The Scarecrow Of Oz

By L. Frank Baum

This, the ninth book about the Land Of Oz was his favorite and was first published on July 16th, 1915. In it Cap'n Bill and Trot journey to Oz and, with the help of the Scarecrow (and some magic he has from Glinda) overthrow the cruel King Krewl of Jinxland. Baum also experiments with such fascinating devices as berries to make you grow big or small and continued to develop themes and experiences that enthralled his young audience.

• Language: English
• Publisher: A Word To The Wise
• Release date: Oct 11, 2013
• ISBN: 9781780004372

L. Frank Baum

L. Frank Baum (May 15, 1856 - May 6, 1919) was a US author, poet, playwright, actor, and independent filmmaker best known today as the creator - along with illustrator WW Denslow - of one of the most popular books in U.S. children's literature: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. He wrote thirteen sequels, nine other fantasy novels, and a plethora of other works, including 55 novels, 82 short stories, and over 200 poems.

Book preview

L Frank Baum - The Scarecrow Of Oz

Dedicated to The uplifters of Los Angeles, California, in

grateful appreciation of the pleasure I have derived from association with them, and in recognition of their sincere endeavor to uplift humanity through kindness, consideration and good-fellowship. They are big men, all of them, and all with the generous hearts of little children.

L. Frank Baum

Short Biography

Lyman Frank Baum was born on May 15, 1856 in Chittenango, New York.   A sickly child he was schooled at home until the age of 12 when he was then sent to at Peekskill Military Academy.  His parents may have thought he needed toughening up but two miserable years at the military academy saw him return home.

He was fascinated by printing and early on was given a printing press from which he produced a number of journals.

By age 20 he managed to combine his love of printing with that of poultry breeding, in particular a variety called The Hamburg, to produce the The Poultry Record, (In 1886, when Baum was 30 years old, his first book was published: The Book of the Hamburgs: A Brief Treatise upon the Mating, Rearing, and Management of the Different Varieties of Hamburgs).

He also had a life time infatuation with the Theatre which at times would bring him to near bankruptcy.

In 1880, his father built him a theatre in Richburg, New York, and Baum set about writing plays and gathering together an actor’s company.  The Maid of Arran, was his first, a melodrama with songs based on William Black's novel A Princess of Thule, proved a modest success. Baum not only wrote the play but composed songs for it (making it a prototypical musical, as its songs relate to the narrative), and acted in the leading role.

On November 9, 1882, Baum married Maud Gage, a daughter of Matilda Joslyn Gage, a famous women's suffrage and radical feminist activist. While Baum was touring with The Maid of Arran, the theatre in Richburg caught fire during a production of Baum's ironically-titled parlor drama, Matches, destroying not only the theatre, but the only known copies of many of Baum's scripts, including Matches, as well as costumes.

In July 1888, Baum and his wife moved to Aberdeen, Dakota Territory, where he opened a store, Baum's Bazaar. His habit of giving out wares on credit led to the eventual bankrupting of the store, so he turned to editing a local newspaper; The Aberdeen Saturday Pioneer, where he also wrote a column, Our Landlady. In December 1890, Baum urged the wholesale extermination of all America's native peoples in a column he wrote on December 20, 1890, nine days before the Wounded Knee Massacre.

Whilst such views may have been fairly common then they seem all the more shocking in the context of his popular children’s stories.

Baum's description of Kansas in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is based on his experiences in drought-ridden South Dakota. While Baum was in South Dakota, he sang in a quartet that included a man who would become one of the first Populist Senators in the U.S., James Kyle.

After Baum's newspaper failed in 1891, he, Maud and their four sons moved to Humboldt Park, Chicago, where Baum took a job with the Evening Post. In 1897, and for several years thereafter he edited a magazine for advertising agencies focused on window displays in stores. The major department stores created elaborate Christmas time fantasies, using clockwork mechanisms that made people and animals appear to move.

In 1897, he wrote and published Mother Goose in Prose, a collection of Mother Goose rhymes written as prose stories, and illustrated by Maxfield Parrish. Mother Goose was a moderate success, and allowed Baum to quit his door-to-door sales job. In 1899 Baum partnered with illustrator W. W. Denslow, to publish Father Goose, His Book, a collection of nonsense poetry. The book was a success, becoming the best-selling children's book of the year.

In 1900, Baum and Denslow published The Wonderful Wizard of Oz to critical acclaim and financial success. It was the best-selling children's book for two years running.  Baum went on to write thirteen more novels based on the places and people of the Land of Oz.

His writing was prolific though at times weak and he constantly delved into other challenges.  In the 1900’s he moved to the newly emerging film center of Hollywood and he began his own film company, he also planned and announced an amusement park of the California coast.  He was a man rich in ideas and energy but many were ill thought out and ill fated.  Still his fame was set as a beloved writer of children’s fiction and the magnificence of the creation he called Oz.

On May 5, 1919, Baum suffered from a stroke. He died quietly the next day, nine days short of his 63rd birthday. At the end he mumbled in his sleep, Now we can cross the Shifting Sands.

He was buried in Glendale's Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery. His final Oz book, Glinda of Oz, was published on July 10, 1920.

The Oz series was continued long after his death by other authors, notably Ruth Plumly Thompson, who wrote an additional nineteen Oz books.

"TWIXT YOU AND ME

The Army of Children which besieged the Postoffice,

conquered the Postmen and delivered to me its imperious

Commands, insisted that Trot and Cap'n Bill be admitted

to the Land of Oz, where Trot could enjoy the society

of Dorothy, Betsy Bobbin and Ozma, while the one-

legged sailor-man might become a comrade of the Tin

Woodman, the Shaggy Man, Tik-Tok and all the other

quaint people who inhabit this wonderful fairyland.

It was no easy task to obey this order and land Trot

and Cap'n Bill safely in Oz, as you will discover by

reading this book. Indeed, it required the best efforts

of our dear old friend, the Scarecrow, to save them

from a dreadful fate on the journey; but the story

leaves them happily located in Ozma's splendid palace

and Dorothy has promised me that Button-Bright and the

three girls are sure to encounter, in the near future,

some marvelous adventures in the Land of Oz, which I

hope to be permitted to relate to you in the next Oz Book.

Meantime, I am deeply grateful to my little readers for

their continued enthusiasm over the Oz stories, as

evinced in the many letters they send me, all of which

are lovingly cherished. It takes more and more Oz Books

every year to satisfy the demands of old and new

readers, and there have been formed many "Oz Reading

Societies," where the Oz Books owned by different

members are read aloud.  All this is very gratifying to

me and encourages me to write more stories. When the

children have had enough of them, I hope they will let

me know, and then I'll try to write something different.

L. Frank Baum, Royal Historian of Oz.

OZCOT at HOLLYWOOD in CALIFORNIA, 1915.

LIST OF CHAPTERS

 1 - The Great Whirlpool

 2 - The Cavern Under the Sea

 3 - Daylight at Last:

 4 - The Little Old Man of the Island

 5 - The Flight of the Midgets

 6 - The Dumpy Man

 7 - Button-Bright is Lost, and Found Again

 8 - The Kingdom of Jinxland

 9 - Pan, the Gardener's Boy

10 - The Wicked King and Googly-Goo

11 - The Wooden-Legged Grasshopper

12 - Glinda the Good and the Scarecrow of Oz

13 - The Frozen Heart

14 - Trot Meets the Scarecrow

15 - Pon Summons the King to Surrender

16 - The Ork Rescues Button-Bright

17 - The Scarecrow Meets an Enemy

18 - The Conquest of the Witch

19 - Queen Gloria

20 - Dorothy, Betsy and Ozma

21 - The Waterfall

22 - The Land of Oz

23 - The Royal Reception

Chapter One - The Great Whirlpool

Seems to me, said Cap'n Bill, as he sat beside Trot

under the big acacia tree, looking out over the blue

ocean, "seems to me, Trot, as how the more we know, the

more we find we don't know."

I can't quite make that out, Cap'n Bill, answered

the little girl in a serious voice, after a moment's

thought, during which her eyes followed those of the

old sailor-man across the glassy surface of the sea.

Seems to me that all we learn is jus' so much gained.

I know; it looks that way at first sight, said the

sailor, nodding his head; "but those as knows the least

have a habit of thinkin' they know all there is to

know, while them as knows the most admits what a

turr'ble big world this is. It's the knowing ones that

realize one lifetime ain't long enough to git more'n a

few dips o' the oars of knowledge."

Trot didn't answer. She was a very little girl, with

big, solemn eyes and an earnest, simple manner.

Cap'n Bill had been her faithful companion for years

and had taught her almost everything she knew.

He was a wonderful man, this Cap'n Bill. Not so

very old, although his hair was grizzled, what there

was of it. Most of his head was bald as an egg and

as shiny as oilcloth, and this made his big ears stick

out in a funny way. His eyes had a gentle look and

were pale blue in color, and his round face was rugged

and bronzed. Cap'n Bill's left leg was missing, from

the knee down, and that was why the sailor no longer

sailed the seas. The wooden leg he wore was good

enough to stump around with on land, or even to take

Trot out for a row or a sail on the ocean, but when it

came to runnin' up aloft or performing active

duties on shipboard, the old sailor was not equal to

the task. The loss of his leg had ruined his career

and the old sailor found comfort in devoting himself

to the education and companionship of the little girl.

The accident to Cap'n Bill's leg bad happened at

about the time Trot was born, and ever since that he

had lived with Trot's mother as a star boarder,

having enough money saved up to pay for his weekly

keep.  He loved the baby and often held her on

his lap; her first ride was on Cap'n Bill's shoulders,

for she had no baby-carriage; and when she began

to toddle around, the child and the sailor became

close comrades and enjoyed many strange adventures

together. It is said the fairies had been present at

Trot's birth and had marked her forehead with their

invisible mystic signs, so that she was able to see and

do many wonderful things.

The acacia tree was on top of a high bluff, but a

path ran down the bank in a zigzag way to the water's

edge, where Cap'n Bill's boat was moored to a rock

by means of a stout cable. It had been a hot, sultry

afternoon, with scarcely a breath of air stirring, so

Cap'n Bill and Trot had been quietly sitting beneath

the shade of the tree, waiting for the sun to get low

enough for them to take a row.

They had decided to visit one of the great caves

which the waves had washed out of the rocky coast

during many years of steady effort. The caves were

a source of continual delight to both the girl and the

sailor, who loved to explore their awesome depths.

I b'lieve, Cap'n, remarked Trot, at last, "that

it's time for us to start."

The old man cast a shrewd glance at the sky, the

sea and the motionless boat. Then he shook his head.

Mebbe it's time, Trot, he answered, "but I don't

jes' like the looks o' things this afternoon."

What's wrong? she asked wonderingly.

"Can't say as to that. Things is too quiet to suit

me, that's all. No breeze, not a ripple a-top the water,

nary a gull a-flyin' anywhere, an' the end o' the hottest

day o' the year. I ain't no weather-prophet, Trot, but

any sailor would know the signs is ominous."

There's nothing wrong that I can see, said Trot.

"If there was a cloud in the sky even as big as my

thumb, we might worry about it; but look, Cap'n! the

sky is as clear as can be."

He looked again and nodded.

P'r'aps we can make the cave, all right, he agreed,

not wishing to disappoint her.  "It's only a little way

out, an' we'll be on the watch; so come along, Trot."

Together they descended the winding path to the

beach. It was no trouble for the girl to keep her

footing on the steep way, but Cap'n Bill, because of

his wooden leg, had to hold on to rocks and roots now

and then to save himself from tumbling. On a level path

he was as spry as anyone, but to climb up hill or down

required some care.

They reached the boat safely and while Trot was

untying the rope Cap'n Bill reached into a crevice of

the rock and drew out several tallow candles and a box

of wax matches, which he thrust into the capacious

pockets of his sou'wester.  This sou'wester was a

short coat of oilskin which the old sailor wore on all

occasions, when he wore a coat at all, and the

pockets always contained a variety of objects, useful

and ornamental, which made even Trot wonder where they

all came from and why Cap'n Bill should treasure them.

The jackknives, a big one and a little one, the bits

of cord, the fishhooks, the nails: these were handy to

have on certain occasions. But bits of shell, and tin

boxes with unknown contents, buttons, pincers, bottles

of curious stones and the like, seemed quite

unnecessary to carry around. That was Cap'n Bill's

business, however,

Reviews for The Scarecrow Of Oz

[soulflower1981 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Baum's "The Scarecrow of Oz" sees two of his creations from another book finding their way to the land of oz. I personally had never been introduced to these other characters as I have never read the other book. This fact does not take away from the joy of reading this book though. In many ways it can add to it because after you are finished if you desire you can find another adventure containing them.

This book, out of all the oz books I have read to date, is probably my favorite of the series because it felt that Baum was comfortable with his own writing and also what he wanted to convey with this story about the land of oz. I have stated in my other reviews of the Oz books that there have been times that you could tell that Baum was over telling stories of this other world, but you can tell in this book that he was having fun. It seemed like a switch had finally went off in his head that he could still create wonderful characters regardless of them eventually ending up in Oz. This made this book very strong in my opinion.

The creatures while fantastical in nature, which is the point of new characters in these books to be larger than life, seemed to also be rooted in a more "real world" understanding of what a character is. The Ork is something that you would think you would see at any zoo you went to but you realize it was not a real bird ever. This contrasts to some of the creatures in the previous books that you felt could never exist in any capacity. Also these creatures seemed more geared towards a bit older generation, not adults but slightly older than a child, because he actually spends time describing things in a manner that he didn't do in the previous books that give the creatures/characters a different type of life. One that seems to again contrast with some of the other characters like the Woozy that was introduced in a previous volume that felt it was geared specifically for small children.

Baum has found himself as an author in my opinion in this book and as a result produced a book that is really wonderful to read. His books are never high literature by any mean nor do they have any particular deep message most of the time, but they are fun reads full of adventure and intrigue that are worth reading.

[coralsiren · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The Wizard of Oz was one of my favorite movies as a child, so I was curious to see what the original story was like. I was a little bit disappointed and I definitely like the movie version was better, but it was very interesting to see all the differences between the movie and the book.

[leslie398 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I have never before read this children's classic. Surprised by how quickly it moves along, with some of the famous scenes in the movie not in the text...

Anne Hathaway does a good job with the narration, although I felt her voice for the Cowardly Lion to be a bit over the top.

[ginger_malone-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Another great kids book for introducing classic literature. Kids love this story, and I would use it for characterization and story progression.

[mrsbaty · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Everyone has seen the movie but not nearly as many people have read the book. There are a number of significant differences. This is one of those few instances where you can't say which one is better, they are just different. Enjoy them both for what they are.The book is a fun, nonsensical adventure of the type that children have no problems believing. Friendship and helpfulness as virtues are emphasized. The characters are so different and interesting that it sets itself apart from other children's literature. The Land of Oz almost becomes a character itself.Because of the fantastic nature of the story, it will hold up very well over the years and I'll enjoy reading it to my grandchildren as much as I enjoyed reading it to my kids and as much as I enjoyed reading it as a child.

[saretta7l · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

La storia del Mago di Oz la conoscono tutti tra film e citazioni in altre serie (e.g. Futurama).A rileggerlo però è proprio un bel romanzo per bambini con il tema del viaggio e delle prove da superare per i quattro protagonisti.Oz insegna che forse è inutile cercare di avere quello che si ottiene con l'esperienza e che forse si aveva già, mentre Dorothy ci ricorda quanto sia bello tornare a casa.---The story of the magician of Oz is well known thanks also to books and quotes in series (e.g. Futurama).I re-read it and I found this book a very interesting children novel that contains the theme of the travel and obstacles that the four protagonists have to overcome.Oz tells us that maybe what we already have what we are searching for and that experience helps in becoming better people, Dorothy instead remembers us how wonderful is coming back home.

[slavenrm · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Baum’s Wizard of Oz, now over a century old, varies from its popular representation in a fashion very similar to the manner in which all works of stage and screen vary from their literary counterparts. The book features much the same cast, complete with scarecrow and tin man and lion, but offers a bit more depth and back story than the movie classic. I will not attempt to summarize the work entirely but will point out a few key points and differences that struck me as interesting during my brief perusal. No warranty is expressed or implied as to my own reader’s interest in anything I may commit to paper.Firstly, I found it interesting how Baum’s stress on the dull gray landscape of Kansas translated into the movie’s depiction off the text. This was a natural and wonderful coincidence given that at the time movies themselves were undergoing a transition from black and white to color. Baum notes:“The sun had baked the plowed land into a gray mass, with little cracks running through it. Even the grass was not green, for the sun had burned the tops of the long blades until they were the same gray color to be seen everywhere. Once the house had been painted, but the sun blistered the paint and the rains washed it away, and now the house was as dull and gray as everything else.” Everything truly is most painfully drab until Dorothy finds herself in the most radiant land of Oz. Baum’s words of introduction could not be more perfectly reproduced than by the movie almost 40 years later.“The little girl gave a cry of amazement and looked about her, her eyes growing bigger and bigger at the wonderful sights she saw. The cyclone had set the house down very gently — for a cyclone — in the midst of a country of marvelous beauty. There were lovely patches of greensward all about, with stately trees bearing rich and luscious fruits. Banks of gorgeous flowers were on every hand, and birds with rare and brilliant plumage sang and fluttered in the trees and bushes. A little way off was a small brook, rushing and sparkling along between green banks, and murmuring in a voice very grateful to a little girl who had lived so long on the dry, gray prairies.”From here the text and my analysis of it settle down a bit. The good witch of the North who visits Dorothy in the opening of the text is, in fact, old rather than young and radiant as depicted in the movie. She is not Glinda, as Glinda lives in the south and has become powerful enough to defy the passage of time. Dorothy’s new-found shoes, lately belonging to the wicked witch of the east, are in fact silver, not red. As the movie folk-lore tells it, they were to originally be of silver in the movie, but were changed to red so they would contrast more spectacularly with the yellow road of such pivotal importance. I will not burden the reader with the myriad of differences in evidence.As with all of Baum’s works though, there are a few points of keen wisdom to be acquired for the assiduous reader. Of particular interest is the evolution of the principle characters during the series. Our friend the scarecrow entreats:“Brains are the only things worth having in this world, no matter whether one is a crow or a man.”A constant conflict boils just under the surface as to whether wisdom or compassion or selflessness are most important attributes in humanity.The man of tin is given a sad and macabre back story in the book that would terrify children if it were reenacted. He retells the story briefly in chapter five in which he was the victim of love and the wicked witch of the east.“She thought of a new way to kill my love for the beautiful Munchkin maiden, and made my axe slip again, so that it cut right through my body, splitting me into two halves. Once more the tinsmith came to my help and made me a body of tin, fastening my tin arms and legs and head to it, by means of joints, so that I could move around as well as ever. But, alas! I had now no heart, so that I lost all my love for the Munchkin girl, and did not care whether I married her or not.”The tin man’s history makes him a much more complicated personage as we realize that unlike the scarecrow, he has firsthand knowledge of what he has lost. He was once a man in love, but fell victim to the heartlessness of another.In the textual version we also learn what is suspected of the magical city of Oz in the movie. Indeed, it is merely a façade, a hollow rendering of a greater place. We see this laid out for us in chapter 12. Dorothy and the others are forced to don green goggles before they enter the Emerald City. Upon their exit, an examination of their clothing reveals the true nature of the city:“but now, to her surprise, she found it was no longer green, but pure white. The ribbon around Toto’s neck had also lost its green color and was as white as Dorothy’s dress.”Oz isn’t so much a reality as it is an enforced state of mind, an illusion perpetuated by Oz himself. If one were in a more cynical mood, one might extend this analogy to all of government. But since one is not of such a mood, one will merely leave such concepts as an exercise for the reader, and perhaps refer them to some Orwell.Most interesting to me, we also learn the reason why the flying monkeys find themselves in the service of the wicked witch of the west. To shorten an otherwise interesting story, let it merely be said that they were a free and independent people under the influence of an enchantment which required them to serve the witch a prescribed number of times in a manner of her choosing. Later they find themselves in the service of both Dorothy and Glinda, but like all points of real interest, this is left as incentive to the reader.One of the things that is most keenly lost in the visual rendition of Baum’s work is his word play. While the Wonderful Wizard of Oz is not the best example of Baum’s love of Pun, it does display itself. Most prominently it appears in his gifts to the three non-human heroes. To the scarecrow he endows a head full of bran and needles. The “bran-new brains” include the needles to prove just how “sharp” the scarecrow has become. While Baum’s puns are many, no promise is made as to their quality. To the tin man he endows a simple heart made of cloth and stuffing and to the lion he gifts a stiff belt of whiskey to endow courage. One finds it difficult to imagine how this last gift was lost from the movie version.All in all, the book was as entertaining as the previous three times I’d bothered to peruse it. No grand discoveries were to be made but it is a quick and simple read for those that find themselves in environments where distractions made more detailed reading impossible. While it is written for a child, the age of the work makes it at least somewhat amusing for the more sophisticated reader. Children of the current era will find little in it to amuse them.

[pmaranci_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It's odd that this is the first time I've read an Oz book. I think I started one or two, long ago, and never finished them. But many people rave about Oz, and I love old books from that era (especially children's books), so recently I picked it up and read it through.

It didn't take long. In fact, I was quite surprised at how quickly I got through it. It's quite a short book. It's also very simply written. I don't think most young American children (say, ages 7 and up) would have any difficulty reading it at all. The grammar is slightly more formal than modern American English, but the vocabulary is startlingly ordinary; far less challenging than I'd expected.

Perhaps that's because most of the books I've read from that general era (The Wonderful Wizard of Oz was first published in 1900) are English, and use a considerably deeper vocabulary. The majority of Americans would struggle with an unabridged Peter Pan or Winnie-the-Pooh, and be utterly defeated by Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

That said, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz was a nice, light, and very quick read with some pleasantly funny moments. I'd heard that it was an extended political parable - the scarecrow representing Midwestern farmers, the Tin Woodsman representing the factory workers of the new Industrial Revolution, and the Lion representing...actually, I don't remember - but if that's the case (and it may well be) the result certainly doesn't seem to very complex. I probably won't read The Wonderful Wizard of Oz for myself again very soon, but I'll probably soon read it to my son - or see if he's interested in reading it for himself.

I can't help but wonder if I'd have loved the book if I had first read it when I was seven. But I just don't know.

Oh, I almost forgot: Of course I've seen the movie many times, and am quite fond of it. I expected the book to be very different from the movie, and it was - but it turned out that the movie was more faithful to the text than I'd realized. That said, I have to say that the movie actually seemed to make a strong theme (there's no place like home, of course) which the book lacked. But then, Dorothy seemed much younger in the book.

It was also interesting that in the book, the voyage to Oz was clearly NOT a dream (Uncle Henry had had to build a new house to replace the one that had been taken away by the tornado), whereas the movie made it fairly clear that Oz HAD all been Dorothy's fever-dream (since, among other things, the house was unchanged and still there).

[dauntless_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Having never read the book before, I read this before seeing the new Oz movie. It was a good, quick read. I understand its' classic status!

[shirezu · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I only have vague memories of the movie(s) and never read this book as a child. I was encouraged (threatened) to read this book and as a cornerstone of children's literature I probably should have before now.

A very simple tale it was more violent then I had envisioned. The Tin Woodman has no issues taking his axe to anything and anyone even though he's a self-described pacifist.

I've heard the rest of the Oz series improves from here and I hope it does. Honestly I think I could have been perfectly happy not to have read this book but at least it was short.

[shannaredwind_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Just finished reading this to the kids and they loved it. They can't wait to start on the next book in the series.

[gaillamontagne · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

My copy of The Wizard of Oz was narrated by Anne Hathaway who is more talented than I understood. She was marvelous in her vocal interpertation. (except for the southern accent for one of the characters in Oz) Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed it but, I must say, I enjoyed the movie more. In the book, she actually went to Oz unlike the movie, she was dreaming from being unconscious. Glenda was an old lady creature, the slippers were silver, not ruby and the tin man's story is very violent. I understand why the movie makers had to change it...... In the book, the tin man began as a real man who had fallen in love with a munchkin girl. The witch did not want them to marry so she put a magic spell on his ax which chopped off his limbs one at a time until all were gone, even his head. A tin worker refitted him each time until he was completey made of tin without a heart. Easy to see why this had to be changed for a childrens' movie. In the book, the story drags on byond melting the witch and arriving at Oz. It does not have the continunity that the movie has. It is not very often I enjoy the movie production more than the book. The movie made more sense

[sedelia_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I can't believe that after all this time of watching the movies and reading the books derived from the original story, I've never read the original! The Wizard of Oz is a cute, fun kid's adventure story that I could see young children absolutely loving. It is a bit simplistic in terms of writing and storytelling, but the message is timeless, and that counts for something. Careful parents -- this is the kind of story children ask to read over and over and over again.And I would just like to say that I really like the message of this novel. I think it's gotten lost within the numerous retellings over the years, but I thought it was really heartwarming and a good thing for kids to hear. I do wish the witch were a bit more evil and scary, though. She seemed more of a side character than anything, which was strange, again, after seeing/reading all the adaptations.As for the narration, it was good -- good pacing, intonation, etc. Fields makes sure to give everyone distinctive voices and does a good job at that. However, it contains nothing spectacular that would make me recommend it over the print version. I think reading either version is fine, it would just depend on your preference. I do, however, recommend reading it. It is slightly dated and I think adults would like it for its cultural history, not necessarily because of its inherent entertainment value (Although I'm still reeling over the whole silver slippers instead of ruby slippers thing. So weird!). But I'm sure that kids will love it!

[grumpydan · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is a fantastic children’s book that follows Dorothy and friends through Oz. Although, I never read it as a child (I wish I had shared this with my daughter), I enjoyed it. It is nothing like the classic motion picture (let alone who knows what the new Disney movie has in store). If one is a fan of the film, they may be disappointed by the differences. Haven’t seen the film in its entirety in years, I was able to enjoy the book for what it was. The illustrations by Michael Sieben were, at first, a little disturbing but adds some pizzazz to the story. I see that Sieben is somewhat popular and his illustrations remind me of the wood block prints we used to do in school.

[mirrani_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The charming writing style of Baum reminds me of listening to stories made up at bedtime or around the camp fire. The descriptions of places and the actions of the characters are just enough to keep the plot flowing, but are not so heavy that they drag down the motion either. Baum has a way of describing something so that your mind knows exactly what the thing looks like without having to give a lot of time that would take away from the action.Each character shares the same adventure, but along the way has smaller personal adventures that prove that what they seek is really what they have all along. The reader knows this, but the characters never really do, which is also an interesting idea. This classic stays in the hearts and minds of young children all the way through their adulthood and is always worth reading over and over as we grow up, just to prove that in our hearts we can still be young again.

[catfantastic_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is such a charming and magical fairy tale. I'm glad I re-read it. I first read this sometime in elementary school and now, twenty or so years later, I didn't remember it that well. I've seen the movie many times in childhood and later, and I am a fan of Gregory Maguire's Wicked both the book and musical, so when I saw the first three of Baum's classic Oz novels in the used book store I grabbed them up quickly.I remember that, as a child I was actually creeped out by the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman(!) Especially the Woodman because he cut his own arms and legs off. That's a hardcore mental image to process when you're a kid. Now of course I just find it all very charming and sweet. I am also charmed by the way that the Scarecrow wants brains, the Woodman wants a heart and the Lion wants courage, yet they repeatedly prove by their actions that they each have the thing they think they lack. I don't remember if I quite got that as a child, but it made me smile the whole time I was reading it now. Like, aw, what sweethearts they all are!The "Marvelous Land of Oz" itself is magnificently detailed and magical. The map at the front, illustrating the different countries, makes this seem more like an epic fantasy series than a children's series (and indeed, the Del Rey versions that I'm reading are made up to look more like an adult fantasy series, complete with quotes by Ray Bradbury, Terry Brooks, Stephen Donaldson and Gore Vidal) you can see how later children's and adult fantasy series were inspired by Baum's creativity. In the end, The Wizard of Oz is a really fun, magical, charming, quirky book. I don't have children, but it seemed like one that would be a lot of fun to read aloud to a child. It makes for a fast, fun read as an adult. I'm glad I picked up the next two in the series, as I never read beyond the first book as a child, but now I'm pretty curious about them - and I'll be happy to take my time exploring the marvelous land of Oz!

[bereneezypie · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really loved this book. It's a classic. Although, at times, I felt the movie was probably a bit better, but still a must-read. I thought the book was much more childlike than the movie and was much more in the perspective of a child.

[sturlington_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is the first chapter book I managed to read all the way through to my son. I don't think I had ever sat down and read it myself before. This is a good book for reading aloud to very young children, because the characters are very simple, and their goals are crystal clear and reinforced through constant repetition. Scarecrow wants a brain, Tin Woodman wants a heart, Cowardly Lion wants courage, Dorothy wants to go home to Kansas. It was no problem for my 4-year-old to follow the story or to be excited by the simple adventures the characters have. I was surprised that there were quite a few sly jokes thrown in as well, which go right over the head of a young reader but are amusing for adults. My son hasn't seen the movie, so he had no preconceptions, which helps since the book differs in many ways from the film. We also both enjoyed the whimsical illustrations in the Puffin Classics edition. I hope to find other children's books we can enjoy together, and I intend to mine the classics for them.

[john257hopper · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This Kindle edition of the classic children's book where Dorothy is carried by a tornado to the land of Oz is a pleasant read, very reminiscent of Lewis Carroll's Alice books. It is lavishly illustrated throughout, though the name of the illustrator on the cover differs from that on the title page (this may explain why Dorothy looks a bit different in some pictures - never like Judy Garland, though!). A nice, lighter read. 4/5

[ericpatterson · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Baum's "The Scarecrow of Oz" sees two of his creations from another book finding their way to the land of oz. I personally had never been introduced to these other characters as I have never read the other book. This fact does not take away from the joy of reading this book though. In many ways it can add to it because after you are finished if you desire you can find another adventure containing them.

This book, out of all the oz books I have read to date, is probably my favorite of the series because it felt that Baum was comfortable with his own writing and also what he wanted to convey with this story about the land of oz. I have stated in my other reviews of the Oz books that there have been times that you could tell that Baum was over telling stories of this other world, but you can tell in this book that he was having fun. It seemed like a switch had finally went off in his head that he could still create wonderful characters regardless of them eventually ending up in Oz. This made this book very strong in my opinion.

The creatures while fantastical in nature, which is the point of new characters in these books to be larger than life, seemed to also be rooted in a more "real world" understanding of what a character is. The Ork is something that you would think you would see at any zoo you went to but you realize it was not a real bird ever. This contrasts to some of the creatures in the previous books that you felt could never exist in any capacity. Also these creatures seemed more geared towards a bit older generation, not adults but slightly older than a child, because he actually spends time describing things in a manner that he didn't do in the previous books that give the creatures/characters a different type of life. One that seems to again contrast with some of the other characters like the Woozy that was introduced in a previous volume that felt it was geared specifically for small children.

Baum has found himself as an author in my opinion in this book and as a result produced a book that is really wonderful to read. His books are never high literature by any mean nor do they have any particular deep message most of the time, but they are fun reads full of adventure and intrigue that are worth reading.

[gpangel_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

No matter what age you are, The Wizard of Oz never gets old. If you have watched the movie, ( and who hasn't), you will no doubt experience great surprise at how very different the book is. All the same, despite all the commentary, I really believe this is just a great fantasy for children, with no real great hidden messages. It's just a great deal of fun. The book ( and the other books in the series) and the movie should be re-visited from time to time. I think it's good for us, not matter what age you are.

[klefort_2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, written by Baum was reinterpreted through film by MGM studios, as many of you know. The film and the book contrast on certain aspects, such as Dorthy's silver shoes. In the film the shoes are ruby (MGM's colorful alteration). Nevertheless, the idea, the characters, and the adventures are basically the same in both text and movie. Dorthy gets dropped in the Land of Oz after a cyclone picks up her house in Kansas. Throughout the story, she meets the Tin Woodman, The Scarecrow, and the Lion who all accompany her on her adventure to get back to Kansas. Dorthy (unknowingly) posses the power to take her home in her silver shoes the entire time. Unlike Carroll's Wonderland, where we find out that Alice had been dreaming the entire time, in the Wizard of Oz, Baum insists that The Land of Oz is in fact a real place. At the end of the story, Dorthy returns to Kansas by clicking her heels and she sees the new shed that Uncle Henry has built while she was away (the cyclone had destroyed the old shed). Things of this nature happened in real time with Dorthy's disappearance, suggesting that Oz was in fact a real place and Dorthy was not dreaming. However, in the famous MGM film, Dorthy was dreaming after she fainted.

[bryndahlquis · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is one of those extraordinarly intelligent children's books, which I suppose is why it turned into a classic. That and the fact that it's brilliant and enjoyable as well, of course.

[elliepotten · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Why have I never read this book before?! Okay, I'll tell you why I've never read this book before - I HATE the movie. There, I said it. Get the lashings over with now, because I doubt I'll be changing my mind any time soon. The music! The stupid man in a lion costume! The wrong-coloured shoes! No no no. So, as you might imagine, it was a very pleasant surprise when I found myself, twenty pages into the book, sitting with a gentle smile on my face thinking, "Yeah, just one more chapter before I go do something useful." This is actually a really lovely little book! It is charming and whimsical and full of polite conversation and intriguing creatures, just as a children's classic should be. As Dorothy and her friends wend their merry way towards self-knowledge and magical wish fulfillment, they meet with all kinds of nice people, bizarre monsters and tricky situations, but you know that everything's going to be okay in the end because Baum said so. That said, it's not all sunshine and roses in the Land of Oz, oh no... What Baum omits by way of serious peril for his leading characters, he makes up for with the macabre ends he concocts for the naughty beasts that threaten them. Yes, the Wicked Witch of the West is destroyed with a humble bucket of water (if that's a spoiler... well, if you don't know it now you never will) - but everything else is thrown off a cliff, has its neck broken, is beheaded or chopped in half by the Tin Man's axe. All the kinds of deaths that make me shudder and put down my lunch for a moment. But then everybody skips on and is very jolly to have survived another menace, so that's okay.Needless to say, the book was a wonderful little read, despite the fact that I had "We're off to see the wizard" stuck in my head THE WHOLE TIME. Baum's imaginary world was a delight to explore, twisting old fairytale cliches into something new and unique (like the mischievous Winged Monkeys and their three wishes taking the place of the traditional genie, for example), and Dorothy's well-mannered sweetness was like a soothing balm for my summer-holiday-brat-frazzled nerves. My edition is a smart little 'Great Reads' hardback, with cute cartoony line drawings that don't look AT ALL like the movie characters (much to their credit), which I found really rounded off the reading experience. Roll on book 2 - I think I'm hooked!

[seriousgrace · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is one of those reviews I feel ridiculous writing because who doesn't know the story of The Wizard of Oz? Dorothy is a child living in a one-room house in Kansas with her aunt, uncle and dog. A tornado rips through the plains but before Dorothy and her little dog can make it to the hole in the floor the tiny house is swooped up in the tornado's vortex and they are whisked off to a fantasy land. Upon landing they inadvertently kill a wicked witch (of the East). The townspeople munchkins are overjoyed but all Dorothy wants to do is go home. So, the munchkins give her the witch's shoes and send her along a yellow brick road. At the end of the road is a wizard who supposedly can help her get back to Kansas. Along her journey she meets some oddball characters (a tin woodsman, a cowardly lion, and a brainless scarecrow). Unbeknownst to them, they are being watched on their journey. The deceased witch's sister (Wicked Witch of the West) wants the shoes given to Dorothy. To read The Wizard of Oz as an adult is 100% entertainment. I had fun taking note of how many times the brains-needing Scarecrow did something exceedingly smart or the Cowardly Lion acted inherently brave or the no-heart Tin Man felt true compassion. Other amusements: the group discussing heart disease.

[sylak_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Perhaps this story has been over-hyped, perhaps my expectations were too high; but, whatever the reason, I really didn't enjoy reading this book at all. I tried very hard to fall in love with the characters because I really wanted this to be yet another 'Chronicles of Narnia' but it wasn't. I found the writing style too simplistic and the plots too linear and one dimensional; the editing was also rushed and the text flooded with spelling mistakes and grammatical errors which didn't help any. I am glad to see so many good reviews because it makes me happy that this book has brought so much pleasure to others; but, I am also disappointed at my own lack of fulfillment.Review copy: Minster Classics 1968

[chris177 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The true American fairy tale! We all loved the movie but now is the time for all of us to curl up on the sofa and read L. Frank Baum’s original version of the wonderful land of OZ. This is the first book in the set of 14 books and I must say it was a pleasure to read the real story behind Dorothy and her band of friends as they follow that famous yellow brick road. Some things are familiar in the story; creatures and settings and people that we have seen in the movie. But many, many things are very different. I do not want to mention any of the differences because that is where the fun lays in reading the original version. To find out for yourself what hardships our band of four adventurous souls discover on their journey to the Emerald City. You may find, as I did, that as soon as you finish the first book, you want to read the next book, and then the next book… The great OZ adventure awaits!

[mparis_31 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Having gotten caught up in a cyclone, Dorothy's house whirls her away to the Land of Oz. Here she makes friends with a Scarecrow, a Tin Woodman, and a Cowardly Lion who are all missing something in their life. The group of newly met friends have many adventures as they travel to the Emerald City to see the wizard who they hope will grant all their wishes.It is fun to read this book as an adult after having seen the movie numerous times. The story is generally the same, but is a bit more violent. Although the story line is very interesting, I found the language rather unexciting. Concept/classroom connection: Read the book and compare/contrast it to the well-loved film.

[sskatherine · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is obviously a classic, and I can definitely see how it became so popular when it was originally published. It is quirky and unique and has a child protagonist. However, I feel that with all of the wonderful books that were published during the 20th century, and continue to be published in the 21st century, The Wizard just isn't up to par with the other chapter books available to kids. Baum's descriptions of good vs evil are very stark, and I think it isn't always good to be so clear cut about such things (The witches are EVIL and must die! etc...) I'm not opposed to violence in children's books, but within Baum's little book there seems to be little description for killing aside from the supposed bad/evil nature of those being killed. However, despite all of this, I still find the story to be fun and interesting. I think it would be a fun read aloud book.

[mausergem_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Dorothy is an orphan who lives with her uncle and aunt in Kansas. One day a cyclone carries her and her dog along with their house to a strange land. Here she meets and makes friends with a scarecrow, a Tin Woodman and a cowardly lion. The four friends travel to the land of Oz and have many adventures.A story for children is eternally entertaining.