The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is a children's novel written by L. Frank Baum and illustrated by W. W. Denslow. Originally published by the George M. Hill Company in Chicago on May 17, 1900, it has since been reprinted numerous times, most often under the name The Wizard of Oz, which is the name of both the 1902 stage play and the well-known adaptation 1939 film version, starring Judy Garland. The story chronicles the adventures of a young girl named Dorothy Gale in the Land of Oz, after being swept away from her Kansas farm home in a tornado. Thanks in part to the 1939 MGM movie, it is one of the best-known stories in American popular culture and has been widely translated. Its initial success, and the success of the popular 1902 Broadway musical which Baum adapted from his original story, led to Baum's writing thirteen more Oz books. The original book has been in the public domain in the US since 1956.

 

 

When I started to write this review I had a terrible time finding a description of the book, you know just the simple book flap explanation of what awaited one inside the pages.  Hence the rather historical explanation provided.

Some of my fondest memories of my childhood are of my parents reading to me.  So of course I want to continue that tradition.  The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is the first chapter book that I have read to my girls. 

 

What I found most interesting was how difficult a concept of a movie verses a book was to my five year old.  Every time something was different in the book she would say "that's a lie."  With little concept of time to begin with explaining that the book was first and the movie was based on the book was practically rocket science.

 

To combat this I am now reading Rise of the Guardian, the Movie Novelization.  When we are done (and it will be soon she is loving it) I will take her to see the movie. 

 

I had never read The Wizard of Oz, to be honest it isn't even that high on my list of favorite movies but I want to introduce my daughters to strong female characters.  What I found most interesting about the book were the differences between it and the movie (which I must say I am way to familiar with,my little sister must have watched it a million times).  One of the major differences is that Dorothy's shoes are silver in the book!

 

Overall I would say the book is much better than the movie.  The characters have more depth and the message Frank wrote into the book is much clearer.  I was a bit sad when I realized that Dorothy wasn't the strong female character I expected.  But then again, she wasn't my daughters favorite character anyway, Kayde loved the Cowardly Lion, who was not cowardly at all. 

I created a Pinterest Board to share all the wonderful images both movie and book inspired that I have found. Just click on the above image to head over.

 

A wonderful read that my children enjoyed and I am glad to say that I have now read.  I think next I will read one of the following to the girls.

 I know and love quite a few of them, the hard part will be deciding to read something I haven't read or reading them one I love.

Linking up with the wonderful Ricki Jill at Art @ Home