The Magic of Oz

Rating:
Summary: The penultimate Baum, in the ultimate edition
Review: As the Beatles sang: "It's getting very near the end." This is the second-to-last of Books of Wonder's marvelous reissues of L. Frank Baum's Oz books (yes, folks, there's much *more* to Oz than the movie!) and the book itself is one of the gems of the entire series. One of the darker (yet most delightful) of Baum's original books features Kiki Aru, would-be sorcerer, wreaking havoc throughout the Land of Oz with his powerful word of transformation: "Pyrxqzgl." Like editor Peter Glassgold says in his afterword, I too spent hours as a kid trying to figure out how that should be pronounced! Baum never lived to see this or his final Oz book ("Glinda of Oz") published, but the maturity, mystic adventure and sheer fun of this book makes it one of the best in the series. I wonder what gems he would have given us had he lived longer! All of Baum's Oz books are excellent suggestions for parents searching for Christmas gifts for their kids who have read the three Harry Potter books to shreds. I'm sorry to see this excellent repackaging of the series nearly at an end, but as I discovered as a kid, the books themselves never end--they're there for us to re-read and re-discover for all time.

Rating:
Summary: Unforgettable
Review: I first heard this story 53 years ago in second grade. Our teacher read a portion each day. It was truly a magical time for me. I was transformed and delighted by the glass cat, the idea of miniature monkeys jumping out of Ozma's birthday cake and most of all the amazing flower that bloomed over and over again. Years later I read it again sure that the bloom would have come off the rose (figuratively speaking) and found I was enchanted again. Then I had the chance to read it to second graders of a new generation - one filled with Yu-gi-oh and Sponge Bob and I was pleasantly surprised to find them listening to the old-fashioned story told with antiquated vocabulary with the same enthusiasm I did. Most of my students had never even heard the original Wizard of Oz story or had even seen the movie!! I have since purchased other titles in this series to give to my students so that each will have one as part of their upbringing but this still remains to be my favorite Oz book.

Rating:
Summary: Unforgettable
Review: I first heard this story 53 years ago in second grade. Our teacher read a portion each day. It was truly a magical time for me. I was transformed and delighted by the glass cat, the idea of miniature monkeys jumping out of Ozma's birthday cake and most of all the amazing flower that bloomed over and over again. Years later I read it again sure that the bloom would have come off the rose (figuratively speaking) and found I was enchanted again. Then I had the chance to read it to second graders of a new generation - one filled with Yu-gi-oh and Sponge Bob and I was pleasantly surprised to find them listening to the old-fashioned story told with antiquated vocabulary with the same enthusiasm I did. Most of my students had never even heard the original Wizard of Oz story or had even seen the movie!! I have since purchased other titles in this series to give to my students so that each will have one as part of their upbringing but this still remains to be my favorite Oz book.

Rating:
Summary: unhappy customer
Review: I tried to get this book. It is very important and would mean a lot to my daughter. I had to get it used and guess what they sent me - a cheap copy of Kesey's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Not exactly an even trade if you know what I mean. Please be careful ordering from ABEbooks.

Rating:
Summary: unhappy customer
Review: I tried to get this book. It is very important and would mean a lot to my daughter. I had to get it used and guess what they sent me - a cheap copy of Kesey's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Not exactly an even trade if you know what I mean. Please be careful ordering from ABEbooks.

Rating:
Summary: Very good!
Review: I would love to see George Lucas make movies based on Oz Books. ILM would do wonders these books made into movies! Natalie Portman would make an excellent Dorothy Gale or Ozma of Oz. Nicole Kidman as Glinda. Whoopie Goldberg as the Patchwork Girl of Oz. Computer animated creatures like in Jurrasic Park would be something to see! A CGI Cowardly Lion and Hungry Tiger would be great to see! This book was very good and could easily be made into a movie!

Rating:
Summary: Very good!
Review: I would love to see George Lucas make movies based on Oz Books. ILM would do wonders these books made into movies! Natalie Portman would make an excellent Dorothy Gale or Ozma of Oz. Nicole Kidman as Glinda. Whoopie Goldberg as the Patchwork Girl of Oz. Computer animated creatures like in Jurrasic Park would be something to see! A CGI Cowardly Lion and Hungry Tiger would be great to see! This book was very good and could easily be made into a movie!

Rating:
Summary: Pyrzqxgl
Review: The only thing that I had remembered about reading this book as a child were the magic word "Pyrzqxgl" and the magic flower that the glass cat found. Happily for me, there is a lot more to it than that.

Magic of Oz focuses on the darker side of Oz. The trouble this time comes from a discontented Munchkin teenager who steals the power of transformation. He is able to brew this trouble because of the alienated beasts in the Forest of Gugu. Fortunately, the wicked plans are foiled by the Wizard and Dorothy in time for everyone to celebrate the birthday of Ozma. Additionally, the Nome King loose end is finally tied up for good.

Magic of Oz is the thirteenth and pentultimate book in the series. As in Glinda of Oz, the book suffers from some recycling of older themes and evident author fatigue. Still, definitely worth the time for fans of Oz. Particular points for the Neill illustrations of the Li-Mon-Eags-- creepy!