The Wizard of Oz

by Deidre S. Laiken, L. Frank Baum

The Wizard of Oz [WIZARD OF OZ] [Paperback]

Genres: Classics, Fantasy, Fiction, Childrens, Adventure, Fairy Tales, Classic Literature

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1977

Reviews

[♡ Dakota ♡ (Sarcasm is my middle name) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Part of The Rory Gilmore Reading Challenge. Book 1/339

I found the story to be just okay. I think I would have liked it more if I had read it as a kid. Three Stars.

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book because The Wizard of Oz is a classic, and it was only two dollars at Goodwill. In the story, an orphan named Dorothy and her dog Toto get caught in a cyclone and are taken to the Land of Oz. She heads to the Emerald City so she can have her, and the friends she made along the way, to be granted. My favorite quote in the story was, "Some people without brains do an awful lot of talking, don't you think?" I think this quote is very accurate, and it made me laugh for a moment. I can tell that this book was made to entertain children because of the basic vocabulary, but the plot is enjoyable for grown ups as well. I was fond of the descriptive words the author used to describe the scenery and the characters' longing emotions. It helped me visualize what it was like to be Dorothy and how it felt to be homesick and determined. I suggest this book to everyone, young or old, because it can easily make them warm, blissful, and turn you into a little ball of sunshine no matter what age. :)

[Seung Hoon · Rating 5 out of 5]

The wizard of Oz is an adventure story of a girl from Kansas and her friends to a place called Oz.
The girl Dorothy and her dog Toto got blown away by a cyclone to a country called Oz where she met four witches and a very famous wizard-the Wizard of Oz. She met the Scarecrow, Tin man and Cowardly Lion.They set for an adventure to find the Wizard of Oz and ask for help. They went to Emerald City and saw the Wizard of Oz but he said they need to kill the Witch of the West first. They killed the witch and went back to Emerald
city and discovered that the Wizard of Oz is an old man from Kansas. Dorothy and her friends were angry to the fake wizard and demanded to grant their wishes. The old man gave their wishes including Dorothy's wishes to go back in Kansas. But something happened and she did not go home together with the old man.
The Witch of the South help her to go back home to Kansas.
The story talks about the most important values like being brave, having heart, and being clever. The most exciting part is when Dorothy discovered that the Wizard of Oz is an old man from Kansas.

[Becky Conley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great book. I recently found it at a Wizard of Oz festival, and it was one that I had as a child. So much different than the movie. And it is a beautiful read with so many pictures.

[Allen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The original story is way simpler and different than the movie version. The story is clearly written for very young readers I’m guessing around 6 or 7. (Except for all the crows killed, trees chopped, yellow wildcat losing its head, etc.) What the movie added made this truly great. The book is just a rough outline with a few detours. (A city of small houses and small people made of China in the book. Miss Gultch was only in the movie.) The movie even had a way better ending how it showed that The Scarecrow, Tin-man and Lion were people she had met along the way before going to OZ.).

L Frank Baum died in 1919, about 20 years before the movie was released which was a shame. Curious what he’d of thought of it.

Baum ended up writing 14 books about OZ.
I’m curious how he decided that The Good Witches were of the North and South, the Wicked Witches were from the East and West?

[Cindee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every time I read this book I love it even more than I did before also it reminds me how different the movie is to this wonderful story. I always loved the characters especially Dorothy she is such a wonderful and caring girl I can never get tired of reading about her. I also love the Cowardly Lion, the Tinman and the Scarecrow they are such fun characters to read about. I really loved the story of a girl who ends up in Oz the friends she makes on her way back to Kansas.

[Jasmine H · Rating 5 out of 5]

i think this book is wonderful. this book is perfect for people who like old fables.If you have read alice and wonderland you will love this book. A girl named dorathy lived at a small house and there was a storm and her house flew away. Unfortenantly she was in the house and she flew away. Read this book if you want to find out what happend.

[April · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had to re-read this book to my son after my mom found my old original paperback copy. I remembered some of the unusual characters (like the people made of china and the hammer heads, for example, or the various iterations of Oz) due to the illustrations on every page. I think that was my favorite part of this book—the illustrations.

[Hadley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very very very nice book it made me smile and I finished it it around 2 days just reading and reading without stoping and made me laugh but very good book

[Janet Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Revisiting The Wuzard of Oz has taught me that, while it is very well written, I do not particularly care for this classic novel.
Perhaps the movie versions gave given it a status that escapes me.
For fans of this book, enjoy.

[Emilee Zeck · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Read the original and I like it a lot but there’s quite a bit of violence, I’ll definitely read it to my kids in a few years though!)

Okkk so I guess this is the specific book I read and it’s an adaptation of the original wizard of oz made for young readers. Makes sense! Now I need to get the original version haha!

I would read this to my 5yo, although there’s a bit of violence/death it’s all very whimsical and fairytale-like!

[Leea]

As my boys get older (5 & 7), I want to share the classics with them we have started a nightly read. We are attempting to read at least a chapter a night but often that leads to more :) This first time we decided to read a beautifully illustrated shorter version of The Wizard of Oz Illustrated by Charles Santore.

My boys were captivated by the story of Dorothy on her journey into the world of Oz. In fact they would rather read this book than watch cartoon or play games. We were all taken with the magic of Dorothy and Tot meeting the good witch and traveling down the Yellow Brick Road. Which lead to use sing "follow the Yellow brick road" often and right before bed. There are part of this story that were not in the move, some that were a little violent. In the end I often glossed over them and kept reading.

Now that were finished and Dorothy is back with Auntie Em and Uncle Henry on the prairies of Kansas, we're going to watch the classic move The Wizard of Oz.

Up next for our family reads - Little House on the Prairie

I leave you with "Somewhere over the Rainbow" by Judy Garland. A song my grandmother used to sing me to sleep with, so many fond memories.

[Jodie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read this to my son (he was given it as a gift) and was thoroughly disappointed. In the future, I will not read any of these "adapted" versions. All of the descriptive language of the book was eliminated for some cheesy black and white drawings. It felt like reading a comic book. While I haven't read the original, I know there is more substance to it just based on book length alone. I don't understand why this type of book even exists, it is a bastardization of literature, an insult to the author and the reader and does a complete disservice to the work. Boo to adaptations-if it isn't broke don't fix it. Lesson learned.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the first novel I ever read!
I don't think it was this version because I'm pretty sure the edition I read was well over 400 pages, but I cant seem to find it so here I am.

This book is a classic. The story is absolutely wonderful and I remember reading it as fast as my little eyes could because of how captivated I was by the plot.

It's so enjoyable and light-hearted. Honestly, I don't know what else I could write about it because everyone knows the story of the Oz, Dorothy and her friends, the Wicked Witch of the West, etc. I loved it.

[adria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute artwork.

[Alireza Kafaei]

چقدر دوست دارم من اینو
تجربه شرکت در تئاتر موزیکال اش واقعا لذت بخش بود

[OG]

Next book my daughter and I are reading while she eats breakfast!

[Kayla Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Wizard of Oz is written by L. Frank Baum. The Wizard of Oz is one of the most classics of all time! Dorothy lives with her aunt and uncle on their farm in Kansas. When one day a cyclone comes and takes Dorothy away to a magical land called Oz. In Oz she is told if she wants to get home she needs to see the Wizard of OZ. On her way she picks up friends who would like to see the wizard as well. Dorothy must kill the Wicked Witch before she can return home to her aunt and uncle. I loved this book so much that I went home after I finished reading it and watched the movie. I enjoyed it because I love going on adventures, and Dorothy goes to this mysterious land, finds friends, and fights the wicked witch. My favorite character is the Tin Man because he wants a heart and is very kind. My favorite quote from the Wizard of Oz is from the Tin Man is “I shall take the heart for brains do not make one happy, and happiness is the best thing in the world.” My least favorite character is the Wicked Witch, because she tries to steal Dorothy’s magical slippers so she can have power. Which power can make you do crazy things, like send flying monkeys to capture people. I would definitely recommend this book if you like fantasy, adventurous, or classic books!

[Mrs Lopez Overbooked · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series of books introduces young children (kindergartens and on) to classic books. These books are condensed, and the stories simplified. I tried to introduce my little girl to some of these great books, and she consistently talked about the lack of pictures in other similarly condensed books. This series, however, includes enough pictures to keep her interest and give her the basics and desire to read truly wonderful writing. The Great Classics for Children series is a perfect way to transition your child from picture books to books from which they must create the pictures in their minds (as I tell my little one ). I love this series. We have a bunch from them and my little girl loves every one. And asks for them. Now that she’s close to learning to read, I hope she will start reading them herself. Oh, do I need to even comment on what a great story, "The Wizard of Oz" is?

[Callie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so fun to read with my boys. A great illustration on every other page. Magical. Imaginative. It has fun scenes and characters that were omitted from the film. The melting witch seen was a bit anti-climatic. My son even asked, "That's it?" after she died.

It makes me wonder, from an adults perspective, why is Oz so great? It seems to me that he was some stranger who came into town, took over everything, told the people what to do and what to wear. He gives people hope, but he turns out being a fake! And then he takes off in a hot-air balloon never to be heard of again. Why did the people all revere him so? Why did Dorothy put so much hope in him, when in the end, she had all she ever needed in herself.

[Maximillian Meyerhofer]

Personal Response: I did not like this book very much. I have seen the movie, and I never liked that, so this book didn't float my boat. This book was a little different than the movie at the end at the end of the book. Even with the different ending, I still thought it was not the greatest book, but it wasn't that bad.

Summary: Dorthy and her dog Toto get blown away by a cyclone to a beautiful country called Oz. When their house lands, they land on the wicked witch of the east in the land of the Winkies. When she steps out of her house the slippers that were on the witch magically go on her feet. Then she meets the Winkies and they are so happy she killed the witch. Dorthy asks if she can get back to Kansas and they all say no they don't know how. Then the good witch of the north magically appears and says "follow the yellow brick road and there you will find Emerald city and the Great and Powerful Oz." On her way to Emerald City, she stumbles upon a Scarecrow who wants brains, a tin man who needs a heart and a lion who needs courage so they all go to Emerald city together. When they get to Emerald City they all ask the Great Oz for what they need, but he always tells them to kill the wicked witch of the west so they set out on a mission to do so. On there way there the Wicked Witch sends out these flying monkeys to hurt the Scarecrow and the Tinman. The monkeys destroy those two and take the lion and Dorothy hostage. While in the castle the WItch tries to enslave them and they both say no. One day the Witch makes a rope invisible and Dorothy trips and the witch gets one magical shoe and Dorothy screams and throws water on her and she melts. Then they call the monkeys in to save her friends and bring them back to Emerald City. When they reach emerald city they talk to the Oz and he cannot grant there wish. Then they notice that it's a little bald dude whos an apprentice wizard. The Oz gives them a ¨fake¨ brain, heart, and potion of courage to make it seem like they got what they want. Then he tells Dorothy I can take you on a hot air balloon all the way to Kansas. When the Oz gets in the balloon there is to much power and the rope breaks and she cant get home. They then go to a good witch of the north castle and use her magical slippers and get home safely.

Recommendation: I would recommend this book to any of the age 10 and up. I say this because it's a childish book that is shortened up than the actual thing. That meaning its perfect for an adult to read to there child or anyone in high school read by there self. It is also a good story that children would love.

[Tylerclem · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book many times and I read it again because I like it. I even did a play when I was in kindergarten. I was a scarecrow... Anyway, the story of this book is a girl with some other character goes to meet Oz, who has the magic power so the girl can go back to her house and some other character can have what they want. Like the scarecrow wants a brain, the Tin Woodman wants a heart so he can have a "feeling". Each character is helping each other to get what they want. This story is really good for everyone. I really like the story.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed The Wizard of Oz. I read this book with my second grade class. It is a very easy ready. My students and I greatly enjoyed it. We liked the different lands that the characters traveled to. They were very unique and unlike any other places that I've aver read about before. This is also a really funny book. The characters are very funny. I would definitely recommend this book to people who like to read about magical lands, and to teachers who would like to have a quick and easy read that is sure to make students smile.

[James Fagan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read it to the kids. On its merits for what it’s meant to be (a quick, readable version of the longer tale) these illustrated classics get the job done. When you’re going for 20,000 leagues under the sea, skip the endless cataloguing of fish and go for the illustrated children’s classic, but wizard of oz likely is better off less abridged. Still, all the beats of the book remain, which allowed my 6 and 9 year old to talk about how books and their movie adaptations are different, which is a fun bit of takeaway for them. Also the short chapters are great for quick bedtime reads.

[Ariel · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum (Adapted by Diedre S. Laiken) is about Dorothy and her adventure to find the great Oz to send her back home to Kansas after a cyclone brought her upon this magical land. I recommend this book to 6th graders because I know at some point we lose our imagination and this can really create a magical image in our heads because of all the excitement in this classic story.

[George Siehl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm sure this must be a re-read, but I can't remember when my first reading of this children's classic was. A pleasant moral tale with the lesson that we have the ability to deal with our perceived shortcomings if we apply the right frame of mind.

I'm reading it how for a writing group assignment to repurpose a character from a fairy tale or other work of kids lit. I'm going to interview Toto for his take on how things went.

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

My 8 year old said she gives this book 20 stars out of five! That is high praise coming from her; my child who reads beautifully but does so very reluctantly. Of course, I would much prefer she read the unabridged versions, but these are by far better than most books that are popular for her age. For now, I will gladly collect more Great Illustrated Classics and keep encouraging to challenge herself with the real literature.

[ThundertheKilljoy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this book was pretty good for its time. I thought there were some parts missing though, because (WARNING: Spoilers ahead!) the wizard told Dorothy, the tin man and the scarecrow to kill the wicked witch of the west, but he told the lion to bring back proof that she was dead! And guess what?
The book didn't say that they brought back proof!
But yet the wizard still granted everyone's (including the lion!) wishes.

[Crow NoYami · Rating 3 out of 5]

I understand why this is a classic and was turned into a film, but what I don't understand is why a children's novel has such violence in it. Yes, you can say the same for other books that I've reviewed, but this was marketed for children not middle grade, which is where I believe the violence level is at. Overall an enjoyable listen, great voice actor, but not something I would recommend for younger children.

[Haven · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wizard of Oz: 😒
Wicked: 😍😍😍😍😍😍😁😁😁😁😁😁😍😍😍😍😍😍😍
U gotta agree with me here. Wicked 💚 🩷 is amazing and I can’t wait for part 2. There is not a single person in the world that luvs Wicked more than me.
But wizard of Oz has seen better days. Fiyero/ Scarcrow I love u and Boq/Tinman ur so amazing! I luv u all! Thank u so much for supporting me on this review! And all those people out there who think they love wicked more than I do, you’re wrong.
#PinkGoesGoodWithGreen💚🩷💚🩷