About the Author

Born in 1856, inChittenango, New York,L. Frank Baum isbest remembered for his monumental 1900 classic The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. He returned frequently to the magical world he'd created, writing 13 books set in Oz. His considerable literary output included 55 novels, 83 short stories, over 200 poems, and many miscellaneous writings, including scripts and "lost" novels. He passed away in 1919.

Regina Barrecais a professor of English and feminist theory at the University of Connecticut. She is the editor of seven books, includingThe Penguin Book of Women's Humor, and the author of four others. She writes frequently for theNew York Times,Chicago Tribune, and Hartford Courant.

Reviews

“Baum was a true educator, and those who read his Oz books are often made what they were not—imaginative,
tolerant, alert to wonders, life.”—Gore Vidal

Baum's classic comes to life in this winning audio edition. When a cyclone whisks Dorothy Gale to the Land of Oz, her only hope of returning to Kansas is to find the Wizard, who lives in the heart of the Emerald City. Following the Yellow Brick Road, Dorothy encounters friends and foes-e.g., the endearing Scarecrow and the malevolent Wicked Witch of the West-that help and hinder her journey. Tavia Gilbert's whimsical narration will appeal to listeners young and old. Additionally, the distinct voices she creates for each character make for a delightful listening experience. Those only familiar with the film adaptation will be pleasantly surprised by the original story and Gilbert's fantastic narration. Ages 10-up. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Baum's classic is an eye-opener for those who know it only through countless viewings of the 1939 movie. While the basic plots are identical-Dorothy, Kansas, twister, Oz, Scarecrow, Tin Woodsman, Cowardly Lion, melted witch, clicking heels, return home-the novel is vastly simpler and waaayyy slower. The biggest disappointment is the Wicked Witch of the West. Deliciously evil on screen, the worst thing she does here is swat Dorothy with an umbrella. After receiving their brains, courage, etc., Dorothy and company have more strange adventures here, but they're entirely forgettable. VERDICT Narrator Tara Sands does an accomplished job of channeling each character according to Baum's descriptions, and this production will charm small children, but older kids and curious adults should stick to the film. Buy appropriately.-Mike Rogers, Babylon, NY (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

"Baum was a true educator, and those who read his Oz books are often made what they were not-imaginative,
tolerant, alert to wonders, life."-Gore Vidal