Road to Oz: Twists, Turns, Bumps, and Triumphs in the Life of L. Frank Baum

Before there was 'WICKED,' there was L. Frank Baum. Lyman (no one called him that) had a happy childhood, growing up on a lovely estate called Rose Lawn, where tutors from England were brought to teach the rather frail boy. He often entertained himself with imaginative stories, full of adventure and fantasy. When he grew up, he had four sons, and found that he loved nothing better than to invent and tell them stories. He took careful note of what they enjoyed: unexpected danger, clever escapes, and resourceful heroes. He also noted what they disliked: too long descriptions of nature, goody-goody characters, or tales in which the girls always had to be rescued. Finally, his mother-in-law encouraged him to write the best loved ones down. When The Wonderful Wizard of Oz was published in 1900, it was considered the first 'American' children's novel. He is best known for his 14 Oz books.

Reviewed by: sc

Date read: 4/14/2009

ISBN-10: 0375832165

ISBN-13: 9780375832161

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