Everyone knows that the British are the masters of fairy tales and fantasy. Somebody must have forgotten to tell that to Frank L. Baum! With The Wizard of Oz, Baum single-handedly challenges the greatest works of British fantasy without blinking.

At first glance, one can see the influence of Lewis Carroll's masterpiece, Alice in Wonderland, on The Wizard of Oz. But what separates The Wizard of Oz from all other fairy tales before this time, is that this fairy tale is uniquely American both in mood and setting. The characters in The Wizard of Oz are as enchanting as anything the Grimms wrote about. There's Dorothy, Toto the dog, The Scarecrow who wants a brain, the Tin Man without a heart, The Cowardly Lion, the Wicked Witch of the West, and of course, The Mighty Wizard of Oz who rules Emerald City.

When the story begins, a fierce cyclone descends on Dorothy's house in rural Kansas and transports her to the magical Land of Oz. No sooner than she arrives in Oz, Dorothy discovers that her house has fallen on and killed The Wicked Witch of the East. By so doing, Dorothy has freed the people of Oz from the tyranny of one of two evil witches. Even so, Dorothy wants to return to Kansas and is instructed by The Good Witch of the North that only the Wonderful Wizard of Oz can send her home. Thus, Dorothy embarks on the Yellow Brick road to seek the wizard and along the way encounters many strange and wonderful creatures. Little does she know that her quest is ill-fated, for an unexpected surprise awaits her at journey's end.

What truly distinguishes The Wizard of Oz from preexisting fairy tales, is that Baum intentionally sought to create a contemporary American fairy tale that discarded all of the terrifying and gruesome aspects of the fairy tales of European tradition. Baum succeeded beyond his wildest imaginations and created an unforgettable classic that went on to spawn a number of popular sequels.

Anyone who loves traditional fairy tales and hasn't yet read this book should grab themselves a copy of The Wizard of Oz. A wonderful tale of enchantment and excitement awaits. All you have to do is to follow Dorothy on her magical adventure and travel the Yellow Brick Road!