy, who was a well-grown child for her age, although they were, so far as looks go, many years older.

Three were men and one a woman, and all were oddly dressed. They wore round hats that rose to a small point a foot above their heads, with little bells around the brims that tinkled sweetly as they moved. The hats of the men were blue; the little woman’s hat was white, and she wore a white gown that hung in plaits from her shoulders; over it were sprinkled little stars that glistened in the sun like diamonds. The men were dressed in blue, of the same shade as their hats, and wore well polished boots with a deep roll of blue at the tops. The men, Dorothy thought, were about as old as Uncle Henry, for two of them had beards. But the little woman was doubtless much older: her face was covered with wrinkles, her hair was nearly white, and she walked rather stiffly.

When these people drew near the house where Dorothy was standing in the doorway, they paused and whispered among themselves, as if afraid to come farther. But the little old woman walked up to Dorothy, made a low bow and said, in a sweet voice,

You are welcome, most noble Sorceress, to the land of the Munchkins. We are so grateful to you for having killed the wicked Witch of the East, and for setting our people free from bondage.

Dorothy listened to this speech with wonder. What could the little woman possibly mean by calling her a sorceress, and saying she had killed the wicked Witch of the East? Dorothy was an innocent, harmless little girl, who had been carried by a cyclone many miles from home; and she had never killed anything in all her life.

But the little woman evidently expected her to answer; so Dorothy said, with hesitation,

You are very kind; but there must be some mistake. I have not killed anything.

Your house did, anyway, replied the little old woman, with a laugh; and that is the same thing. See! she continued, pointing to the corner of the house; there are her two toes, still sticking out from under a block of wood.

Dorothy looked, and gave a little cry of fright. There, indeed, just under the corner of the great beam the house rested on, two feet were sticking out, shod in silver shoes with pointed toes.

Oh, dear! oh, dear! cried Dorothy, clasping her hands together in dismay; "the house must have fallen

Reviews for The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

[cbl_tn · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I watched the movie The Wizard of Oz so many times as a child that I practically had the film memorized, but I had never read the book it was based on. Some of the details in the book were changed in the film version. (For instance, Dorothy’s shoes are silver in the book, not red as in the movie.) There are scenes in the book that were left out of the movie. Despite the differences, the book is just as enjoyable as the film. I enjoyed traveling the yellow brick road with Dorothy and Toto, the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion. And I can’t imagine a narrator who could better Brooke Shields’ audio performance.

[hipney · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

i loved this book as a child in primary school the library had a beautiful old hard cover version of this book. I would get this book out as often as i could and read it over and over.

[viragoreads · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This was just meh. I've been ruined be certain movie versions (and I don'tmean the Judy Garland version.) The story just didn't hit me they way I wanted it to.

[the_literary_jedi · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I can't believe I haven't actually taken the time to read this book. It is amazingly short - 213 pages in this edition not including Introductions and extras.The chapters are simple and short. The story is just on the edge of frightful because Baum himself disliked scary stories as a child and vowed not to write his like that.There are several changes from the book to the Judy Garland version (duh, though still a classic). I am beyond please and really liked this.Listened as an audiobook and was able to finish this in under 4 hours.Highly recommend it for all ages.**All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

[akbouterse · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A very cute little book. I read this before as a child but it has been quite some time. I always forget how this book can seem quite different from the movie in some parts. It is actually much more similar to the play version that my class did when I was in 4th grade. This book is cute and fun and very nostalgic for many. It is obvious for a younger audience and some parts are less exciting than I remember them being but that's to be expected. I still really enjoyed this and it was nice to read something a bit more lighthearted.

[comfypants · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A girl is trapped in a magical land.3/4 (Good)It's told in the flat, list-of-events style of an old-timey fairytale. All the weird creatures are pretty cool, but it has no pretentions of appealing to adults.(Oct. 2021)

[librolindsay · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

For as obsessed I was with the movie as a child, I never actually read the book. Better late than never, I suppose, but I just didn't get as much out of reading it as I thought I would. I feel a little guilty for saying this, but I dare say I enjoy the movie more. I just didn't get the pathos from the book as I do the movie. Maybe it would have been a more satisfying read if I had read it as a child.

[amcheri-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Anne Hathaway made this such an incredibly fun read. Her voices were fantastic. I highly recommend this audio version for anyone who has always wanted to read the book but has been putting it off.

[tonifgmamtc · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I started watching the new show Emerald City the other day and thought I'd read this again. I haven't read it since college. My history teacher explained the meaning behind everything in great detail about the bimetallic standard, William Jennings Bryan, factory workers, farmers, etc. etc. etc. Every character, place and thing stood for something. I don't remember a lot of it, and I had even forgotten some of the changes from the book to the movie. I actually listened to the audiobook this time. Anne Hathaway is the narrator, and she does a great job. I enjoyed it, and I'm planning to continue the Oz book series. I've never read the others before.

[cj82487 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

After a rather heated vote, my APK class chose this as their November chapter book. I know most of them picked it because of the little bit of the story they knew, such as the fact that a tornado picks up Dorothy, but nevertheless it won against some stiff competition. I was a little worried it would be a little too dark for them at times, such as the story of how the Tin Woodsman became tin, but they sunk right into it. If the only thing they remember from this year with me is this story, I think I’m doing a fairly decent job as a teacher. They picked up on parts of the story that many of us probably skip over, like the kalidahs, and brought them to life. I even caught them playing a version of freeze tag on the playground but with the freezer being the wicked witch trying to stop Dorothy and her friends. As much as I absolutely love the film, the first book in the series is far superior (which is not surprising at all). I love this story as an adult, reader and I loved seeing how my group of learners really enjoyed the story and talked about it at home with their parents and siblings and even caught on to the lessons like how sometimes we are a lot braver than we think and how the Wizard was really “not nice” for lying and saying he could help but only if they killed the witch for him. Great story that I think everyone, adults and children, should take the time to read.

[foof2you · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book is nothing like the movie. A wonderful story that lives up to the hype. I loved how the characters seem to need things that they already have. The additional characters make the story interesting and add a little suspense.

[fulner · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I finally decided to "read" the wonderful wizard of oz. Of course I've seen the movie many times. I had heard a few things about the book, one that unlike most books the movie was better, and that the book is pretty much exactly the same other than Dorthy having silver shoes (allegedly some symbolism relating to the silver standard). Luckily both of these items were untrue. It was different enough from the movie to be a great exciting "new" story and better than the movie. Kansas was described as being all gray, long before color photography was a thing. The good which of the now was old and ugly, and the beautiful witch Glenda was that of the south. The story was much more nuanced and I loved the winged monkeys and the magic cap Dorthy used to control them. Definitely worth it.

[shahnareads · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Quick little read.
The film was really close to the book. I had no idea!
Also, the shoes aren't red? Whaaaaat?!

I liked it. It's pretty funny.

I'm going to try and read the whole series.

[librisissimo · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In order to give all my Oz books to a waiting grand-daughter, I engaged in a re-reading session.Although there is a lot in the book that didn't make it to the movie (Garland), the basic plot and events are close enough.

[niquetteb · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The book is definitely different from the movie. The tale is directed towards youngsters with the use of repeating things and simplified wordings. There is a bit too much violence for a children's book, though. There is a scene where the scarecrow kills crows by snapping their necks.

[pepperwings · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A rather wonderful story! There were definitely some differences from the movie, which I found interesting, and I listened to the audiobook, which was a very nice interpretation/performance. I don't feel the political aspects were very pronounced, I'll have to read more analysis of that to understand it better, I suppose.

[ainjel-3 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A great book for the young and old alike. If you're familiar with the movie or with Wicked... throw everything you know away and immerse yourself fully in this wondrous piece of art. Dorothy is a determined, plucky girl, the Wicked Witch is very much a child herself, and the Scarecrow and Tin Woodsman are as humourous and heartfelt as you always thought them to be. I highly recommend this book to every little girl looking for some adventure and humour, and every little boy wanting the same!

[catherine_gv · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It's REEEALLLY good. The kind of books I love to read :D It's ''childish'', but not written as though we were children of 5 to understand it. :D

[ladypembroke · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I just finished reading this book to my son, who is almost six. He really liked it, which sort of surprised me as it was more challenging for him to stay with than all the picture books and easy readers we usually share. I am very glad that my edition had all the old pictures in it so that it still had a little picture book flavor. That made the transition to more advanced reading easier.

The one thing I will note: As with the Beatrix Potter stories I also read in my childhood, I was a little surprised at the level of violence in this book. I guess it is just a reminder of how times have changed. But if you are at all worried about creatures of various sorts meeting a rather gruesome demise, I would sit this book out. But I truly believe you would be missing out on a really wonderful story.

Keep in mind as well that there are some MAJOR differences from the MGM movie -- the ruby slippers are silver, and Glinda is not the same Good Witch as the one at the beginning of the novel. (Spoiler: This change is what makes the movie Glinda seem so awful if you really think about it. She knew the whole time about the slippers and she never said anything?? Not cool.)

[ashleytylerjohn · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is a delightful book. If you're familiar with the film, it has a similar plot but feels more picaresque (episodic), and covers a little more ground. The feeling engendered by each is very, very different, though both are masterpieces in their own right.

This is indeed that rare book that can be enjoyed by old and young alike (the second in the series has quite long passages that really only an adult will be able to follow, but this one holds the interest of all ages). I read it as a child, back in the day, and it was the first chapter book I read to my nephew (when he was 2) because it had illustrations on almost every page, which was a necessity if we wanted to hold his interest--and on the rare pages without one, I'd show him the cover while I quickly got through the text--so if you're looking for early books for your kids, this is a great option.

If you enjoy the cleverness of the conversations, do keep reading--The Marvelous Land of Oz is not quite as good, but the third Oz book (Ozma of Oz) is my favourite of all, once I got used to Dorothy's makeover (Baum hired a new illustrator, and she goes from frumpy brunette to stylish blonde).

If you're a reader (and you must be, you're here), and you haven't read this one, you must! You simply must. It will surprise you, and you may end up preferring it to the wonderful film (not that it's a contest--they can both be terrific, and are.)

[cubsfan3410 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I have seen the movie COUNTLESS times and finally read the book. It was wonderful and has a little bit more to explain the movie story.
LOVED it!

[ladycato · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This book—a novella by modern standards—remains a pleasant read over a hundred years after Baum first published it in 1900. The basic characters are the same, and some of the same events take place, but I think the movie is a more solid story over all. That said, I still liked it. There is a deep sense of magic to Dorothy’s adventure (with Toto, too) in Oz.

[pzr-2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I've just read this to my two kids. They loved the story and I had a ball making up voices for the characters (you should hear my Kansas accent...). Given that it's over a century since Baum wrote the book, it holds up remarkably well. Many children's books from the '20s, '30s and '40s sound positively archaic now. 'Oz' is older and yet it didn't feel antiquated at all. I suppose it's because the prose and tale itself are timeless, the hallmarks of a classic.

[eric_j._guignard · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

REVIEWED: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
WRITTEN BY: L. Frank Baum
PUBLISHED: May, 1900

There really isn’t much more to say than has already been offered a thousand time over. This book is a timeless classic. I just read it to my son and can confirm that the story is touching for all ages. He’s five, I’m thirty-seven, and we enjoyed it together. My parents love it, grandparents love it, etc. There are not a lot of fiction works that are appealing to so wide an audience. If you don’t know the basic story, according to the movie at least, your childhood was a sham. The book includes additional passages and adventures which were left out of the MGM film; it’s also darker and more violent than the movie... and lacks the songs.

Five out of Five stars

[citizenjoyce · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

What a surprisingly wonderful book. I've only seen the movies before, and while I did miss the music, I found the plucky girl character Dorothy strong and purposeful and all the other characters varied and interesting. I wish I had a child to read it to now, but I don't think it would work too well on my 18-year-old grandson.

[bribre01 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I've been a huge fan of the Wizard of Oz movie, I can't believe it's taken me this long to read the book. It's a cute, entertaining story with much more detail about the land of Oz. I'm also a fan of Gregory Mcquire's Wicked series, and I was interested to find some of the characters from his books in the original book (Boq). The entire time I was reading I kept thinking that I can't wait to share the book with my kids someday. I now want to read the entire series.

[csdaley-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Better than I expected it to be but it does show its age. Still fun to read. I am a little surprised it took me this long to read it.

[jclheatherm · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

One of my very favorite children's books of all time - the timeless characters and theme of finding your true home resonant in today's modern times. Dorothy and her friends - with their teamwork and spirit - show that dreams are attainable and friendship and family are every lasting.

This title has held up for over one hundred years with good reason, and its legacy continues through cinema and theatrical adaptations.

[maydacat_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

No matter how old this tale gets, it will never lose its ability to charm and delight - and scare - its readers. Though a children’s book, adults will find it well worth reading, whether they read it as a child or are reading it for the first time. L. Frank Baum paints a picture of Oz that will mesmerize you. His way with words and his obvious delight with puns are as entertaining as his plots. How wonderful that he continued the series!

[saraellen_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I love this book. It's a very easy to read children's book. It's full of imagination and interesting characters. I love the imagery that this book puts out. It's a really fun read.