Nathalie Bowman
There is a familiar tune that goes something like this: “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz…Because, because, because, because, because! Because of the wonderful things he does!” As we remember this tune, we imagine Dorothy, Toto, the Tin Man, the Scarecrow, and the Lion skipping down the yellow brick road towards the Emerald City. These are fond memories of many Americans who remember watching the 1939 movie “The Wizard of Oz” starring Judy Garland. The movie was based on the book by L. Frank Baum.
Did you know L. Frank Baum wrote 14 “Oz” books? I had no idea until I was a young mother with four children. A sweet family friend gave us 7 of the books for Christmas. They were dear to her because she remembers her mother reading them all aloud to her when she was a little girl. She wanted to share the delightful stories with us. We read them all within a month, and loved them.
If you remember the movie, “The Wizard of Oz” and you’re concerned that the movie was a little too scary for small children, it won’t be an issue with the books. They tell delightful, endearing stories of the Land of Oz. Each book introduces new characters, new life lessons, and new challenges in a fun and engaging way. With names such as the Wheelies, Pumpkin Head, Mombi, Ozma, the Patchwork Girl, General Jinjer’s Army of Girls, Nome King, Shaggy Man, and more, there will never be a dull moment in the Land of Oz and the adventures of Dorothy for your family to enjoy.
L Frank Baum published “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” in 1900, with four more books being published through 1909. Although Baum announced the end of the adventures of Oz with the publishing of “The Emerald City of Oz” in 1910, he received many letters from children wanting to know “more about Dorothy”. In 1913, he wrote an Oz book every year, and before he passed away in 1919, he had completed the final text to be published in 1920. The Oz books became an American tradition. Every year, children looked forward to another Oz book for Christmas.
Our family loves the “Oz” books, and we hope your family will, too.
source: http://www.oz-central.com/history.html