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5.0 out of 5 stars
The Land of Oz- The Second Book In the Wizard of Oz Series, Jul 3 2002
When I bought The Land of Oz, I opened up a new world of adventure. Little did I know, The Wizard of Oz's author, L. Frank Baum, had written 13 other books after The Wizard of Oz.The Land of Oz is about a young boy named Tip, who lived with a witch named Mombi. Mombi was a very evil witch and one day she journeyed to an old wizard to get some magical ingredients. While she was gone, Tip constructed a man out of wood and carved a pumpkin and placed it on its head. Then, he set the "pumpkin man" standing out in the street so it would scare old Mombi. When she returned, she wasn't scared but mad at Tip. She decided to try the Powder of Life, an ingredient she had gotten at the wizard's house that would make anything come to life, on the "pumpkin man" to see if it worked. It did and brought the "pumpkin man" to life. Mombi was going to turn Tip into a marble statue in the morning for trying to scare her, so Tip and the newly called Jack Pumpkinhead left to journey to The Emerald City. Jack Pumpkinhead was the first of many new characters to come into the Oz stories. The reason I would suggest this book is because it is fun. There are adventures and new characters and a surprise close to the end. Also, characters like The Scarecrow, and The Tin Man appear in this book. Dorothy is not in this book because it is kind of a prologue to the next book, Ozma of Oz. After I finished this book, I realized that I really liked it and would like to read more of the series. As I continued to read the rest of the books, I liked them more and more. As of 7/3/02, I am on Tik-Tok of Oz, which is book 8. As you can see, I'm far in the series and still reading. If you liked The Wizard of Oz, then you will probably like The Land of Oz.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
A truly superior sequel, Aug 25 2000
I suppose some would consider it sacrilege and those who only know "The Wizard of Oz" the movie wouldn't believe it, but "The Land of Oz," the second book in L. Frank Baum's 14-book series, is clearly superior to "The Wizard of Oz." No Dorothy, no Toto, no Lion: no problem. This book is sensationally entertaining. Whereas the first book seemed more interested in presenting marvelous characters and creatures scene by quick scene (which it does well) than in delighting us with what they say and do, "The Land of Oz" is a tour de force that will keep a smile permanently affixed to your face (like Jack Pumpkinhead!). Baum's style is enormously improved; he supplies more detail, more endearing dialog, more fun, more edge, more sides to everything. The characters and creatures are marvelous: the aforermentioned Jack Pumpkinhead (my favorite), the Highly Magnified Woggle-Bug, the gump (two sofas, an antlered animal head, palm leaves and broom brought to life as a flying "thing"), the Saw Horse, the army of girls who take over the Emerald City and make servants of the men (in 1904!), Mombi the witch (far more interesting than the Wicked Witch of the West), and on and on, including more vivid portrayals of the Scarecrow and Tin Woodman. Overall, considerably better than the first book, which is good in its own right, and simply one of my favorite books, one which can be loved by adults (as I am) or children. If you read only one Oz book (OK, you have to read the first one, but if you read only two) include "The Land of Oz".
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4.0 out of 5 stars
A Children's Book? Define Child..., Sep 25 1999
By A Customer
The Land of Oz is..well..WOW. It definately is not just a sappy children's book, it's funny, and truly amusing. Don't call it a child's book, call it a book for all audiences.
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