The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (Oxford World's Classics)
by L. Frank Baum
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Book Summary Information
Author: L. Frank BaumContributor: W. W. Denslow
Editor: Susan Wolstenholme
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Original Language); French (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 2000-03-30
ISBN: 0192839306
Number of pages: 336
Reading Level: Ages 9-12
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Book Reviews of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (Oxford World's Classics)
Book Review: The Birth of Oz
Summary: 4 Stars
The Oz books were a huge part of my childhood. I never really got into other series that other kids my age liked: Hardy Boys, Box Car Children, Encyclopedia Brown. For some reason, I always preferred the more fantastic stories, which probably heavily influenced my later choices in fantasy and science fiction.
My wife never read the Oz books, and so I talked her into reading them with me. We have no children, but we both still enjoy children's books, and have a collection that we look forward to one day sharing with our children. "The Wizard of Oz" tops that list, for both of us now, with a few caveats.
It is obvious on reading the books that they are from a different world and a different time. I'm not talking about some fictional land somewhere over the rainbow; I'm talking about a time when children were not supposed to be protected from any nastiness or unpleasantness. Anyone who has read the original versions of Grimm's Fairy Tales knows what I'm talking about: beheadings, wars, violence, betrayal, abuse, etc. Some of these are found without apology in the land of Oz, which may shock people whose only other introduction to the world was through Judy Garland. The Tin Woodman is constantly chopping the head off of something, (to protect Dorothy, of course), not to mention the Scarecrow breaking the necks several dozen nefarious crows. Many other differences from the musical are discovered when reading the books: The Cowardly Lion isn't really cowardly, the Tin Woodman has always had a heart, and the Scarecrow is without a doubt the cleverest one in the bunch. I've never understood why the movie ignored these facts, or why the MGM's wizard didn't do as the great Oz in the books, and just give the Scarecrow, Tin Woodman, and Lion exactly what they asked for: brains, a heart, and courage. This is to say nothing of the annoying fact the "Good Witch" in the movie knew the whole entire time Dorothy could have gone home whenever she wanted.
People who feel children should be protected and shielded at all cost to the "uglier" side of make-believe would do well to stay away from Oz. But individuals who feel a little fantasy, a little humour, and a small pinch of moral make for a fun story enjoyable by kids of all ages should enjoy Oz.
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