Rereading: DOROTHY AND THE WIZARD IN OZ by L. Frank Baum

Cover and illustrations by John R. Neill

The fourth book in Baum’s Oz series sees the return of the Wizard from the first book. Dorothy is in California to visit relatives with her Uncle Henry, but while being driven from the train station by Zeb and his carriage horse Jim, there’s a strong earthquake and the carriage falls through crack into unknown underground lands. Also with them is Dorothy’s pet kitten Eureka. When they come down in the land of Mangaboos, they discover that the Wizard in his hot air balloon has also become stranded there, and Dorothy and her friends are happy to join forces with her Oz friend and his nine tiny piglets, part of his magic act. They know they’ve reached some sort of fairyland because all the animals can talk, and Dorothy hopes they can find their way to the surface or even to Oz. The journey is long and hazardous, each place they come to seems more dangerous than the last until finally they reach a dead end. How will they escape?

Neill’s fine illustrations are mostly in black and white with about a dozen color plates tipped in. For some reason he gives Eureka and the pigs clothes, but otherwise the art is entertaining. I find his Wizard a bit sinister, but better than Denslow’s. I like the story, too. Recommended.

Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz by L Frank Baum

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