The Wizard of Oz

By L. Frank Baum,

Book cover of The Wizard of Oz

Book description

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'"Come along, Toto," she said. "We will go to the Emerald City and ask the Great Oz how to get back to Kansas again."'

Swept away from her home in Kansas by a tornado, Dorothy and her dog Totoā€¦

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Why read it?

8 authors picked The Wizard of Oz as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

This one needs no plot description. If you donā€™t know what The Wizard of Oz is about, then I donā€™t know what to tell you. Watch the movie, or better yet, read the book. Itā€™s considered a childrenā€™s classic, but like the best kid-lit, there is so much sinisterism and cynicism hiding behind the curtain (no pun intended). 

Perseverance and living in the moment, are probably the lessons to take away from The Wizard of Oz and enjoying the journey, wherever the road may lead and the fact that while having courage, a heart (empathy/ emotional intelligence/ kindness and gentleness) and a brain (intelligence), may be fine by themselves, it is when they work together that the magic happens and good things become real).

This book is the best book in helping you to discover that you never really have to go on an outward journey or to look to others for the answers to find what is inside you all along. They are always within.

However, itā€™s the characters and journey along the way that usually guide us to discover what those weaknesses and strengths are. Itā€™s a story of friendship, adventure, hope, and home (and the answers) are ultimately where the heart is. I love stories that give the readers hope; the rainbow is the symbolism of hope. There is a rainbowā€¦

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Wand by Landra Jennings,

Eleven-year-old Mira wishes everything could go back to the way it was. Before she changed schools and had to quit gymnastics. Especially before Papa died. Now she spends her days cooking and cleaning for her stepsisters and Valā€”who she still wonā€™t call mom and still wonā€™t forgive for the terribleā€¦

I love when an author weaves social issues into the plot and character. Baum wrote an extensive political allegory in the guise of childrenā€™s literature. You have to know a little about the controversies of the time he wrote the story, especially backing paper currency with precious metals. Gold (yellow brick road), silver (Dorothyā€™s slippers are silver in the book), and greenbacks (the Emerald City is a metaphor for Washington, D.C.) are all in the story and reflect Baumā€™s views about the illusory value of paper money. More importantly, he is commentating upon power and wealth and oppression in America.ā€¦

From Victor's list on the hero's journey.

The 1939 film starred Judy Garland, yet this book was the first of 14 Oz stories created by Baum. A brave heroine, dropped into a strange land by a swirling tornado, gathers together a bedraggled troupe of companions, a cowardly lion, a tin woodsman sans heart, and a scarecrow with brain fog. Together they confront bad and good witches, flying monkeys, singing dragoons, and sundry other antagonists in their journey to the ā€œEmerald Cityā€. There have been political & allegorical references to the yellow brick road and the ā€œgold standard,ā€ the populist movement, eastern industrialization, and scheming politicians.  In theā€¦

I love Dorothyā€™s ā€˜whirlwindā€™ journey to the crazy land of Oz! The mental imagery is such fun. I love ā€˜road tripā€™ plots (and I count this as a road trip), and the whole adventure really fed my imagination. 

Besides the delicious surrealness of the story, I like how Dorothy accumulates friends along the yellow brick road. Each of these new friends has an imperfection thatā€™s holding them back. What a great opportunity to demonstrate the power of friendship. When we act alone, our imperfections can overwhelm us and keep us from reaching our goals. But when we team up withā€¦

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One Giant Leap by Ben Gartner,

Editor's Pick, BookLife by Publishers Weekly.

Gold Medal, 2023 Mom's Choice Awards.

Gold Medal, 2023 Readers' Favorite Awards.

First Place, 2023 Gertrude Warner Middle Grade Awards.

Iā€™m pretty sure Iā€™m about to die in space. And I just turned twelve and a half.

Blast off with the four winners ofā€¦

ā€œGreen witch, red shoesā€ automatically comes to my mind with this title (courtesy of the popular 1939 musical). I am so grateful to acclaimed illustrator Lizbeth Zwerger ā€” who *never* saw that film ā€” for her fresh and captivating interpretation of this story. Baumā€™s original silver shoes are here and ā€œDainty China Countryā€ is not forgotten. I still enjoy the ā€œgreen witch, red shoesā€ version, but having an alternative perspective gives the source text even more depth.

From Kevin's list on seeing things differently.

I, like so many others, have loved the story of Dorothy's trip to Oz, plus the other Oz adventures. This is a classic that should be required reading forā€¦ well, everybody. The combination of fascinating characters, a magical world (not Kansas for sure), and a journey in search of something. In Dorothy's case, it's the way home. This is a classic theme that L. Frank Baum tells in such an engaging style, it is almost the archetype of the motif if you never heard of Odysseus. Even then, I find the Oz books more engaging and heartfelt than the mythicalā€¦

From Marva's list on combining magic with the mundane.

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Book cover of Wand

Wand by Landra Jennings,

Eleven-year-old Mira wishes everything could go back to the way it was. Before she changed schools and had to quit gymnastics. Especially before Papa died. Now she spends her days cooking and cleaning for her stepsisters and Valā€”who she still wonā€™t call mom and still wonā€™t forgive for the terribleā€¦

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