The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (Oz, #1) in Retro Chapter Chicks

Nov 05, 2017 Brina rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: kids, classics

To Oz? To Oz! The film version of The Wizard of Oz is such an important part of American history that I most likely had it memorized by the time I was eight years old. Between the music, images changing from black and white to color, and the defeat of a wicked witch, the movie was simply magical. Being a tomboy, however, my reading interests as a child were never inclined toward classic books such as Little Women and, of course, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Having my interest piqued by the yearly To Oz? To Oz! The film version of The Wizard of Oz is such an important part of American history that I most likely had it memorized by the time I was eight years old. Between the music, images changing from black and white to color, and the defeat of a wicked witch, the movie was simply magical. Being a tomboy, however, my reading interests as a child were never inclined toward classic books such as Little Women and, of course, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Having my interest piqued by the yearly viewing of this movie at Thanksgiving, I decided to finally read this children's classic book for myself.

Lyman Frank Baum had been struggling in business and needed to be able to support his family of five children. Life in the circus had failed, so he turned to writing. Morally supported by his wife Maud, Baum turned to writing enduring children's classics like the ones he grew up reading. Setting out to write a classic piece of children's literature, Baum started the saga of Dorothy of Kansas that later became the Wonderful Wizard of Oz. When Baum died unexpectedly of a heart attack in 1920, he had penned one Oz story a year since 1900. His family had moved to the sleepy village of Hollywood, and the Baum family lived off of royalties generated from the Oz books and subsequent attempts at stage versions. The first story entitled the Wonderful Wizard of Oz was the most successful and lead to Baum leading the writing life that he strived to attain as a child.

Although Baum did not live to see the movie version of his book, he would be pleased to know that children and adults are still reading his stories over one hundred years later. The story of Dorothy that has been preserved on film is actually only the first half of the book. In this half Dorothy and Toto ride in their house is carried in a cyclone from Kansas to Oz. Upon landing, they are heralded by the munchkins who laud them for killing the Wicked Witch of the East. Yet, Dorothy only wants to return home to her Aunt Em and Uncle Henry. There is no music here, only advice to follow the yellow brick road to the Emerald City and seek advice from the great and terrible wizard of Oz. Along the way, Dorothy meets friends the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Lion. The four all desire that Oz help them attain what they want most and assist Dorothy on her journey. Until they reach the magical city, there is no witch or conflict to speak of, only creatures of assorted shapes and sizes who are happy to help Dorothy find her way home.

The wicked witch of the West does make a brief appearance when Oz tasks Dorothy with killing her. The melting scene is short and without much drama. Perhaps a child would be scared by the witch and her winged monkeys as I know I was as a child. As an adult who is reading the book for posterity, the witch's appearance was anti climatic because I know how the story inevitably ends. For a girl, however; Dorothy exhibits much bravery on her journey in facing the powerful witch alone and all these years later is still a magical heroine for young girls. Perhaps one reason why this story has endured is because of the lack of conflict which translates well to a feel good musical on the big screen. As a result, Baum's story has become a classic for the ages.

I read a version illustrated by Australian artist Robert Ingpen. His lovely drawings facilitated my reading about Dorothy and friends as they journey toward Oz. Being as familiar with the story as I am, I almost enjoyed the illustrations more than the story because I desired to see the munchkins, the yellow brick road, and the Emerald City. With the story being geared toward children and almost dragging at times, I appreciated the color illustrations which reminded me where I was on Dorothy's journey and kept me focused on the story. Even as I knew the denouement, I loved how the illustrations brought the story to its epic conclusion, especially in the parts not included on film which I had to imagine for myself. These pictures only helped to make Oz an epic reading experience.

Critics note that the Oz saga of books mirrors populism and William Jennings Bryan and has been banned in many places. I did not have my history thinking cap on while reading so I was unable to link Baum's life in Kansas to Bryan and populism in the 1896 and 1900 presidential elections. What I did discover was the written form of a magical movie that I have seen many times over. It was an enchanting reading experience that is probably loved by children more so than adults, yet one that has lasted as a slice of American history for more than one hundred years.

4 stars ...more

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Mar 24, 2020 Theresa rated it it was amazing

Shelves: children-and-ya, fantasy, heist-quest-or-adventure, myth-legend-fairytale, first-in-a-series, classics-and-classic-redos, nostalgia, coming-of-age, z-quarantine-2020

Watching the Wizard of Oz on our B&W tv was an annual tradition when I was growing up. I was terrified of those flying monkees and hid behind the sofa whenever that scene of them descending on Dorothy et al. in the forest appeared. My brother teased me mercilessly about it. But damn, those flying monkees were scary!

I only first saw Wizard of Oz in color around 1975 when I took my youngest sister to see it at the Regency Revival Movie Theater in Manhattan. We both gasped when she opened the door ...more

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Apr 10, 2020 Joanne rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: pbt-2020-poll-ballot

I never read this as child, the movie has been my only reference to the story, in my life. Needless to say, The gaggle of screen writers (John Lee Mahin and the director Victor Fleming had the final word though) and MGM sure took liberties when producing the movie. I am glad they did-The movie is so much better than the book, IMO.

The fun I did have while reading this, thanks to the movie, was singing the songs I grew up with and still love.

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Jan 01, 2010 Phair rated it it was ok

Shelves: young-adult-childrens, book-club, classics

Read for f2f discussion combined with Maguire's Wicked. So much of my 'knowledge' of Oz derives from the classic movie that the book came across as odd. The original illustrations were in the edition I read but their spacing in the book was divorced from the part they were illustrating so that was annoying. Many bits in the book did not make the movie or were greatly altered and the flying monkeys were far less frightening! Don't think a kid today would find this very interesting. I guess there ...more

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Nov 17, 2014 Kris (My Novelesque Life) rated it really liked it

4 STARS

"The story of Dorothy and her dog, Toto, who are swept off the Kansas plains by a huge cyclone, and find themselves in the land of Oz" (From Amazon)

I loved this story and this world! The book, the series and the movie - are all so great! This is the ultimate child fantasy novel. I loved that as a child that this story had a girl for a protagonist. And who didn't fall in love with the Scarecrow, Tinman and Cowardly Lion? ...more

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