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The Marvelous Land of Oz

(Oz #2)

L. Frank Baum,

David McKee (Illustrations)

3.83 · Rating details · 16,813 ratings · 1,268 reviews

Few fantasy lands have captured our hearts and imaginations as has the marvelous land of Oz. For over four generations, children and adults alike have reveled in the magical adventures of its beloved folk. Now, for the first time in over seventy years, the second book about Oz is presented here in the same deluxe format as the rare first edition, complete with all 16 of th

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Paperback, 192 pages

Published April 2nd 1985 by Puffin Classics (first published 1904)

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3.83 ·

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· 16,813 ratings · 1,268 reviews

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May 24, 2015 Hannah Greendale rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: middle-grade, mythology-folklore, classic-literature

Click here to watch a video review of this book on my channel, From Beginning to Bookend.

In the northern Land of Oz, there lived a boy called Tip who was reared by a haggard old woman named Mombi. One day, Tip got the idea to startle Mombi, so he took a large pumpkin from the pumpkin patch, carved a face into it, then put it atop a body made of sticks and dressed in bright clothing. Mombi was not amused by Tip's practical joke, so she decided to concoct a spell to turn the boy into a marble stat Click here to watch a video review of this book on my channel, From Beginning to Bookend.

In the northern Land of Oz, there lived a boy called Tip who was reared by a haggard old woman named Mombi. One day, Tip got the idea to startle Mombi, so he took a large pumpkin from the pumpkin patch, carved a face into it, then put it atop a body made of sticks and dressed in bright clothing. Mombi was not amused by Tip's practical joke, so she decided to concoct a spell to turn the boy into a marble statue. Determined not to spend the rest of his life as a garden ornament, Tip took the pumpkin man he created and set off on an adventure.

The Land of Oz offers the same type of topsy-turvy logic that permeates all of the Oz books.

"If I remember rightly, the penalty for chopping leaves from the royal palm-tree is to be killed seven times and afterward imprisoned for life."

Magic lovers will delight in the presence of wizards and witches, potions and powders, tonics and spells.

Tip wriggled around upon his stool and stared a while at the kettle, which was beginning to bubble. Then he would glance at the stern and wrinkled features of the witch and wish he were any place but in that dim and smoky kitchen, where even the shadows cast by the candle upon the wall were enough to give one the horrors. So an hour passed away, during which the silence was only broken by the bubbling of the pot hissing on the flames.

Tip travels with a most peculiar cast of enchanted comrades. While some familiar characters make appearances, many new characters are introduced. Among them is General Jinjur and her army of women soldiers. Jinjur feels the Emerald City has been ruled by men for too long. She plans to invade the city and use its gemstones to make sparkly jewelry and spend the treasury to buy a dozen gowns for every woman in the army. (view spoiler)

With peculiar creatures, threat of war, boundless magic, and a surprise ending, The Land of Oz makes for a spectacular sequel. ...more

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May 01, 2012 Jason Koivu rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy

A straw king? Transgender issues addressed? What in the heck's a wogglebug? Heaven knows what's going on here, but I like it!

Strange though it may sound, I preferred this sequel over the first book in L. Frank Baum's Oz series, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, from which most of Dorothy's famous story was drawn from to create the fantastic film The Wizard of Oz.

I'm beginning to think my reaction to the first book may have been prejudiced! You see, having only known the land of Oz from the movie, I wa ...more

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Sep 11, 2015 Evgeny rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: children

An orphan boy called Tip was one of the inhabitants of a magical place called Oz. He lived with an evil witch Mombi who decided to turn him into a marble statue one day being fed up with his pranks. Tip escaped and headed for the Emerald City having nothing better to do. He arrived just in time to see the big trouble for the city's ruler: none other than Scarecrow. He got involved and had a lot of adventures in the Land of Oz as a result.

Let me get this straight: the only reason this book avoid ...more

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Dec 23, 2016 Mischenko rated it really liked it

I loved the story and characters. My favorite was Jack Pumpkinhead. The ending was a total surprise and I just loved it! Looking forward to the other books.

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Jan 15, 2013 Bookwraiths rated it liked it

Shelves: children-s-books, e-books, fantasy

Originally reviewed at Bookwraiths.

Like many people my age, I actually remember when The Wizard of Oz movie being shown on network television every year was an event. I mean, we didn’t have VCRs (Let alone Netflix) back in the dark ages, so if you wanted to get a glimpse of Oz, you had to plan your social schedule around being at home in front of your television at the appropriate time, and for many years I always did. But that movie is all I knew about Oz.

I really hate to admit that I never too ...more

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Aug 12, 2007 Marley rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommends it for: children's book fans, LOONIES

So. Much. Weirder. Both than your memory of this stuff, and even than the first Oz book. You've got the Scarecrow set up, "brains" and all having gone to his head, as King Fool of Emerald City, you've got an antifeminist caricature (not that i mind it when it's so transparent, even for a kid in this modern era) taking over Oz and making the men do housework, you've got the Tin Man fallen into vanity and obsessed with nickel-plating himself, you've got sudden gender-switching, a roly-poly that sp ...more

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Apr 02, 2017 Mario rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Everything in life is unusual until you get accustomed to it.

I've read The Wonderful Wizard of Oz sometime last year (and really enjoyed it), and I have to say that this book was a pretty damn good sequel to it. I enjoyed being introduced to new characters, as well as following new adventures of old characters. The plot was quite enjoyable as well, and they even were a couple of twists that I did not see coming. All in all, a pretty solid book, and I can't wait to continue on with the series.

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Sep 15, 2007 Cecilia rated it liked it

This book is slightly ridiculous. It’s hard to evaluate The Marvelous Land of Oz for what it is - a children’s book and a sequel (a sequel to a great example of the genre at that) rather than just a book. But it’s a goofy, daffy book. It’s weirdly pro-women (in a way) for 1904 - everyone who makes anything happen is a woman (Jinjur, Mombi, Glinda) and the men all kind of fall into good luck and the fruits of the women’s labor. At the same time, the women who aren’t named Glinda are consistently ...more

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Sep 25, 2018 Paul E. Morph rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: books-read-in-2018

I've always preferred this one to 'The Wonderful Wizard...' because I love the new characters introduced here. It's great to have the Scarecrow and the Tin Man back (they were always my favourite characters from the first book, if you don't count Toto) but Jack Pumpkinhead, the Saw Horse, H.M. Woggle Bug and the Gump are all so awesome I can't read about them without a huge grin on my face!

I think the twist ending probably blew me away as a kid, too...

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Aug 05, 2013 Mark rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: children-s-books, chronicles-series, fantasy

This is the second volume of this series that I read on my holiday back in June. A lovely first of this specific edition of the book. Charming line drawings and coloured illustrations by Biro accompanied by a whole series of characters both old and new made it a pleasant enough drift back into the frankly odd-ball Land of Oz.

It is once again a series of loosely knit adventures of the Tin-Man and the Scarecrow though here joined by a little farmboy called Tip, also a creature made from sticks and This is the second volume of this series that I read on my holiday back in June. A lovely first of this specific edition of the book. Charming line drawings and coloured illustrations by Biro accompanied by a whole series of characters both old and new made it a pleasant enough drift back into the frankly odd-ball Land of Oz.

It is once again a series of loosely knit adventures of the Tin-Man and the Scarecrow though here joined by a little farmboy called Tip, also a creature made from sticks and a pumpkin called, fairly unimaginatively, Jack Pumpkinhead and a rather obnoxiously arrogant insect which through magnification and then displaying on a flat screen has magically come to life as a huge two dimensional opinion on legs.

There is also a wooden horse, magicked to life and then towards the end of the book they create my favourite, a wonderful imaginary creature called a Gump which is constructed from all kinds of bits of furniture and vegetation and given life by the sprinkling on of a stolen magic powder. This, I know, would have totally caught the imagination of my 10 year old self and, had I read it then, I would have been an Oz fan forever.

Baum created some clever dialogue and arguments between the different characters which would enable the young reader to form a sense of each of them; or at least it did for this slightly( be quiet) older reader. And it is that ability to empathize with and appreciate the musings of a totally fantastical character which is a great and necessary gift in any reader and Baum, in my opinion, definitely would have helped in its nurturing.

Though the story is covering much the same as the original book yet it succeeds in layering the story, creating a new level of adventure and thus enabling Oz to mould itself into a real place with a real history. Having read these two children's books back to back I can well understand how Baum succeeded in creating for himself an army of fans who would follow whenever he led them back into the nuttiness that is Oz. ...more

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Sep 19, 2009 Jason Pettus rated it liked it

(Reprinted from the Chicago Center for Literature and Photography [cclapcenter.com:]. I am the original author of this essay, as well as the owner of CCLaP; it is not being reprinted here illegally. This review covers all 14 of the Baum Oz books, which is why it's found on all 14 book pages here.)

I think it's fairly safe by now to assume that nearly everyone in Western society is familiar with The Wizard of Oz, most of us because of the classic 1939 movie adaptation; and many realize as well tha (Reprinted from the Chicago Center for Literature and Photography [cclapcenter.com:]. I am the original author of this essay, as well as the owner of CCLaP; it is not being reprinted here illegally. This review covers all 14 of the Baum Oz books, which is why it's found on all 14 book pages here.)

I think it's fairly safe by now to assume that nearly everyone in Western society is familiar with The Wizard of Oz, most of us because of the classic 1939 movie adaptation; and many realize as well that author L. Frank Baum ended up penning a whole series of sequels, because of the original book's astounding success back at the turn of the 20th century when it was first published -- 13 sequels altogether, before his death in 1919, which after the movie's success twenty years later became a literal merchandising empire, spawning hundreds more official sequels by various authors and hundreds more unofficial ones once the characters moved into the public domain. And like many others, I've always been interested in what these 14 "canonical" Oz books have to say; and that's why I decided this winter to sit down and read them all in a row for the first time, easy to do because of them being available for free at both Project Gutenberg and the email subscription service DailyLit (which is how I myself read them, and in fact is how I read many of the older books you see reviewed here; I'm a big fan of theirs, and highly recommend them).

But of course, to even approach these books with the right mindset, it's important to understand that like so many other one-hit-wonders, Baum was not only eluded by success in most of his other endeavors but was an active failure at them -- in the 1870s, for example, he unsuccessfully tried his hand at breeding fancy poultry (a national fad at the time), then in the 1880s opened his own theatre and became one of the first-ever Americans to produce modern-style stage musicals, apparently a little too ahead of its time, then in the 1890s moved to the Dakota Territory and opened a dry-goods store that eventually failed, as well as starting a newspaper that folded too. So it was sort of a case of random lightning in a bottle when he decided in the late 1890s to try his hand at children's literature, and ended up with his very first title being the most popular kid's book in America for two years straight, and no surprise that Baum then spent the rest of his life desperately trying to figure out how to bottle that lightning again. Because now that I've read it myself, I can confirm that the original Wonderful Wizard of Oz is astonishingly great, a sort of miraculous combination of traits that makes for an almost perfect children's story; and although most of it follows the same storyline seen in the '39 movie, there are also significant differences, making it worth your while to sit and read the book version if you have the interest. (And by the way, for some really interesting reading, check out the academic analysis that was done of this book in the 1960s, arguing that most of its details symbolically correspond almost exactly to various political and economic issues of the late 1800s, including the yellow brick road representing the much-discussed gold standard of that age, the scarecrow representing the then-hot Populist Party, Toto representing the teetotaler [prohibitionist:] movement, and a lot more.)

But of course, there are a couple of details about this book that have been forgotten over the decades too, which also help explain its record-shattering success -- it was an unusually lavish book for its time, for example, with two-toned illustrations on every page and several full-color plates, and let's also not forget that Baum himself mounted a Broadway-style musical of Oz just two years after the book was published, a huge hit which toured nationally for a decade and that was even more insanely popular than the book itself (including making national stars out of vaudeville performers Fred Stone and David Montgomery, playing the Scarecrow and Tin Man; the stage production left out the Cowardly Lion altogether, which is why he is also barely seen in any of the 13 canonical sequels). And so that's why when Baum attempted starting up other fantasy series in the wake of Oz's success, hoping to turn all of them into lucrative franchises like the original, the audience mostly responded with yawns; and that's why Baum eventually went back to writing more and more Oz books as the 20th century continued, because by now the strength of the brand far outweighed the relative writing skills of Baum when it came to any particular volume.

That's why, at least to adults, it's perhaps actually the introductions to each book that are the most fascinating thing about them; because to be frank, most of the books follow a pretty familiar formula, with a danger-filled quest involving various kooky characters that is usually finished about two-thirds of the way through, followed by a massive parade or party that lets Baum trot out the growing number of main characters added to this universe with each title. (And by the way, prepare yourself for Baum's unending love of the deus-ex-machina plot device; over half the books end along the lines of, "And then our heroes took possession of a super-duper magical device, which they waved in the air and all their troubles went away.") In fact, for those who don't know, that's why the official map of Oz and its surrounding lands eventually grew so large, because Baum still hadn't given up on his dream of having a whole series of kid-lit cash cows out there generating revenue for him, and so would use many of these Oz sequels to introduce entirely new casts of characters who live in entirely new lands, "just over the mountains" or "just past the desert" of Oz itself. By the end of the original 14 books, in fact, Baum had built up a virtual aristocracy of licensable characters, all of whom would have to be dragged out for a cameo at some point in each book to remind the audience of their existence -- not just the cast of the original book and '39 movie but also various other princesses like Ozma and Betsy Bobbin, boy characters like Ojo the Unlucky and Button Bright, adults who help them like the Shaggy Man, Cap'n Bill and Ugu the Shoemaker, and of course a whole litany of quirky fantastical sidekicks, including but not limited to Tik-Tok, Jack Pumpkinhead, the Great Jinjin, Billina the Angry Hen, Scraps the Patchwork Girl, and Polychrome the Rainbow Fairy. Whew! And so did the Great Oz Merchandising Experiment keep limping along for two decades, with each sequel selling less and less and getting lazier and lazier (for example, the tenth book in the series, 1916's Rinkitink in Oz, was actually a non-Oz book written a decade previous, published almost unchanged except for a hasty final chapter full of Oz regulars slapped onto the end); and thus did Baum's bad luck in business come back with a vengeance as well, with three more Broadway productions that were all flops, and even the establishment of a film production company in 1914 that eventually went bankrupt.

You can see the progression of all this reflected in Baum's first-person introductions to each book, which like I said is why they might be the most fascinating parts of all for adult readers -- how in the first sequel, for example, he expresses legitimately gleeful surprise and joy at how passionate his fans were, and how thousands of children had literally written to him out of the blue demanding more Oz stories, while with each subsequent sequel his tone becomes more and more snarky, ala "Well, dear and wonderful children, you've yet again demanded another Oz book like the sheep you are, so here it is, you screeching little monsters." In fact, in book six of the series, 1910's The Emerald City of Oz, Baum flat-out states that it's going to be the very last Oz book, and it's no coincidence that many fans actually consider this one to be the best of the original fourteen, because of Baum's extra attention to and enthusiasm for this particular storyline, thinking as he erroneously did that it would be the grand finale of the entire Oz universe; but after his later financial failures forced him back into the Oz business again, the gloves finally come off in his introductions, with most of the rest sounding to today's ears something like, "Well, okay, here again is the sugary teat you all apparently can't get enough of suckling, you infuriating little animals, so open wide and take your medicine." Now, of course, you shouldn't feel too bad for Baum; by the last years of his life, his combined books and plays were generating for him in today's terms roughly a quarter-million dollars a year just in personal royalties.

So all in all, an experience I'm glad I had, reading all fourteen original Oz books in a row, but not something I'd recommend to others; instead, maybe better just to read the first, then skip to the sixth, then skip straight to the 14th, 1920's Glinda of Oz, because of its unusual darkness (probably caused, many scholars agree, by Baum knowing that he was near death). As with many authors I've looked at here at CCLaP, history seems to have correctly adjusted itself in Baum's case, with most of his books now rightfully falling into the obscurity they deserve, even while his one true masterpiece is still rightfully recognized as such. ...more

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Feb 18, 2015 Obsidian rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: the-man-behind-the-curtain, favorites, dws

Don't read further if you haven't read to the end of book #1 since this review will spoil you about the events that took place in book #1.

This book was awesome. I have to say that after book #1 I was puzzled what this book would be about and if I would like it as much as book #1 without Dorothy or the Cowardly Lion absent from the story. However, this book I managed to even love more than book #1.

We start off with the main protagonist Tip who carves himself a man made of wood with a head of a p ...more

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Jan 22, 2013 Jonathan Terrington rated it really liked it

Shelves: classic-literature, childhood-book, children-s-literature, fantasy

Before I discovered that there was a girl named Dorothy with a dog called Toto I discovered the land of Oz. I never understood as a child the rules of series. That you 'had' to read the previous books before reading the second or third books. This was due to my age at the time (things seem rather muddled as a 7 year old when you have a voracious appetite for reading) and the fact that I had the tendency to grab whatever was on my bookshelf.

As far as stepping into the world of Oz went, this was
Before I discovered that there was a girl named Dorothy with a dog called Toto I discovered the land of Oz. I never understood as a child the rules of series. That you 'had' to read the previous books before reading the second or third books. This was due to my age at the time (things seem rather muddled as a 7 year old when you have a voracious appetite for reading) and the fact that I had the tendency to grab whatever was on my bookshelf.

As far as stepping into the world of Oz went, this was not the worst place I could have begun. Though it takes place after The Wonderful Wizard of Oz this book easily stands alone, albeit that there are references which one would not understand without knowledge of the predecessor novel. That aside, before I read The Wonderful Wizard of Oz I had read this several times over, enjoying it very much.

The plot, in which our male protagonist Tip, travels through Oz with a bunch of magical creatures and finds his way through several adventures is an interesting one. It certainly kept me enthralled several times as a child. However I missed out on all the metaphors and symbolism that Baum put into his work. Perhaps later I shall re-read the first few Oz novels in order to see them from an adult perspective (as I need to re-read Alice in Wonderland, Watership Down, Peter Pan and The Wind in the Willows). (view spoiler)

When all is said and done as a child I loved this book. I certainly have no problems with allowing children of 6 or 7 to read them. Often many parents and adults will raise a fuss and claim that such novels will provide children with the wrong impressions. However I've found through experience that children are much more conscious than we realise and understand far more than given credit for. Children's novels like these are what they should be reading in my view. ...more

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Apr 14, 2011 Lindsey rated it really liked it

Shelves: kindle, cleanreads, reviewed

I adored this book! Which was a bit of a shock to me, since I enjoyed the Oz books all right when I was younger, but I was bothered by the inconsistencies from one book to the next--I had that kind of mind even then.

I saw the entire set for Kindle for a ridiculously low price, and I said, "Hey, they're classics. I'll probably read them again." And then I was away from home with no book, which is like being away from home without clothes on, for me, and there was my Kindle in my purse, and I'd re ...more

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Mar 03, 2017 Vicki rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: classics, ebook

If you ever wanted to know more about Oz after Dorothy leaves, then read what else Frank Baum has to share. This was a tale concerning a boy named Tip that built a frightful smiling pumpkin man that was bright to life. Together he and Tip head off across Oz meeting old friends of ours and making new friends and foes. Written in a clever way to hold the interest of children as well as this adult. Magic the Emerald city and memories of Oz abound in this follow up book.

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Feb 02, 2013 Richard rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: ebooks-kindle, children-s-lit, reviewed, american-literature, 2011-2018

I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this. It had some very interesting touches which, to my mind, made it more modern than perhaps it was intended to be.

For instance, the whole role reversal thing which takes place in the Emerald City. Another example was the Woggle Bug--easily my favourite character, and anyone who knows me well and has read the book can guess why! And please note that this appearance of this gigantic sentient insect predates that of Gregor Samsa in The Metamorphosis by more ...more

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Mar 22, 2017 Greg rated it liked it

Shelves: children-s-classics, reviewed

An Emporer says to an unusual character, "...you are certainly unusual, and therefore worthy to become a member of our select society." The Scarecrow says, "...don't let us quarrel. We all have our weaknesses, dear friends; so we must strive to be considerate of others." When a boy is changed to a girl, the Tin Woodman says, "...we will all remain your faithful friends..." Women are empowered to take over Emerald City using only knitting needles as weapons. There is a singular rifle mentioned, b ...more

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May 15, 2017 Akiko rated it really liked it

Shelves: classic, audiobook, read-2017

What a great read, and I loved the ending. Dare I say I liked this book a little better than The Wizard of Oz? Yes, I believe I will.

Tip is a young boy...who is being raised by a grumpy old witch (Mombi). One night she threatens to turn Tip into a marble statue, so he runs away and starts an adventure with Jack Pumpkinhead, many other familiar characters from book 1, and other new ones like the army of girls who use knitting needles as weapons (so bizarre, and great).

I enjoyed much about this ch ...more

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Jun 13, 2016 ✘Tabby✘ rated it liked it

Shelves: audiobook

So im reading all the Oz books plus the side books but feeling a little sick so review to come when i'm feeling better

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May 19, 2008 Chloe rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: classics, young_adults, i_am_in_love

As a little girl I did a lot of reading. As a grown woman I still do a lot of reading, but without the sense of strident purpose that would envelop me whenever I was able to return from the library with stacks of books piled high in my arms. These days I read for the same reason most people keep breathing, because it simply would just never occur to them to do otherwise, but when I was a kid I read with the desperate urgency of a drowning sailor trying to reach a lifeboat. Getting to the end of As a little girl I did a lot of reading. As a grown woman I still do a lot of reading, but without the sense of strident purpose that would envelop me whenever I was able to return from the library with stacks of books piled high in my arms. These days I read for the same reason most people keep breathing, because it simply would just never occur to them to do otherwise, but when I was a kid I read with the desperate urgency of a drowning sailor trying to reach a lifeboat. Getting to the end of the page, chapter, or book was a matter of life or death for young Chloe.

One of the very first series I fell in love with, L. Frank Baum’s Oz books have been a touchstone for me nearly as long as I can remember. I loved reading of Dorothy’s adventures with her madcap cast of companions and watched the film so many times that the tape grew thin and stretched in places. Once I learned that there were sequels to The Wizard of Oz I devoured them with the rapacious hunger of one just released from long term confinement. There are 14 total books in the Oz canon, but the one I’ve always had the biggest love for was the sequel, published in 1904, called The Marvelous Land of Oz.

Within its pages we are treated to the adventures of the young boy Tip, there’s no Dorothy in this followup (though she reappears in a few of the later books), who is forced to go on the run from his guardian, the evil witch Mombi, who was planning on turning him into a marble statue. His companions in flight are the noble Jack Pumpkinhead, a creature brought to life by Mombi’s magics, and the Saw Horse, who comes to life after Tip spills a potion on him. Fleeing Mombi, the trio runs for the Emerald City where they find an Oz ruled over by our familiar friend, the Scarecrow.

There are grumblings of discontent from among the women of Oz, though, who are tired of being ruled by one man after another. From these grumblings a rebellion grows when General Jinjur leads an army of knitting needle-armed women to sac the Emerald City of its namesake jewels and leave the drudgery of housework to the hapless menfolk. Tip and his companions must embark on a quest to restore the Scarecrow to power, a quest that will inevitably lead to Tip finding out some very interesting news pertaining to both him and the future of Oz.

I pause here to note that spoilers are ahead and should you be wanting to read this book and be surprised you should just stop reading. Spoiler warnings for books that have been in print for over a century may seem unnecessary, but it’s a courtesy I like to extend to readers. Regardless, if you’re still reading, Glinda the Good Witch of the North eventually encounters Tip and reveals that he’s been trapped under an illusion that Mombi had cast for years and that he is, in fact, the rightful ruler of Oz, Ozma. The spell is removed and Ozma retakes her throne, keeping the grateful Scarecrow on as a loyal advisor.

Yes. You read that right. The rightful ruler of Oz is a princess trapped in a boy’s body. When younger Chloe read that my imagination was ensnared. Maybe I’m trapped under a spell, I’d daydream, and all I need to do is find Glinda and I could return to normal. From one of the most innocent of sources I had found a role model and touchstone. I would read a lot more books over the years and relate to a lot of different aspects of characters, but Ozma was the first character I can remember who presented an alternative way of understanding gender and the first I can think of who lit the fire under the idea that I didn’t have to be stuck as Tip forever. For that she will always be my favorite trans heroine. ...more

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May 01, 2011 Sarah rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy, novel, oz, middle-grade

I think I was able to love this sequel to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz more because I wasn't comparing it to my favorite movie of all time, which uses a very different voice to tell the same story. There is however a movie loosely based on this and other Oz books called Return to Oz, starring a very young Fairuza Balk as a Dorothy longing to return to the magical land of Oz. It's really fun and a little strange, and although it may not stick strictly to the facts of the books, it captures the feel I think I was able to love this sequel to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz more because I wasn't comparing it to my favorite movie of all time, which uses a very different voice to tell the same story. There is however a movie loosely based on this and other Oz books called Return to Oz, starring a very young Fairuza Balk as a Dorothy longing to return to the magical land of Oz. It's really fun and a little strange, and although it may not stick strictly to the facts of the books, it captures the feel of the books much more accurately than Judy Garland's sappy cinematic treasure. But I digress ...

The Marvelous Land of Oz takes place a little while after the previous tale. The story follows a young boy named Tip, who escapes the old witch Mombi with his "son" Jack Pumpkinhead. Eventually he runs into the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodmen (a.k.a. Nic Chopper) who were ruling the Emerald City and Winkies, respectively, when we last saw them, and Glinda the Good (who, btw, is actually from the South). New characters beside Mombi, Tip, & Jack Pumpkinhead are a sawhorse who comes alive when Tip sprinkles him with magical powder, General Jin Jur, who starts a girls' revolt in Oz, The Highly Magnified and Thoroughly Educated Woggle Bug, and the Gump, another creature brought to life by the magical powder and consisting of a rag-tag collection of spare parts.

Like the rest of Baum's work, this story is an entertaining piece of nonsense, reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland, but for some reason I like this a lot more. Sometimes Glinda reminds me of Nanny in Muppet Babies, mostly letting her inexperienced children explore to their hearts' content, but stepping in when they're in danger of doing any serious harm. The Scarecrow and Woggle Bog have ridiculous conversations about who has the better brains, only to have the Sawhorse, with no claims to any brains, interjecting with some of the wisest sayings in the book. There are all sorts of ill-understood magic, with Mombi creating numerous illusions to trick our heroes, and Tip's Powder of Life that brings Jack, the Sawhorse, and the Gump to life, but a life more like that of the Scarecrow, where they feel no pain when their body parts are removed. All in all, it was a wonderfully creative piece of fiction. ...more

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Sep 13, 2015 Lara Mi rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: read-but-dont-own, magic-witches-wizards, fictional-worlds, fantasy, body-swap-or-gender-bender

I already did not enjoy The Wizard of Oz as much as I expected. The Land of Oz, however, seems to take away what little I liked and add more of what I didn't.

There are no characters I find particularly appealing. Most characters appear awfully juvenile - yes, this is a children's book, but I don't get this kind of feeling from others of its kind. There is a lot of arguing about ridiculous things and the characters make such poor decisions.

I am also surprised that people call this book 'quite un ...more

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Feb 06, 2018 Alyssa added it · review of another edition

When I was first told we were going to read to Wizard of Oz series I thought it was going to boring. However, I love the series and I think this book was way better than book #1. This book is very interesting and it make you wonder just how crazy L. Frank Baum's imagination was. The ending was definitely my favorite part though because it is so unexpected. I wish they would make a movie of this story.

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Mar 08, 2019 Abigail rated it liked it · review of another edition

Recommends it for: Anyone Who Has Read & Enjoyed 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'

Shelves: childrens-fantasy, childrens-fiction, oziana, sweet-youth

Originally published in 1904, this second of L. Frank Baum's fourteen Oz novels opens in the Gillikin Country, in the north of Oz. Here a mischievous young boy named Tip chafes against the rule of his less-than-benevolent guardian, the witch Mombi. When Tip's prank, in creating a pumpkin-headed man to frighten Mombi backfires, and he is threatened with the terrible fate of being made into a statue as punishment, the young boy runs away, taking the now living Jack Pumpkinhead with him. Heading fo Originally published in 1904, this second of L. Frank Baum's fourteen Oz novels opens in the Gillikin Country, in the north of Oz. Here a mischievous young boy named Tip chafes against the rule of his less-than-benevolent guardian, the witch Mombi. When Tip's prank, in creating a pumpkin-headed man to frighten Mombi backfires, and he is threatened with the terrible fate of being made into a statue as punishment, the young boy runs away, taking the now living Jack Pumpkinhead with him. Heading for the Emerald City, now ruled by the Scarecrow, Tip also brings to life a wooden sawhorse, and eventually meets up with a rebellious young woman named Jinjur, intent on fomenting a girls' revolt. When General Jinjur's army conquers the Emerald City, the Scarecrow must flee, taking Tip and his companions with him. They head for the Winkie Country, in the west of Oz, there to enlist the aid of the Tin Woodman, who rules that kingdom at the invitation of its residents. After a number of adventures - they meet a thoroughly educated Woogle Bug, are captured by General Jinjur, before subsequently escaping in a strange portmanteau creation called the Gump - the companions find their way to Glinda, who helps them to see that neither the Scarecrow nor General Jinjur are entitled to rule Oz. That honor belongs to the missing Princess Ozma, whose father was the last king of Oz. But where is Ozma, and what does it have to do with Tip…?

Although I grew up reading the Oz books, both those written by Baum, and then those written by Ruth Plumly Thompson, The Marvelous Land of Oz has never been a particular favorite of mine. I always find the story a little bit scattered, with the main characters seemingly running back and forth across Oz, and I never feel particularly attached to their struggles. I have also always found the plot involving General Jinjur and her army of rebellious girls somewhat distasteful. It always rather confused me that Baum seemed to be taking aim at feminist activists, who would, at the time of publication, have been publicly working for women's suffrage. How does this parody he offers fit in with the characters' claim, later in the book, when Tip (view spoiler), that girls are every bit as good as boys, and sometimes even make better students? Satire is frequently to be found in the pages of Baum's Oz books - in the next title, Ozma of Oz , there are some rather pointed depictions of the military, in the form of the largely incompetent officers in Ozma's army - but this instance of it always seems to me to fall flat. It is only on this latest reread, armed with the knowledge that Baum wrote The Marvelous Land of Oz, not so much as a stand-alone story meant for children, but as a spring-board for a musical featuring the two best-beloved characters from stage adaptations of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, that I began to have a better understanding of the girl-rebellion plot-line. Apparently, when creating General Jinjur and her army of attractive girls, he was thinking of the possibility of a chorus-line of young dancers in the stage production! Although this knowledge didn't make this aspect of the story any more successful, in my estimation, it did explain something that had long puzzled me.

Despite its flaws, this is a book well worth reading, even if only to get to the far superior Ozma of Oz , and I would recommend it to young fantasy lovers, with the proviso that they must read The Wonderful Wizard of Oz first. ...more

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Jun 02, 2017 Brandy Humphrey rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

From start to finish I was transported into such a magical place! I went from being 29 to feeling like a child within the first few pages. L. Frank Baum has the ability to quickly draw you in and hold your attention throughout his amazing books. It was really awesome to learn the origin stories of such characters as The Gump, The Sawhorse, Jack Pumpkinhead, and even Ozma! I'd absolutely recommend this to anyone, whether you love fantasy and children's books or not, I'd say this is a tale for all ...more

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Nov 09, 2015 Matthew rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Recommends it for: people who read the wonderful wizard of oz

Shelves: 4

Remarkably progressive for an early 20th century children's novel - feminism, transgender issues - PUMPKINS?!? Seriously, I enjoyed this (though not as good as the original) but it is much less fun to read than the first. The exclusion of Dorothy does not help the book, meanwhile Pip is entertaining, I suppose, but not great fun (though that twist tho). The Feminist Army are bae.

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Mar 21, 2017 Tarissa rated it really liked it · review of another edition

It took a lot of prodding from The Wizard of Oz fans, but in 1904 (4 years after the first book's wild success), L. Frank Baum finally published a sequel: The Marvelous Land of Oz. In it, we don't get to see Dorothy again, but we do meet up with a couple of friends, the Tin Woodman and the Scarecrow, along we make some brand new acquaintances.

Tip is a boy who, like beloved Dorothy, needs to get to the Emerald City, to see His Majesty the Scarecrow (make sure to actually read The Wizard of Oz, so It took a lot of prodding from The Wizard of Oz fans, but in 1904 (4 years after the first book's wild success), L. Frank Baum finally published a sequel: The Marvelous Land of Oz. In it, we don't get to see Dorothy again, but we do meet up with a couple of friends, the Tin Woodman and the Scarecrow, along we make some brand new acquaintances.

Tip is a boy who, like beloved Dorothy, needs to get to the Emerald City, to see His Majesty the Scarecrow (make sure to actually read The Wizard of Oz, so that you understand how our mutual friend, the lowly Scarecrow made it all the way to the top!). Now, Tip originally has two friends with him on this journey, Jack the Pumpkinhead and the Saw-Horse, both of which are things he made to come alive himself -- with the aid of a magic powder.

A strange thing happens next: General Jinjur's Army of Revolt (AKA: a group of angry girls) attempt to take over the Emerald City and tear the Scarecrow down off his esteemed throne. And their choice of weaponry? Pointy knitting needles!

- - - - -
"Now throw open the gates," commanded the Scarecrow, "and we will make a dash to liberty or to death."
- - - - -

There's a lot of other interesting little adventures that take place while these troubles are all sorted out. Plus the reader is introduced to fascinating creatures such as the Woggle-Bug and the Gump, and visit with Glinda the Good again. A detour on the grand journey even takes the characters across the great desert that Dorothy once tried to cross to get home -- I didn't even know this was an actual possibility to escape the Land of Oz!

The banter and jokes between the character are rather funny and enjoyable. And the Scarecrow just kills me with the witty remarks his brains come up with. He is hilarious, and he doesn't even know it!

- - - - -
"Everything in life is unusual until you get accustomed to it."

"What rare philosophy!" exclaimed the Woggle-Bug, admiringly.

"Yes; my brains are working well today," admitted the Scarecrow, an accent of pride in his voice.
- - - - -

The final climax is a real clincher too. Who, in fact, is the rightful heir to the throne? No, not General Jinjur, not the Scarecrow, and not even the Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Nope, not a one of them, even though they've all made their claims to it. The answer is a magically elusive one too, and sums up this volume quite nicely! ...more

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Feb 08, 2019 Natalie rated it really liked it

Having finished The Wonderful Wizard of Oz I was curious to see how the series would continue, following Dorothy's disappearance from the Land of Oz, and I'm really glad that I chose to continue with the series.

As a child I watched both the original Wizard of Oz movie (1939), and the somewhat less popular sequel(?) Return to Oz (1985). I found that this book included a few of the characters that were first introduced to me in the (...rather terrifying on recollection) Return of Oz movie; with J ...more

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Jul 07, 2017 Jason M Waltz rated it liked it

Shelves: fantastical, series

Not what I expected, though I cannot quite say what I did expect. And that is illustrative of the contents of this book :) Definitely written for children, yet filled with adult themes and explorations of topics rather ironically topical today (equality of the sexes, the value of intelligence and the intelligent and beneficial use thereof, etc.). It was also a bit more violent than I anticipated, though I should not have been surprised if I'd properly recalled the contents and actions of The Wiz ...more

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Jan 09, 2016 mikaalfh rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 1900s, _us, children-s, classics, fantasy, 2016

Pur essendo il secondo della serie iniziata da L. Frank Baum con Il Mago di Oz, devo ammettere di aver apprezzato Il meraviglioso Paese di Oz molto di più rispetto al primo, anche perché — come per il resto della serie — è profondamente scollegato rispetto alla storia iniziale. E ringrazio per questo, perché Dorothy come personaggio in sé non rappresentava assolutamente nulla se non una bambina piatta e stereotipata caratterialmente. E non è nemmeno da biasimare perché proprio solo fanciulla, pu Pur essendo il secondo della serie iniziata da L. Frank Baum con Il Mago di Oz, devo ammettere di aver apprezzato Il meraviglioso Paese di Oz molto di più rispetto al primo, anche perché — come per il resto della serie — è profondamente scollegato rispetto alla storia iniziale. E ringrazio per questo, perché Dorothy come personaggio in sé non rappresentava assolutamente nulla se non una bambina piatta e stereotipata caratterialmente. E non è nemmeno da biasimare perché proprio solo fanciulla, pur essendo il perno su cui girava tutta la prima storia. Ho apprezzato, dunque, l'accettazione che la sua storia fosse in qualche modo terminata, senza bisogno di andare a rivangare con la pala e un alto livello di incongruenza le sue vicissitudini.
È invece certamente da rilevare quanto questo secondo racconto sia un romanzo prettamente women-friendly, direi un atteggiamento spettacolare rispetto ai primi anni del Novecento quando fu scritto il libro. Tutti i personaggi che "compiono" materialmente azioni sono donne, e la storia si attua solo perché le donne hanno fatto qualcosa per far sì che tutta la vicenda avesse adito a uno sviluppo. Da dire, però, che vi è comunque una generalizzazione del mero perché il sesso femminile avesse creato caos nel mondo di Oz, ovvero poiché desideravano appropriarsi degli smeraldi attaccati alle case della Città di Smeraldo e non volevano più esser le sole a svolgere le faccende domestiche, anche se alla fine riconsegnano tutto il bottino e "ritornano al proprio posto" con più benevolenza di quanto sarebbe stato coerente. Tuttavia non è da ignorare che questo role-swap dei generi c'è, ed è anche piuttosto attuale.
Dall'altra parte, abbiamo invece personaggi maschili "protagonisti" come semplici macchiette che aderiscono alle loro battute per uno scopo più alto di loro, a parte forse il Dotto Rincoto incontrato fin troppo casualmente per strada — che, essendo realisti, nemmeno lui avrebbe meritato così tanta ragione di spazio, ma è pur sempre un racconto per bambini. Spesso c'è stata la confusione del “Sì, ma che cosa ci sto a fare qui, io?”, tipico di Gian Testadizucca o, devo dire, anche dello Spaventapasseri. Ne Il meraviglioso Paese di Oz ritroviamo quindi il nostro amico fatto di paglia e il Boscaiolo di Latta, che tuttavia perdono completamente il loro valore iniziale poiché in questo nuovo viaggio non paiono avere davvero uno scopo, limitandosi ad aggirarsi in qua e in là con il loro gruppo poiché qualcuno aveva già deciso così — del tutto diverso rispetto all'ambizione precedente nel conquistarsi un cervello o un buon cuore. Il perno di questa storia è invece Tip, un ragazzino cresciuto da una malevola fattucchiera che si ritroverà, alla fine, (view spoiler)

Cosa non è stato questo racconto. Simpatico, tagliente, attualissimo e con tematiche psicologiche fondamentali, lo consiglio molto e anche vivamente. Da tenere presente che è comunque una produzione per bambini, e le inesattezze logiche o di sviluppo della storia sussistono senza soluzione.

Ps: il capitolo sette è una delle cose più straordinariamente geniali e divertenti che io abbia mai letto, anche perché l'atteggiamento di Gian Testadizucca e dello Spaventapasseri si può applicare a tutti i campi della vita e la frase finale è ciò che più mi ha deliziato.
Anche il capitolo otto fa la sua figura, con la prima apparizione del generale Gingiur e delle sue donne forti e determinate. ...more

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About L. Frank Baum

L. Frank Baum

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also wrote under the name Edith Van Dyne, Floyd Akers

Lyman Frank Baum was an American author, actor, and independent filmmaker best known as the creator, along with illustrator W. W. Denslow, of one of the most popular books in American children's literature, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, better known today as simply The Wizard of Oz. He wrote thirteen sequels, nine other fantasy novels, and a pleth ...more

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“As they passed the rows of houses they saw through the open doors that men were sweeping and dusting and washing dishes, while the women sat around in groups, gossiping and laughing.

What has happened?' the Scarecrow asked a sad-looking man with a bushy beard, who wore an apron and was wheeling a baby carriage along the sidewalk.

Why, we've had a revolution, your Majesty -- as you ought to know very well,' replied the man; 'and since you went away the women have been running things to suit themselves. I'm glad you have decided to come back and restore order, for doing housework and minding the children is wearing out the strength of every man in the Emerald City.'

Hm!' said the Scarecrow, thoughtfully. 'If it is such hard work as you say, how did the women manage it so easily?'

I really do not know,' replied the man, with a deep sigh. 'Perhaps the women are made of cast-iron.” — 539 likes

“That proves you are unusual," returned the Scarecrow; "and I am convinced that the only people worthy of consideration in this world are the unusual ones. For the common folks are like the leaves of a tree, and live and die unnoticed.” — 455 likes

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