The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is a children’s novel by L. Frank Baum, first published in May 1900 with illustrations by W. W. Denslow. It tells the story of a Kansas farm girl swept by a cyclone to a magical land, and her quest to find a way home.

Dorothy Gale lands in the country of the Munchkins, where her fallen house has killed the Wicked Witch of the East. Advised to seek help from the great Wizard of Oz in the Emerald City, she sets off along the Yellow Brick Road, gathering three companions along the way — a Scarecrow longing for brains, a Tin Woodman wishing for a heart, and a Cowardly Lion in need of courage. Together they face the dangers of the enchanted land, including the Wicked Witch of the West, only to discover that the Wizard is not what he seems and that the qualities they sought were within them all along.

A distinctly American fairy tale, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz became one of the best-loved children’s stories ever written, inspiring thirteen sequel novels, a legendary 1939 film, and countless adaptations that have made Oz an enduring part of the cultural landscape.