The Magic of Oz (Oz Series Book 13)

Ruth Plumly Thompson's 1st Oz book. While the stories had become a bit repetitive by this point, the introduction of new characters continues to entertain and there's something just so charming about these. They are, in every respect, American fairytales. If you like fantasy or have kids of any age, get these books. Thompson's attempts to mimic Baum come across a bit weak and her stories greatly improve when she simply writes with her own voice. Also, this one has some unfortunate racial comments.

when they gave the size of these books... they were the same size as the Rand McNally books I'd bought years ago... but they were MUCH thinner and the print is so tiny as to be very tiring to read... these are a very poor representation of the original books... if I could get my money back I would!

This is just another book in the chronicles of OZ and OZ characters. It is a quick and easy read, and the fact that it is was free makes it hard to find something negative to say. It is a basic OZ story.

Doma Publishing's Wizard of Oz collection has taken me several years to read with my son at bedtime. It was interesting revisiting the texts that I read swiftly through my youth, as I was about his age when I read them and remembered little beyond some of the characters that don't appear in any of the books. I picked up a copy of this version since, for 99c, I could have the complete series along with "All the original artwork by the great illustrator W.W. Denslow (over 1,000 classic illustrations)", and to read the complete 14-book text at bedtime with all original color illustrations on my Kindle Fire knowing that there would be cross-linked tables of contents and no layout issues, it was worth my buck rather than taking them all out of the library. We read these books before bed at home and under the stars by a campfire in the forest, in a hotel in Montreal and in a seaside cottage in Nova Scotia, on a boat and in a car. We read it everywhere, thanks to the Kindle's mobility.

You may be reading this review on one of the individual pages for the original books on Goodreads or the store, and if so, all I did was cross-link the books along with the correct dates we read the original texts. The only book I did not cross-link with original dates was the Woggle-bug book, which if you know, is short. Instead, I counted that final book as the review for Doma's Kindle version. You may notice that some books have longer reading spans – probably for two reasons. One, I traded off reading with my wife sometimes, and two, sometimes we needed a little Baum break and read some other books. It did get a little old sometimes, and there are fourteen books totaling 3500 pages in their original library printing.

The first thing I think is worth mentioning is that when I first read these books, it was as a child would read them. I remember them being repetitive but familiar. Comforting and revealing. An antiquated adventure, but a serial adventure with recurring characters unparalleled in any other literature. As an adult with an MA in literature (and soon and MFA in fiction), I am actually somewhat unimpressed with the series. Baum wrote a whimsical set of tales, but they are torturously repetitive and would be easy to plug-and-play by replacing characters and moments with a computer to make an entirely new book. But, they are children's books, and we are completely enthralled and comforted by the familiar. Is not Shakespeare the same play-to-play structurally? Are not Pixar or Star Wars movies definitively archetypal in timing, execution, structure, and character so that they can be completely replaced and reapplied to a new story? Even the films – heck, even the trailers - are cut the same, and if you play them all at once, magic happens (see: youtube, "all star wars movies at once").

I suppose where the real magic of these books happens is in their origin. Baum wrote something completely original that took the world by storm and continues to be a whimsical American bellwether for children's fantasy. It is one of the original series specifically for children, spanning fourteen books written almost yearly and gobbled up by a hungry public. It still remains at the forefront of American culture in many revisits in Hollywood (let no one forget the horrific beauty that is Return To Oz) and capitalizing on nostalgia (as recently as six months ago I received a mailing from The Bradford Exchange that was selling original library-bound volumes signed by – get this – Baum's great-grandson... I love an autographed book if only for the idea of the magic it transmits even though it is somewhat meaningless, but maybe someone can convince me where the magic is in having it signed by a probably elderly great-grandchild who likely never met his great-grandfather?).

So, while some of the books were awesome and some of them were difficult to slog through, I have my favorites. I will also say that the introductions that each volume opens with were sweet letters from the author to his fans, and it was easy to tell that he truly, truly loved his job writing for children. He knew his audience, he knew what worked, and he sold books. Furthermore, I imagined with great sentimentality mailbags upon mailbags arriving at his house filled to the brim of letters from children all over the world, and the responsibility he probably felt to personally respond to each of them. For my career, that is the best anyone can hope for.

What follows is my (and my son's) short reviews of the individual books in the series.

The Original and Official Oz Books by L. Frank Baum
#1 The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) READ November 26, 2013 – December 1, 2013
My Kid – At first I thought it was crazy, but then it started getting awesome. I remember the movie, but there's a lot of parts that are different.
Me – I mean, classic, right? The book pretty much follows the film almost entirely with few exceptions. In hindsight after finishing the entire series, it is worth nothing that it is considerably one of the best books in the series, while many others are of questionable quality.

#2 The Marvelous Land of Oz (1904) READ December 1, 2013 – January 9, 2014
My Kid – It was scary... Jack Pumpkinhead and Tip escaped and it was really cool.
Me – This is one of the books Return to Oz was based from, The Gump and The Powder of Life coming into play to help Dorothy and Jack Pumpkinhead outwit Mombi. An enjoyable book, quite different than the first book but engineered beautifully with plot and characterization. Enjoyed this one. What was most engaging about this text was Ozma and Tip, and what this book says about gender and youth. I think there is a lot that can be examined about gender at birth and the fluidity of gender as a social construct, witch curse or no.

#3 Ozma of Oz (1907) READ January 9, 2014 – February 22, 2014
My Kid – The boat crashes and they have to ride in the box with the chicken... I like TikTok. They saved the Queen.
Me – This is the second book that Return to Oz was conceived from and a very engaging book. This one requires more understanding and construction of the Oz Universe including the transformation of several of our characters into ornaments and the outwitting of the Nome King in order to save our friends. This was one of my final favorites before the quality of the books fell, as far as I am concerned.

#4 Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz (1908) READ February 22, 2014 – August 12, 2014
My Kid – I kinda forgot this one. There was the vegetable people underground and nothing really happened?
Me – Yeah, this one was a bust for me. I think Baum was making some kind of satirical point lost to history... Or maybe the obvious non-referential one, but still, just seemed like the episodic nonsense that didn't have a point most of the time. Keep the beginning, I guess and then skip to the final third, and there's your story.

#5 The Road to Oz (1909) READ August 12, 2014 – February 22, 2015
My Kid – The love magnet was pretty awesome, and Dorothy meets the rainbow girl and Shaggy man... I guess I'll leave off there.
Me – Another one that I thought was a little redundant and repetitive without much of a point. They get lost, they make it back, there are some weird artifacts that help them... Meh. I did like the new characters, however, who make many more appearances in the future books. Shaggy Man and Polychrome are great.

#6 The Emerald City of Oz (1910) READ February 22, 2015 – September 14, 2015
My Kid – The Emerald City was cool and Dorothy was in charge. If I lived there I would sell it all and be rich. There was a war.
Me – This one was pretty good until the end, where everything was buttoned up (apologies, button bright) pretty quickly without there being much of a solid reason. The conflicts were all contrived and there were some more ridiculously ridiculous new characters who never showed up again in the series. A great diversion, but with little substance toward the end.

#7 The Patchwork Girl of Oz (1913) READ September 14, 2015 – December 22, 2015
My Kid – It was pretty weird how the quilt doll became a patchwork girl and she was really funny. In the end, it didn't matter that they found all the stuff, so it was kinda crazy and funny.
Me – This was relatively silly. I enjoyed it, and the Patchwork Girl is a character I can really get behind as a foil to some of the other characters and somewhat mischievous. The plot is ridiculous, but the powder of life and the glass cat are somewhat illuminating elements of this text. Scraps made this a fun one.

#8 Tik-Tok of Oz (1914) READ December 22, 2015 – April 2, 2016
My Kid – The whole story of the shaggy man's brother being missing and ugly didn’t make sense, but... there was a war and Tik Tok was rescued. There was a man who was not as evil as the other army general guys. It was weird.
Me – This one was primarily about The Shaggy Man and his adventure to resolve a variety of political and interconnected issues happening surrounding everyone's messing around with the Nome King. There is a huge tube that goes through the center of the earth that everything centers on, and Shaggy is trying to get the Nome King to release his brother the whole time. There are a lot of characterization, detail, and plot errors in this that postdate some facts from the earlier books – which is kind of weird – and the intrigue surrounding the plot is somewhat complicating for kids. What I thought was the coolest element was the character of Quox, who passes more than a coincidental resemblance to Catbus from Miyazaki's Totoro.

#9 The Scarecrow of Oz (1915) READ April 2, 2016 – September 1, 2016
My Kid – First of all, there's a lot of people getting lost. Second, if I was in Jinxland, I think I would rather be back in oz.
Me – This one was interesting as it had little to do with The Scarecrow and was mainly about Button Bright, Cap'n Bill, and Trot. This one is probably the height of the ridiculousness, with little shallow plot item after little shallow plot item heaped upon one another. At the end, The Scarecrow has to (and succeeds) in recapturing Jinxland for Gloria, its rightful ruler, and returns to the Emerald City for a celebration. Eh...

#10 Rinkitink in Oz (1916) READ September 1, 2016 – December 1, 2016
My Kid – All these books have someone wicked in them and it's so crazy. I liked the name Kaliko, and the way Dorothy comes to the rescue of everyone being clever solves the problem. What's with all the problems? I feel like there's thousands.
Me – This one was pretty good, as it seemed to deviate from the regular universe of Oz and focus on a different set of locations and characters. It had a very Tolkienian feel in terms of plot, structure, and internal political commentary. It felt very different from the others, and most elements in the text had a point and a long-term purpose. I enjoyed this one.

#11 The Lost Princess of Oz (1917) READ December 1, 2016 – January 19, 2017
My Kid – First of all, they've gotta be responsible for the diamond pan, and that's why they lost it. They weren't responsible. At the end they searched for the tools and didn't need them and it was useless.
Me – Lost Princess was fun. It surrounded the story of Ozma being kidnapped and the Wizard, Button Bright, Trot, and Betsy Bobbin to go rescue her. Everything in this one felt a little random, but it all ties back together in the end. This one was pretty diversionary but not as bad as some of the others.

#12 The Tin Woodman of Oz (1918) READ January 19, 2017 – March 13, 2017
My Kid – Woot is a weird name, and everyone was changed to animals and monkeys and none of them matched up. It was all pretty weird because they all had their new needs as animals and it didn't match with what they were. The love story was kinda weird since the girl didn't want the tin woodmen anymore and the fact that they left and it was all for nothing didn't make sense.
Me – A lot of randomness in this one as well, but there is a love story at its core as we learn of a twin brother that the Tin Woodman had all along who shares the love of a long lost young lady named Nimee Amee. A lot of diversionary stories, adventures, and one cool twist by the end, and everyone arrives back where they started. Not the best, but entertaining. This one, while random at times, was a quality read.

#13 The Magic of Oz (1919) READ March 13, 2017 – April 25, 2017
My Kid – I wish you could transform yourself. Like... What if you wanted to turn yourself into a pea shooter from Plants Vs Zombies? I don't even know how to pronounce the word. I never heard of it, this nonsense word.
Me – This one had a funny gimmick in it with a secret word that when spoken could turn anyone into anything. There is a war on, and a secret force is transforming monkeys into superhuman soldiers (and there is a complication that no one in oz can be hurt but what happens when someone is chopped into a hundred living pieces?). This one was enjoyable, but the gimmick is honestly the only thing holding it all together.

#14 Glinda of Oz (1920) READ April 25, 2017 – May 23, 2017
My Kid – This one was kinda like a world of them figuring out what is going on with the big glass house-world under-water. The opposite of everything and they couldn't figure out how to get it back to normal, so what was going on with the war the whole time? Then they fix it. Everything is all set.
Me – This posthumous volume seemed to be pieced together from notes, as there is a clear difference between the tone of prior volumes and this one. The cadence and structure of the language and story is quite different in parts, and I found it takes itself seriously by comparison. Beautiful art and architecture present this journey, and I have to say, the fact that this was in new hands really shows because there is some wonderful structure that is absent in the other volumes, as well as even reintroductions to the characters when they show up. The end was a little too tidy with another deus ex machina, but the fact that it came from something that was surprising and there all along was different.

*BONUS Oz Works by L. Frank Baum, 'the Royal Historian of Oz'

The Woggle-Bug Book (1905) READ May 23, 2017 – May 24, 2017
My Kid – Actually, I don't have a review for my kid... See below.
Me – This book started cute and had a cute premise. When I began reading it at bedtime, the kid had fallen asleep. I tend to keep reading and save our spot, and then pick it up where he fell asleep the next night. Lucky for me, the terrifyingly racist parlance in this book started after he fell asleep. I read through to the end, with no intention of going back with him tomorrow... It was... shockingly indifferent to complete disregard for everyone. From switching between "Oriental" and "Chinaman" and having a character with a dialect that wasn't just a stereotype but also a stereotype of a racist's impression wasn't nearly as bad as the way Baum used the N-word (and had the character as a monkey's monkey). It was offensive and seemed ridiculously gratuitous for even the time it was published. Not a shining moment for his work at all... But it was pretty cool to learn the Woggle Bug was from Boston, anyway. This one was pretty awful.

If George Orwell hadn't published "Animal Farm" about 25 years after L. Frank Baum wrote this 11th in the Oz series, I would have said that Baum cribbed his ideas from Orwell because there is considerable similarity in some way. All authors have their high and low points, and I would say that Baum, having been sick previously, had not returned to form. THE MAGIC OF OZ, like the "Road to Oz" is a birthday book. Ozma's upcoming birthday (but as an immortal, did she have a birthday?) and the need for special presents form the background for this rather slight offering. Sure, there are a few interesting places and characters, but Baum seems to have run out of fresh ideas. The Nome King (again) is plotting to get his throne back and teams up with a Hyup (from a remote Munchkin mountaintop) boy named Kiki Aru, a classic teenage bad apple with a secret word that can transform a Nome into a nut. But that word ain't that easy to say! The vain Glass Cat has a big role in this book, as do Dorothy, Trot and Cap'n Bill, the sailor with a wooden leg. Everybody goes on quests to get Ozma the best present, even a magic flower, but all the characters eventually meet up. If you want to read all the Oz books, of course you'll want to read this one too, but the last book, "Glinda of Oz" is much tighter and more exciting. And nobody has a birthday.

The Magic of Oz, the 13th novel detailing the adventures of the fairy country's inhabitants, was published in June of 1919. Sadly, beloved author L. Frank didn't live to see the release, succumbing to a stroke caused by lifelong health issues a month prior. It's heartbreaking to read what turned out to be his final preface where he assures his child readers that "from now on I hope to be able to give prompt attention to each and every letter with which my readers favor me."

The story opens on the top of Mount Munch, a towering hill located in the Munchkin Country. One munchkin by the name of Bini Aru learned the magical word Pyrzqxgl that can transform any person or object into whatever he wishes. Once Princess Ozma banned the use of magic in the land of Oz (except for Glinda the Good Witch and the Wizard), Bini kept a piece of paper with the word's correct pronunciation in a loose floorboard in his magical lab.

One day, his mischievous son Kiki Aru sneaks into his father's lab while his parents are out and literally stumbles over the magical word, transforming himself into hawk and flying all over Oz. In the land of Ev, he meets Ruggedo a.k.a. The Metal Monarch formerly known as the Nome King and is persuaded by the wicked villian to help him seek revenge on Princess Ozma and little Dorothy by turning every human inhabitant into animals and seizing control over Oz.

Meanwhile in the Emerald City, all the citizens are buzzing about in preparation for Ozma's upcoming birthday celebration. It seems that everyone but Dorothy knows what their present to the child ruler will be. With the help of the Wizard, the Cowardly Lion, and the Hungry Tiger, the girl sets out for the Forest of Gugu to train some monkeys for a special performance at Ozma's party, not aware of Ruggedo's devious plans. Will Oz be overtaken by Ruggedo? You'll have to read it to find out.

The best thing about Magic is how wildly imaginative the art of sorcery is here. Magic's been used in all of the Oz books, but this installment takes a look at it on a deeper level and Baum laid the ground rules that would appear in future books from Ruth Plumly Thompson and the others. Neill's better than ever with his fantastic illustrations. My favorite is that of the Li-Mon-Eags, the forms Ruggedo and Kiki take on made up the heads of lions, the bodies of monkeys, the wings of eagles and the tails of donkeys. It's quite a sight! Grab a slice of Ozma's birthday cake, take a seat in the nearest comfy chair, and soak in The Magic of Oz.

The enchantment of this book begins with the cover; even as a child I was intrigued by this artwork, which seemed to suggest mystery, magic, and mischief. Well, the story behind the cover really delivers; truly, this book demonstrates just how L. Frank Baum was mastering his craft at this stage of his life. Sadly, this was the second-to-last book he was to pen before passing away. In "Magic" Baum falls back on a wide and familiar cast of characters including Dorothy, the Cowardly Lion, and the Wizard--as well as perennial villain of The Nome King (who, delightfully, just seems impervious to reform). Baum seems to have taken this approach in many of his later books, bringing in as many characters as he could; this approach works with marvelous success. For a kid, it's like getting to go to a birthday party with all of your favorite people; and "Magic" is one heck of a party. In this book, Baum really explores magic and how it is enacted in the Land of Oz; a departure, in a way, because generally the Oz books are about queer creatures and magical objects, and not about the use of magic itself. The parallel adventures of the separate groups of characters in this book help make it one of the most suspenseful in the series and it all ties together quite neatly. John R. Neil's illustrations are wonderful, as is this particular edition of the book. I say "Magic" is a book that all fantasy lovers should read--don't let this tale slip into the oblivion of time. If your children are Harry Potter fans (especially the younger set), then introduce them to the Oz series--and this book in particular.

Dorothy and her friends are on another adventure in The Magic of Oz by L. Frank Baum. This time a bored Munchkin boy has discovered a secret word that can change any living thing into another form. He joins up with a bitter Nome and together they attempt to trick the beasts of Oz into waging war against the people of Oz. Meanwhile, Ozma’s friends are coming up with amazing gifts to give Ozma for her birthday.

As with the other Oz books, L. Frank Baum proves he’s a genius at writing a children’s book that is still engaging for an adult to read. It is rather predictable (nothing bad ever happens for long in Oz), but in a good way. The Magic of Oz is a short, fun read sure to delight everyone who reads it.

I must say that I disagree more strongly with the two negative reviews this book has received than with any other reviews I have ever seen on the store.com. The first time I read this book I realized that it was the best Oz book I had ever read, and I still think so. It has everything one could possibly desire in an Oz book--humor, suspense, a deeply intriguing storyline that clears up mysteries that go back to "The Wizard of Oz," and material that deepens our understanding of nearly all the characters. Thompson's depictions of Baum's characters were somewhat different from Baum's but still consistent with them, just as her style was different from Baum's but equally well suited to writing Oz books; in this book both her characterizations and her style get off to a flying start. If, as one reviewer said, she improved in later Oz books, why did she keep featuring Sir Hokus, Doubty and Camy (whom I consider excellent characters) rather than letting them fade out of the series? Also, I must disagree with the reviewer who feels that the Wogglebug was always perfectly kind and sweet. Even Baum depicts him as having a self-satisfied, intellectually superior side to his personality. In this book he does hurt the Scarecrow's feelings, but clearly does not realize how deeply hurtful his comments will be; and Thompson makes clear at the end of the book that the Wogglebug feels profoundly sorry for what he did. The Oz book that truly contains an overly unpleasant depiction of Professor Wogglebug is John R. Neill's "The Runaway in Oz" (which was not published until the 1990's, when it was published by Books of Wonder). To sum up, "The Royal Book of Oz" is my favorite Oz book, and it amazes me that it was Ruth Plumly Thompson's very first book in the series (and, I think, her first novel of any kind)!

I teach creative writing to children and have used this book as an excellent model for the fantasy genre. It has all the great elements of a fantasy story--strange and enchanted happenings, magical creatures, faeries, and a wonderful quest. Many of Baum's books are not so plot-driven; this, like "The Patchwork Girl of Oz" is an exception, and the story works marvelously. Fans of the Oz series will know that this book is a re-telling of "Ozma of Oz," but there are enough new characters, settings, and details to make it a fresh and rewarding tale. Certainly, old favorites such as Tik-Tok, the Nome King, Polychrome, and the Shaggy Man are at their best in this tale (one of the most delightful scenes is when Shaggy "breaks the law"), while new additions Private Files and Quox the Dragon bring much humor and whimsy. Young children will certainly enjoy the test of the three maidens towards the end of the book. This books has a very cohesive direction (not always the case with Baum) and I especially enjoyed how each chapter title is alliterative (I suppose that's the English Lit in me!). And, as usual, the John R. Neil's illustrations are wonderful; my favorite illustration is that of the greedy Nome King strutting out of his kingdom, his countless pockets filled with jewels.

Like the previous Oz book, "Rinkitink in Oz," this was an outing by Baum that scores by deviating a bit from the standard Oz formula. The characters in the book are on a journey, as usual, but instead of trying to get to the Emerald City, the characters are departing that city to find the missing Princess Ozma who, along with most of the powerful magical objects in Oz, has vanished. Furthermore, Baum puts together one of the largest primary casts ever in an Oz book, including Dorothy and Toto, the Wizard, the Patchwork Girl, the Sawhorse, the Cowardly Lion, Betsy Bobbin and Hank, Trot and Button-Bright and the Woozy, as well as adding the Frogman, Cayke the Cookie Cook and the Big Lavender Bear and the Little Pink Bear.
While it's nice to see to many characters, it does hurt the book somewhat -- it shows really how superfluous Besty and Trot are with Dorothy around, and it includes a bizarre little subplot with Toto that doesn't really add much. Furthermore, the ending is really syrupy and saccharine, even for an Oz book.
The addition of the Frogman is a major plus, though -- he is easily the most entertaining new character added to the series since Scraps the Patchwork Girl, and it was nice to have a book that for once didn't rely on the old villains like the Nome King or the old deus ex machina of Ozma's magic picture and Glinda's magic book. In fact, I kind of wish those two items had stayed lost -- other Oz books rely on them entirely too much for their resolution.

The only thing that I had remembered about reading this book as a child were the magic word "Pyrzqxgl" and the constantly changing flower that the glass cat finds. Happily for me, Baum has filled the book with a sea of these charming little details that are a large part of what still make the Oz novels so wonderful to read for kids and bigger kids.

Magic of Oz focuses on the darker side of Oz. The trouble this time comes from a discontented Munchkin teenager who steals the power of transformation. He is able to brew this trouble because of the alienated beasts in the Forest of Gugu. Fortunately, the wicked plans are foiled by the Wizard and Dorothy in time for everyone to celebrate the birthday of Ozma. Additionally, the Nome King loose end is finally tied up for good.

Magic of Oz is the thirteenth and pentultimate book in the series. As in Glinda of Oz, the book suffers from some recycling of older themes and evident author fatigue. Still, definitely worth the time for fans of Oz. Particular points for the Neill illustrations of the Li-Mon-Eags-- creepy!

A few months before the publication and huge success of The Patchwork Girl of Oz, L. Frank Baum loosely adapted his Ozma of Oz and The Road To Oz novels into a stage play titled The Tik-Tok Man of Oz. When the time came for an eight installment for the Oz stories, Baum adapted the play into what would become 1914's Tik-Tok of Oz. In the brief preface, he once again thanks his readers for enjoying his stories and informs them that Dorothy's come through with yet another tale via "the wireless".

The story begins in Oogaboo, a small valley in the far corner of Oz ruled by Queen Ann Soforth. Dissatisified with her tiny monarchy made of "eighteen men, twenty-seven women and forty-four children" and jealous of Princess Ozma's vast kingdom, Ann gathers together an army of seventeen men to conquer the Emerald City. However the Good Witch Glinda is already aware of their plans thanks to her magic Record Book and uses her powers to guide the measly "army" in the opposite direction.

Meanwhile Oklahoma girl Betsy Bobbin is shipwrecked with her mule Hank and the two find themselves in the Rose Kingdom, home to snobby, self-centered roses of various colors. The Royal Gardener, the only human allowed in the domain, is ordered to execute Betsy and Hank when the Shaggy Man falls through the roof of the greenhouse and uses his trusty Love Magnet to save them. Unfortunately it doesn't work on the heartless roses and Betsy plucks the Rose Princess Ozga before they're thrown out. Shaggy explains to his new friends that he's on a journey to find his brother who's gone missing since digging underground. Seeing as the Nome King hates it when humans come anywhere near his home, it's surmised that he's kidnapped him. Along the way they meet Polychrome (the Rainbow's daughter who's slid off her father's bow once again), rescue Tik-Tok from a well the Nome King tossed him in, and join forces with Queen Ann and her army.

The terrible Metal Monarch knows of their quest and tries to stop them. They're soon cast into the Hollow Tube where they find themselves on the other side of the world. Tititi-Hoochoo the Great Jinjin aka the Private Citizen is angered by the King's actions and sends the travelers back the other way via the back of a dragon named Quox for a face-off with the Nome and his cronies.

Does the plot sound familiar? It should since it's a copy of Ozma of Oz and a poor one at that. My biggest beef with this installment is how underdeveloped the new characters are. Queen Ann starts off as a slightly bratty girl with the unrealistic ambition of overthrowing Ozma, but quickly becomes an utter annoyance I cared little for. Little Betsy's sweet enough, but she's a total knock-off of Dorothy and Hank is useless. I almost forgot Ozga was even a part of the story, she was barely there and the same goes for Tik-Tok. Although his name is in the title, he's sorely underused.

Then there are the continuity issues. Polychrome and the Shaggy Man had already met and traveled together to the Emerald City in The Road to Oz, but they're complete strangers to each other here. In that same novel it's said that one only needs the Love Magnet on their person for it to work, but in Tik-Tok it has to be physically shown or its power is useless. Minor issues maybe, but they're unnecessary and avoidable.

On the positive side, Baum's knack for holding the reader's attention is still there. Even when I found myself rolling my eyes at the obvious rip-offs of past (and better) Oz stories, I was never bored. John R. Neill is back with his colorfully alluring illustrations and includes a beautifully detailed map of Oz and its neighboring countries in the book's endpapers.

Apparently Baum's fans were also unpleased by Tik-Tok of Oz at the time of its release since it sold 3,000 copies fewer than its predecessor The Patchwork Girl of Oz. Fortunately The Royal Historian of Oz would get his groove back with The Scarecrow of Oz.

When Cayke the Cookie Cook discovers that her diamond-studded dishpan has gone missing, she and the Frogman journey out of the land of the Yips to search for it in the great wide world of Oz. Although neither of them had ever heard of the Emerald City and its sweet girl ruler, Ozma, their paths soon cross with Ozma's friends. It becomes apparent that whoever has stolen the diamond-studden dishpan has also stolen Ozma and the rest of the magic in Oz!

The biggest issue in this book, as already noted, is that Baum sends a huge group of characters to look for Ozma. Betsy and Trot particularly get lost next to Dorothy and Button-Bright. The little interaction we get from the characters is not really enough to give us more than a scrap of action or interaction.

On the other hand, there are a lot of terrific elements in the book. I like the Lavender and Pink bear characters very much (stuffed with curled hair!), and the reformation of Ugu the Shoemaker is a classic Oz moment.

The Lost Princess of Oz was the 11th book in the series, and written in 1917. It may not be the best book in the Oz books, but I honestly cannot bring myself to give any of the Baum books less than four stars. The Oz books are all pretty self-contained, so you do not need to read them in order. However, if you or your child is new to the series I would not begin with The Lost Princess since there are so many characters from earlier works.

A few months before the publication and huge success of The Patchwork Girl of Oz, L. Frank Baum loosely adapted his Ozma of Oz and The Road To Oz novels into a stage play titled The Tik-Tok Man of Oz. When the time came for an eight installment for the Oz stories, Baum adapted the play into what would become 1914's Tik-Tok of Oz. In the brief preface, he once again thanks his readers for enjoying his stories and informs them that Dorothy's come through with yet another tale via "the wireless".

The story begins in Oogaboo, a small valley in the far corner of Oz ruled by Queen Ann Soforth. Dissatisified with her tiny monarchy made of "eighteen men, twenty-seven women and forty-four children" and jealous of Princess Ozma's vast kingdom, Ann gathers together an army of seventeen men to conquer the Emerald City. However the Good Witch Glinda is already aware of their plans thanks to her magic Record Book and uses her powers to guide the measly "army" in the opposite direction.

Meanwhile Oklahoma girl Betsy Bobbin is shipwrecked with her mule Hank and the two find themselves in the Rose Kingdom, home to snobby, self-centered roses of various colors. The Royal Gardener, the only human allowed in the domain, is ordered to execute Betsy and Hank when the Shaggy Man falls through the roof of the greenhouse and uses his trusty Love Magnet to save them. Unfortunately it doesn't work on the heartless roses and Betsy plucks the Rose Princess Ozga before they're thrown out. Shaggy explains to his new friends that he's on a journey to find his brother who's gone missing since digging underground. Seeing as the Nome King hates it when humans come anywhere near his home, it's surmised that he's kidnapped him. Along the way they meet Polychrome (the Rainbow's daughter who's slid off her father's bow once again), rescue Tik-Tok from a well the Nome King tossed him in, and join forces with Queen Ann and her army.

The terrible Metal Monarch knows of their quest and tries to stop them. They're soon cast into the Hollow Tube where they find themselves on the other side of the world. Tititi-Hoochoo the Great Jinjin aka the Private Citizen is angered by the King's actions and sends the travelers back the other way via the back of a dragon named Quox for a face-off with the Nome and his cronies.

Does the plot sound familiar? It should since it's a copy of Ozma of Oz and a poor one at that. My biggest beef with this installment is how underdeveloped the new characters are. Queen Ann starts off as a slightly bratty girl with the unrealistic ambition of overthrowing Ozma, but quickly becomes an utter annoyance I cared little for. Little Betsy's sweet enough, but she's a total knock-off of Dorothy and Hank is useless. I almost forgot Ozga was even a part of the story, she was barely there and the same goes for Tik-Tok. Although his name is in the title, he's sorely underused.

Then there are the continuity issues. Polychrome and the Shaggy Man had already met and traveled together to the Emerald City in The Road to Oz, but they're complete strangers to each other here. In that same novel it's said that one only needs the Love Magnet on their person for it to work, but in Tik-Tok it has to be physically shown or its power is useless. Minor issues maybe, but they're unnecessary and avoidable.

On the positive side, Baum's knack for holding the reader's attention is still there. Even when I found myself rolling my eyes at the obvious rip-offs of past (and better) Oz stories, I was never bored. John R. Neill is back with his colorfully alluring illustrations and includes a beautifully detailed map of Oz and its neighboring countries in the book's endpapers.

Apparently Baum's fans were also unpleased by Tik-Tok of Oz at the time of its release since it sold 3,000 copies fewer than its predecessor The Patchwork Girl of Oz. Fortunately The Royal Historian of Oz would get his groove back with The Scarecrow of Oz.

When Cayke the Cookie Cook discovers that her diamond-studded dishpan has gone missing, she and the Frogman journey out of the land of the Yips to search for it in the great wide world of Oz. Although neither of them had ever heard of the Emerald City and its sweet girl ruler, Ozma, their paths soon cross with Ozma's friends. It becomes apparent that whoever has stolen the diamond-studden dishpan has also stolen Ozma and the rest of the magic in Oz!

The biggest issue in this book, as already noted, is that Baum sends a huge group of characters to look for Ozma. Betsy and Trot particularly get lost next to Dorothy and Button-Bright. The little interaction we get from the characters is not really enough to give us more than a scrap of action or interaction.

On the other hand, there are a lot of terrific elements in the book. I like the Lavender and Pink bear characters very much (stuffed with curled hair!), and the reformation of Ugu the Shoemaker is a classic Oz moment.

The Lost Princess of Oz was the 11th book in the series, and written in 1917. It may not be the best book in the Oz books, but I honestly cannot bring myself to give any of the Baum books less than four stars. The Oz books are all pretty self-contained, so you do not need to read them in order. However, if you or your child is new to the series I would not begin with The Lost Princess since there are so many characters from earlier works.

Writing a series is just like playing a game. You need to play by the rules to make everything turn out just right. If you can't play the game without cheating it you need to quit while you're ahead. Winners never cheat, and cheaters never win. The Frogman is really a reworking of Mr. Wogglebug. He is born a normal frog and then falls into a magic pond that makes him bigger and wiser. The Yips make him their leader. He lives based on a lie untill he accidently swims in the Truth Pond. (not having control over what you say is a curse that no one should have) He goes from arrogant and conceited to lovable and just proud. (like Mr. Wogglebug is) It was not magic that brought Mr. Wogglebug the way he is. He spent three whole years in a schoolhouse of the best scholar there ever was. He spent about a year living in the truth and now almost a century living based on a lie. Everyone acted like they were so blinded by what they don't like about him (what they don't understand) that they couldn't see the beauty in his spirit. So he just automatically became what they thought he was, all because they just couldn't see the truth. And the Scarecrow got all of his special gifts and the Frogman got all the rest of him when he was created.

This book is Ruth Plumly Thompson's first foray into Oz writing (and it is entirely hers, despite the publishers' initial story that she had written it based on notes left by L. Frank Baum), and it is hardly her best work, but it isn't her worst, either. She does a good job working with Baum's characters, and the premise of the book is an attempt to solve one of the greatest mysteries left behind by Baum: why the Scarecrow is alive. I know some people have been dissatisfied with the explanation, but I have no problem with it. A weak point to this book is that it isn't especially tightly plotted, with some moments where the action stops for no reason.
Thompson seemed to want to make Oz more multicultural than Baum left it, and, to this end, she used this book to introduce an Arthurian knight and an Oriental kingdom. While this is admirable in a way, Thompson uses a lot of stereotypes in writing about foreign cultures. The Scarecrow considers the Oriental Silver Islanders to be "stupid," and is disturbed to find out that they eat cats. The illustrations are even worse in this respect. I would say these stereotypes are the only potentially offensive part of the book, though (unless you're of a similar mind to the Wogglebug fan who posted an earlier review, in reply to whom I can only say that the Wogglebug might be slightly meaner here than in Baum's books, but overall, he's just as Baum introduced him: a stuffy, stuck-up academic, who is rarely intentionally mean or unfriendly, but often rubs people the wrong way). I would say any Oz fan should read this at some point, but, if it's your first Thompson book, keep in mind that she gets better.

Hitting shelves in June of 1917, The Lost Princess of Oz was the eleventh installment of L. Frank Baum's Oz series. Our favorite storyteller encourages his young readers to always use their imaginations in order to create amazing things that can benefit mankind. After all, imagination led to Columbus' discovery of America as well as the invention of the telephone and automobiles (or auto'biles as Dorothy calls them). He then shares that a fan letter from a little girl inquiring what would become of the Oz folks if Princess Ozma ever went missing inspired the idea for the following book.

Little Dorothy wakes up one morning and goes about her daily routine looking to hang out with her girl Ozma when *GASP* The child ruler has gone missing! Her Magic Picture as well as Glinda the Good Witch's Great Book of Records have also vanished, making it impossible for any of them to find out what's happened to poor Ozma. Three different search parties are organized to scour every inch of Oz for the princess and the stolen magic, with Dorothy's group (including the Wizard, Toto, the Patchwork Girl Scraps, and Button Bright to name a few) covering the western Winkie Country.

Meanwhile in the southwestern corner of said Winkie Country, Cayke the Cookie Cook (try saying that five times fast) discovers her diamond-studded gold dishpan (which creates the most perfect, delectable cookies around) is missing. She raises so big a stink that the Frogman, a pompous, know-it-all adviser to the Yips, offers to help her find her missing object. The Lavender Bear, the stuffed ruler of the Bear Center, and the Little Pink Bear, a small wind-up toy that answers any questions posed to it, later join them on their quest.

The paths of the two groups eventually cross and they all discover that a wicked man by the name of Ugu the Shoemaker is responsible for the thefts and needs to be taken down.

The Lost Princess of Oz is a fine addition to the series. Not the most original, but luckily it doesn't feel like a rehash of past stories (Tik-Tok of Oz, anyone?). The Frogman is reminiscent of the Humbug Wizard in that he pretends to be something he isn't. A dip in the Truth Pond forces him to drop his egotistical facade and accept who he really is. Baum's always great with those kind of life lessons. Once again the different areas the travelers visit are off the wall and interesting. The dizzying Merry-Go-Round Mountains, the land of Thi where the people have diamond-shaped heads and heart-shaped bodies and feed on prickly thistles, and the land of Herku where the people are thin, but are strong enough to enslave even the most fearsome giants.

Now to the cons. Much like Tik-Tok, there are way too many characters for this adventure: Dorothy, Toto, the Wizard, Button Bright (who ends up lost once again), Trot, Betsy Bobbin, Scraps (my fav!), the Sawhorse, the Cowardly Lion, Hank the mule, and the Woozy. Is this an Oz book or an Earth, Wind, and Fire concert? Trot and Betsy hardly say anything and wouldn't be missed if they'd been left out. There's a subplot with Toto where he's missing his growl (he's started talking though), but that doesn't really go anywhere. It just pads the book. As for the villian Ugu, he's not as scary or evil as the Wicked Witch of the West or the Phanfasms from The Emerald City of Oz, but he's still a credible baddie.

A delightful journey brought to life with John R. Neill's always charming illustrations, The Lost Princess of Oz is highly recommended. I'm pleased to say the rest of the series gets better from here on in!

Baum opened the previous book in the Oz series, No. 10, "Rinkitink in Oz," with a whole new cast of characters, but here in the 11th book he does just the opposite. "The Lost Princess of Oz" starts the action right smack-dab in the middle of the Emerald City with not only our beloved Dorothy but also several other characters from previous books: Scraps the Patchwork Girl, Trot, Hank, the Wooden Sawhorse, the Cowardly Lion, Betsy, Button-Bright, and even the Wizard himself. There's a mystery to solve in Oz, and it's an unfortunate one. Ozma, the girl ruler, is gone! And it gets worse ... Also MIA is Ozma's Magic Picture, in which one can see any event happening anywhere, along with Glinda's Great Book of Records, which records all events happening everywhere; the Wizard's little black bag of magic; and even a diamond-studded golden dishpan from a distant part of Oz, belonging to a character who should get the award for the cutest name in this book series: Cayke the Cookie Cook.

Our friends set out to find their fair young ruler and these missing items, picking up a couple new characters along the way. But how do you defeat a foe who can read about your every move and can even see you coming in the Magic Picture?

I give this delightful 11th book a perfect score not only for the clever location of the kidnapped Ozma, but also for the utilization of basically all the beloved familiar characters -- even the Scarecrow and Tin Woodman -- in the action, the author's dedication of the book to his granddaughter, Ozma Baum(!), and finally for Baum's typical, wonderful wisdom with statements such as this one describing the book's perp, who, the author says, didn't suspect in the least that he was wicked:

"He wanted to be powerful and great and he hoped to make himself master of all the Land of Oz, that he might compel everyone in that fairy country to obey him. His ambition blinded him to the rights of others and he imagined anyone else would act just as he did if anyone else happened to be as clever as himself."

While charming enough to delight children, 'The Lost Princess Of Oz' (1917) is not one of the more exceptional books in L. Frank Baum's Oz series.

The problem lies with both writer and illustrator; Baum's cast of characters has been poorly chosen, and John R. Neill's usually masterful, visionary illustrations are in many cases merely serviceable.

The book features four child protagonists--Dorothy, Trot, Betsy Bobbin, and lone male Button-Bright--which is three interchangeable child protagonists too many (in several chapters, Trot and Betsy, though ostensibly present, do not speak and play no part in the action).

As in most of the Oz books, the plot revolves around a journey, and those chosen in this case to undertake the search for the kidnapped Ozma are simply too bland a group.

Colorful eccentrics the Woogle Bug and Jack Pumpkinhead are missing, and while Scraps the Patchwork Girl is included, she ambles about on the periphery of the story for most of the book with little sign of her trademark intrusive spark and spunk.

There are also too many talking animals--whether of 'meat' or magical origin--the Cowardly Lion, Hank the Mule, Toto, the Woozy, and the Sawhorse (and later, the Big Lavender Bear and the Small Pink Bear).

Though several interesting conversations arise from their differing philosophical viewpoints, the characters--which also include the 'Little Wizard' of the original title--are portrayed too homogeneously, and thus the tension and flair usually found in Baum's stories and dialogue are absent.

Baum does score with the introduction to the series of the Frogman, a fun, imaginative character rivaling the Woogle Bug, the Gnome King, Tik-Tok, and Jack Pumpkinhead in pleasant absurdity, vibrance, and potential.

But Baum's descriptive portrayal of his fairyland is sadly pedestrian throughout, as if these as-yet undiscovered kingdoms in the marvelous landscape of Oz are simply to be taken for granted.

All of which may explain Neill's largely uninspired, functional illustrations. Neill's usual genius is almost entirely missing, though careful readers may notice the dramatic and humorous illustration of the wizard standing before a walled city, addressing the heads of numerous giants who stare him down from the other side. All are grisly, bearded, and fierce, except one, who resembles a breathless, slightly overweight, slightly effete matinee idol of the period. Another chapter features a mechanical, jeweled dragon, which Neill inexplicably ignores.

Baum surprises with a hilarious scene in which the traveling assembly is anxiously ushered past a gauntlet of giants to meet a king rumored for his cruelty, only to find him delicately combing his eyelashes.

The evidence and subtext in 'The Lost Princess Of Oz' suggest, as many other titles in the series do, that women are by far the stronger and more spiritually-refined sex.

The Wizard is a well-known humbug, the Lion is a coward, the Frogman is a pompous fabricator, and Button-Bright, in behavior and dress, is in no way significantly different from Dorothy, Betsy, and Trot, who form a kind of juvenile triple-faced goddess.

Glinda the Good, Oz's lone sorceress, and Ozma, the kingdom's child ruler, are strong, wise, and fundamentally incapable of error or even ungracious behavior. The Patchwork Girl is clever and indomitable under any circumstance.

Was Baum slyly poking fun at his adult audience and critics? Considering Neill's strangely out-of-place, sissy-faced giant, is it an accident that the kingdom of the bears is ruled by the Big Lavender Bear and his constant companion, the sooth-saying Little Pink Bear?

Adults desiring to introduce children to the Oz series should start with the first three books, 'The Wizard of Oz,' the better 'The Marvelous Land Of Oz,' the often bizarre 'Ozma Of Oz,' and then progress through the rest of the titles.

'Little Wizard Stories Of Oz,' beautifully illustrated and colored by Neill, and specifically written for a younger audience than the regular titles, is also an excellent choice.

The optimistic series, with its beautiful evocation of a better world and happier days, are perfect for today's children, who, as the success of the Harry Potter books show, are starved for imaginative, magical, and archetypal fare.

L. Frank Baum (1856-1919) failed repeatedly through one bad career choice after another--until 1900, when he wrote THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ. Although the book was the most famous he wrote, Baum's writing style was distinctly improved when he sat down to write THE MARVELOUS LAND OF OZ, which was published in 1904, and OZMA OF OZ, which was published in 1907. Where THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ was extremely episodic, these books had cohesive plots, more finely drawn characters, and a sense of whimsey and fun that the original lacked.

Published in 1914, TIK-TOK OF OZ is the eighth of Baum's Oz novels, and it returns to the episodic narrative that Baum tended to favor. In this particular story, Queen Anne Soforth of the Oogaboos sets out with her small army to conquer the world. At the same time, Betsy Bobbin and a mule named Hank are swept overboard at sea and meet The Shaggy Man, who is in search of his long lost brother. Along with the Rose Princess, they encounter first Polychrome, who has accidentally slipped off the rainbow again, and ultimately Tik-Tok, who has been thrown down a dry well. When they meet the Oogaboos, they decide to unite to conquer the Nome King, who may have The Shaggy Man's brother held prisoner.

The Shaggy Man, the Rose Princess, Polychrome, and Queen Anne Soforth are appealing characters, and the story sends them sliding through a tube to the other side of the world for an encounter with the Great Jinjin Tittiti-Hoochoo--but in truth the book feels very much like a rehash of OZMA OF OZ, and it lacks the spark of Baum's best works. Not in the front rank of Oz novels, but fans old and new will enjoy it.

GFT, the store Reviewer

L. Frank Baum (1856-1919) failed repeatedly through one bad career choice after another--until 1900, when he wrote THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ. Although the book was the most famous he wrote, Baum's writing style was distinctly improved when he sat down to write THE MARVELOUS LAND OF OZ, which was published in 1904, and OZMA OF OZ, which was published in 1907. Where THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ was extremely episodic, these books had cohesive plots, more finely drawn characters, and a sense of whimsey and fun that the original lacked.

Published in 1914, TIK-TOK OF OZ is the eighth of Baum's Oz novels, and it returns to the episodic narrative that Baum tended to favor. In this particular story, Queen Anne Soforth of the Oogaboos sets out with her small army to conquer the world. At the same time, Betsy Bobbin and a mule named Hank are swept overboard at sea and meet The Shaggy Man, who is in search of his long lost brother. Along with the Rose Princess, they encounter first Polychrome, who has accidentally slipped off the rainbow again, and ultimately Tik-Tok, who has been thrown down a dry well. When they meet the Oogaboos, they decide to unite to conquer the Nome King, who may have The Shaggy Man's brother held prisoner.

The Shaggy Man, the Rose Princess, Polychrome, and Queen Anne Soforth are appealing characters, and the story sends them sliding through a tube to the other side of the world for an encounter with the Great Jinjin Tittiti-Hoochoo--but in truth the book feels very much like a rehash of OZMA OF OZ, and it lacks the spark of Baum's best works. Not in the front rank of Oz novels, but fans old and new will enjoy it.

GFT, the store Reviewer

This volume of the wonderful Oz stories is classic Baum, but perhaps not at his best. Still, fans will not want to miss the further adventures of Dorothy, the Wizard, and many other old characters, including the Cowardly Lion. The Scarecrow and Tin Woodman take a back seat. Ozma has been kidnapped along with her Magic Picture. The Wizard's wizardly gear has been ripped off, and a midnight break-in has robbed Glinda of her Book of Records plus her whole magic lab. What to do ? The usual (deus ex machina)ways of locating baddies are kaput, so various parties set off in search of Ozma. At the same time, in (another) remote corner of the magic monarchy, a cookie maker and an extremely large and well-dressed frog leave home in search of a golden dishpan that produces the best cookies ever. It has other, unknown abilities as well. The book develops into another Oz road movie complete with numerous weird peoples in odd towns. Lavender teddy bear king, whirling hills. This volume tried to include too many of the Oz-ites, like Betsy Bobbin and Trot, whose presence is almost negligible. I must admit that I still love these stories, even if Baum's earnest moralizing and inevitable girl armies bother an old geezer like me.
If you are just entering the world of Oz, I recommend "The Land of Oz", "Ozma of Oz", "The Emerald City of Oz", "The Scarecrow of Oz", "The Tin Woodman of Oz" and "Glinda of Oz" as the best of what, anyway, is one of the greatest series of kids' books ever. The original "Wizard" is of course a classic of world children's literature.