Rating: 
Summary: The Wizard of Oz Review
Review:
Overall, I enjoyed reading the book The Wizard of Oz by Frank Baum. I thought the plot was magical. I enjoyed that the book was a fantasy, and the it brings you to a completely different world. The theme of the book was interesting because it has never been done before. In class, we identified with the theme of following your own path to enlightenment. The characters in the book were very unique. Dorothy, Toto, the Lion, the Tin woodsman, and the Scarecrow have all different personalities. I loved that the characters persevered in their journey to get what they wanted from the Wizard.
Rating: 
Summary: A Halloween Classic ...
Review: For those of us who've seen the movie umpteen times, this retelling of the classic tale is actually fresh and worth the read ... (witch, by the way, isn't easy .....)
Rating:
Summary: A Classic ...
Review: For those of us who've seen the movie umpteen times, this retelling of the classic tale is actually fresh and worth the read.
Rating:
Summary: The Wondeful Wizard of Oz by Ryan Widner
Review: I have to say Lizbeth Zwerger has made a wonderful new interpretation of Oz. I like her Dorothy with short cropped hair, her catlike cowardly lion, and her valient tin woodman. She has given wind swept pictures with delightful characters. My only quam is her fat and boring scarecrow, who lacks the whismy of Hague, Santore, and Denslow. She could have also made more green for the emerald city but the addition of green glasses made it wonderful and fun. Her pictures are not as bold as Charles Santore, but they are unusual and beautiful and worth a look.
Rating:
Summary: First step on a yellow brick road
Review: I'm sure we all know the story of Dorothy and her journey to Oz. This is similar to the movie, but there is much more. Expect new exciting adventures and characters. And the best part is this series is just beginning! Read the entire series of Oz books by L. Frank Baum, and you won't be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: A magical tale for readers of all ages.
Review: In this classic, Baum describes the tale of poor Dorothy, who is hurled by a cyclone away from her uncle and aunt in Kansas into a strange and magical world of wizards and witches. Fortunately Dorothy has the help of several companions that she meets in this new world - a stuffed scarecrow who wants brains, a tin woodsman who wants a heart, and a cowardly lion who wants courage. Together with Dorothy - who wants a return trip to Kansas - they travel to the emerald city where Oz is wizard, to ask him to make their wishes come true. Their journey is fraught with adventures, and when they finally meet Oz they discover a terrible truth, that leads them into even more challenges and adventures. The magical fantasy of this tale has pleased readers of all ages for a century, and it's not hard to see why. Baum spins a wonderfully enchanting tale that includes wicked witches, flying monkeys, talking mice, and other fantastic creatures. Is this book more than just a fantasy thrill? Some literary critics have proposed that Baum - a strong believer in individualism and self-confidence - is working with themes about self-esteem and self-reliance. This is quite plausible, especially considering that the brains, heart and courage sought by the scarecrow, woodsman and lion are abilities that they clearly already possess - they just need to recognize them and use them. And Dorothy herself discovers that when the wizard can't help her, she must and can rely on herself. Other literary critics have claimed that "The Wizard of Oz" needs to be read as an elaborate political allegory where the various characters represent various social classes and financial structures - a not impossible suggestion, but one that's somewhat difficult to defend. Ultimately, however, "The Wizard of Oz" is best enjoyed as a wonderful story. That doesn't mean it is any less of a contribution to English literature, because when appreciated as a brilliant story, you're sure to come back to it again and again, as are your children and grandchildren. It's precisely this universal appeal that makes "The Wizard of Oz" a true classic.
Rating: 
Summary: Striking Yet Unusual Illustrations
Review: L. Frank Baum's enduring story is wonderfully presented in this elegant edition and the Washington Post called Lisbeth's The Wizard of Oz "the loveliest edition imaginable." However, the assessment of the local kids is the drawings are "weird." Perhaps intended for a more adult audience, the illustrations are beautiful--I enjoyed them--but their idiosyncratic style may not appeal to the younger set. The characters pictured in the illustrations are dramatcially reinterpreted by the artist, however this may disappoint some viewers. The Scarecrow will look nothing like any scarecrow you've imagined. The Witch of the North is difficult to identify. This fresh point of view will be enjoyed by some but is sure to disappoint others. I also felt the illustrations don't tell the story as well as the edition by Michael Hague or the original edition with W. W. Dinslow. (This is more important to the younger, read-to crowd, than the older, I can read it myself crowd.) My daughter asked that we return the book and get a different edition for her. I would urge you to carefully consider the sample pages, except the sample pages don't cover a broad range of the illustrations included with this edition. The sample pages do include an image of the dramatic and striking cover. Unfortunately, in the judgement of several reviewers from 4 to 40, the other illustrations were noticably more "weird" than the cover and I don't think the sample pages represent the overall reading/viewing experience scrupulously.
Rating:
Summary: You Must Earn To Claim What You Want
Review: The Wizard of Oz is a well-made children's literature and very American fairy tale.
Oz's answer to Dorothy and her companion is quite a right one.
To win "hearts", "brains" and "courage" and "returning to home" they should make efforts and do something worthwhile. Unlike European fairy tales use of magic power is quite restrained or limited. Even Dorothy wearing her magic boots and hat, the writer made her unaware of the effect. Power, strength or ability you need to make a living is not something automatically confered upon from the witch nor wizard. Through a number of adventures they eventually earn rights to claim what they desire.
The storyline and the moral of the story quite fit the founding principles of America and presented to the child in such a charming manner. The movie in 1939 based on this story is also impressive and can be recommendable.
Rating:
Summary: A good book
Review: This book is a wonderful childrens' classic, though for adults it might seem a little bit too fanciful. The same characters from the movie are in it (Dorothy, Glinda, the Wizard of Oz) but don't be surprised if you notice a lot of details in the book that aren't in the movie- they're both completely different. The book is complicated , and contains a lot of elements that are magical in nature, not to mention all the different races (there's even one made out of china!). I don't think I'd recommend it to a smaller child, but eight, nine, ten year olds would LOVE it.
Rating: 
Summary: Something of a disappointment.
Review: This is certainly a tolerable children's book, better than many. But for someone familiar with and fond of the movie (and aren't we all?) this is quite a disappointment. Generally, I find the book version to be superior to the movie, so, given how much I love the movie version of this story, it was with great anticipation that I finally got around to reading it. Unfortunately, this is one of those rare occasions in which the movie is vastly superior to the book. The book is written in a style not too different from the fairie tales of Hans Christian Anderson (definitely more his than the Brothers Grimm); that is to say, it's very striaghtforward, with little or nothing in the way of style to embellish the basic story. The dialogue is bland, the plot without nuance or embellishment, the characters only a little better than wooden and one-dimensional. Which is okay for a book that is intended purely as a children's story, but given the humor, nuance, and characterization found in the movie which was based on this story, I'd expected more; I'd expected it to be one of those "children's stories" that was still entertaining to an adult. It wasn't.
|
