The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1)
by L. Frank Baum
Genre(s): Youth, Classics, Fantasy
Pages: 156
Originally Published: 1900
Summary: "One of the true classics of American literature, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
has stirred the imagination of young and old alike for over four
generations. Originally published in 1900, it was the first truly
American fairy tale, as Baum crafted a wonderful out of such familiar
items as a cornfield scarecrow, a mechanical woodman, and a humbug
wizard who used old-fashioned hokum to express that universal theme,
"There's no place like home."Follow the adventures of young Dorothy Gale
and her dog, Toto, as their Kansas house is swept away by a cyclone and
they find themselves in a strange land called Oz. Here she meets the
Munchkins and joins the Scarecrow, Tin Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion on
an unforgettable journey to the Emerald City, where lives the
all-powered Wizard of Oz."
Review:
I have parts about this I loved and parts that bothered me so my
thoughts a left a jumbled mess. First off, if you do not know this
story, go learn about it. Everyone should know the Wizard of Oz and
most of us do. Although I think many of us are more familiar with the
movie. The story concept is just great and one I have always loved and
all that credit goes to the author.
Now, I must admit I like the
movie more than the book. While the basic story is great and Dorothy
being a little girl does put a more child-like quality of the book there
is a lot of violence in this story. The Tin Man's story is both sad
and horrifying and might be a bit much for a young child to handle. And
the neck breaking, limb lopping as they make their way across Oz was
harsh. While it is not very graphic in description it is still easy to
visualize. So while the story is written in a style for young children,
about half the content is on the mature side.