Take a photo of a barcode or cover
meduse_jalouse 's review for:
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
by L. Frank Baum
I hadn't read this book since I was 10, but I recently kickstarted an illustrated edition and so it was time to revisit! 3.5 stars, with Evan Dahm's illustrations bumping it up to 4.
L. Frank Baum wrote that this book was his attempt at "a modernized fairy tale, in which the wonderment and joy are retained and the heartaches and nightmares are left out." But to me, the nightmarishness is part of the appeal of a good fairy tale, and so as an adult I found The Wonderful Wizard of Oz to be a lovely but ultimately toothless story.
Which isn't to say it's bad! The colorful characters and places are as endearing today as they were in 1900, and though the meandering plot takes a few too many detours on its way back to Kansas, Dorothy and Toto's adventures are fun to read about. And the illustrations really do bring Oz to life.
I'd absolutely recommend this book to younger readers--it's friendly and accessible and part of the American canon. I remember falling in love with all the characters as a child. But it lacks any major conflict, making it more of a romp or series of small events rather than one big adventure.
L. Frank Baum wrote that this book was his attempt at "a modernized fairy tale, in which the wonderment and joy are retained and the heartaches and nightmares are left out." But to me, the nightmarishness is part of the appeal of a good fairy tale, and so as an adult I found The Wonderful Wizard of Oz to be a lovely but ultimately toothless story.
Which isn't to say it's bad! The colorful characters and places are as endearing today as they were in 1900, and though the meandering plot takes a few too many detours on its way back to Kansas, Dorothy and Toto's adventures are fun to read about. And the illustrations really do bring Oz to life.
I'd absolutely recommend this book to younger readers--it's friendly and accessible and part of the American canon. I remember falling in love with all the characters as a child. But it lacks any major conflict, making it more of a romp or series of small events rather than one big adventure.