The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

I read The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum for book club. The book description says, "First published in 1901, “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” follows the magical adventure of Dorothy, a young girl who lives with her Aunt Em and Uncle Henry on a farm in Kansas. One day when Dorothy is caught up in tornado with her little dog, Toto, she finds her farmhouse has been magically transplanted to Munchkin Country in the mystical Land of Oz. Her house lands on the evil Wicked Witch of the East, killing her, and freeing the Munchkins from her rule. As a reward the Good Witch of the North gives Dorothy the magical Silver Shoes that belonged to the Witch and sets her on her way down the yellow brick road to the Emerald City to ask the Wizard for help in returning to Kansas. Along the way she meets several interesting characters including the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion who join her on her travels to ask the Wizard for help of their own. The journey is not without peril though, as the Wicked Witch of the West, who wants revenge for the killing of her sister and to regain the magical Silver Shoes, unleashes numerous dangers against Dorothy and her companions. 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz' is a classic story of fantasy which is considered to be the first American fairy tale."

This was a fun read. I honestly don't know if I've ever read this book before. I maybe have, but it felt like the first time. I was constantly comparing it to the movie and to Wicked. There were parts of the book that aren't in either, and it was fun to read things like that. I thought it was an enjoyable read and think it'd be fun for Ollie to read. The characters were really distinct and just fun. I also loved some of the lines, like what Oz said to the lion about courage: "You have plenty of courage, I am sure. All you need is confidence in yourself. There is no living thing that is not afraid when it faces danger. The true courage is in facing danger when you are afraid, and that kind of courage you have in plenty."

Rating: * * (2/3 = Liked it)