*"*The book has a bright and joyous atmosphere and does not dwell
upon killing and deeds of violence. Enough stirring adventure enters
into it, however, to flavor it with zest ...It will indeed be
strange if there be a normal child who will not enjoy the story."
"An original departure in children's literature, in every way novel and
unique. ... The text is charming and will prove interesting to both
young and old. ..." - The New York Times, 1900.
" 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz' has become America's greatest and
best-loved homegrown fairy tale. The first totally American fantasy for
children, it is one of the most-read children's books." - Library of
Congress.
"The Oz books are far ahead of their time both scientifically and
politically. They are full of inventions that would not appear on the
market for most of the century, among them a robot man, an artificial
heart and limbs, a television monitoring system, anti-gravity devices,
and a computer-type news service." - Alison Lurie.
"I have learned to regard fame as a will-o-the-wisp, which when caught,
is not worth the possession; but to please a child is a sweet and lovely
thing that warms one's heart and brings its own reward." - L. Frank
Baum.
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is an enchanting tale of adventure and
self-discovery in a magical country. It is America's first and greatest
fairy tale and is one of the most-read children's books. Its
unforgettable characters and memorable adventures made it an instant
classic, so much so that Baum wrote another thirteen books in the
series. This is the first volume of a two-volume collection of all
fourteen books and it will be a delight to any lover of the wonderful
land of Oz.
Features of this edition:
- Contains the first seven books in the Oz series: The Wonderful Wizard
of Oz, The Marvelous Land of Oz, Ozma of Oz, Dorothy and the Wizard in
Oz, The Road to Oz, The Emerald City of Oz, and The Patchwork Girl
of Oz.
- The text is set in a well-spaced, crisp, large, modern 11-point font
that children and grandparents will find easy to read.
- Each book contains the author's introduction.
Frank Baum (1856-1919) was an American writer, best-known for The
Wonderful Wizard of Oz. He wrote another thirteen books in the Oz
series and over fifty-five novels. Baum wrote The Wonderful Wizard of
Oz after failures as an actor, and proprietor of, successively a
theater, a general store, a newspaper, and a trade magazine. Baum aimed
to create an Americanized fairy tale in his Oz books, like Grimms' and
Andersen's, but "in which the wonderment and joy are retained and the
heartaches and nightmares are left out."
