[Poll Tally] The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum - 5 stars and 5 hearts!

[Theresa]

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 in Oz!

Oz is also colorful in the book! Baum really achieves that -- her grey life in Kansas vs. Oz. The Flying Monkees aren't scary in the book either. Not really. In fact, the book is far lighter, more humorous, with many more adventures for Dorothy and Toto. I absolutely loved it and am so sorry that reading this delightful book was not part of my childhood. Or my life frankly until now.

The book has the same basic outline but is also very different from the movie. You can readily read this with young children and not worry that they will be hiding behind the sofa at certain scenes.
It is glorious, Dorothy finding herself in Oz and finding her way home, and along the way making many friends, defeating enemies, facing danger and also experiencing exotic lands. What an intrepid little girl! No hysterics, few tears...well except for the Cowardly Lion of course.

I give 5 stars also to the illustrations. I tracked down a physical reprint of the original 1900 with the W.W. Denslow illustrations on just about every single page. I am so very glad I did because they are absolutely perfection.

[Joanne]

I have this next up after Jungle Book-same here, with the B/W until the early 70's! The copy I picked up last summer at an Up North Garage sale is from 1956. I have some of the Denslow illustrations, but only a few

[Karin]

I'm glad you still love it! I found it rather disappointing as an adult. I remember my dad reading this to my sister and I when I was 4 or 5 (I know where we were living at the time, so this is right). We had a 2 volume Oz set and a 2 Volume Alice in Wonderland set.

[Joi]

I should read this soon, crazy to think I never have- when it's my favorite movie!

[NancyJ]

It sounds delightful. I will definitely read it this year. I also really want to read the script of the Broadway show Wicked.