Advanced Children's Literature: Fantasy

Baum, L. Frank. THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ. New York: William Morrow and Company, 1987.

This is a title in the "Books of Wonder" series. The edition is a "lavishly produced facsimile of the rare first edition" which includes the 24 color plates by W.W. Denslow. Beautiful to look at but harder to read when some of the print is atop the illustrations. The quintessential fantasy of childhood and the secret favorite movie of many adults, it is embarrasing how few adults have actually read it if my library co-workers are a good sampling. Having only read THE PATCHWORK GIRL OF OZ in my childhood I cannot be smug. The differences between the book and movie are not great but they are noticeable. I see now why people say you should always read the book first. The first truly American fairy tale got it's reputation honestly, by flat out being the best! The yellow brick road, the Munchkins, Dorothy with silver shoes, the ever present Toto, and the big tough lion that could hurt someone if he only knew how big and tough he truly was. This fantasy is practically the definition of fantasy. It makes you forget that any world besides Oz exists. Baum's first name is Llyman and he didn't realize he had talent at writing "fantastic tales" until he hit 40. Now that is inspirational to teacher as well as student. I truly don't know what to say about such a classic of all classics. In my mind nothing other than King Arthur can truly touch Oz! Soldiers with green whiskers and eyelashes, a scarecrow that can twist the neck of 40 crows so his companions can continue their journey. Bruno Bettleheim would certainly classify this as a "true" fairy tale. There is no evil stepmother, but isn't the wicked witch even better, and she too is conquered by a typical child. I enjoyed the magic helmet and the flying monkeys that I never thought would make it, but the real hero here is not Dorothy, but the narrative style of Baum's prose that literaly makes us feel as if we had taken winged flight on an unbelievable journey to another world. "You will remember there was no road--not even a pathway--between the castle of the Wicked Witch and the Emerald City." "On and on they walked, and it seemed that the great carpet of deadly flowers that surrounded them would never end. They followed the bend of the river, and at last came upon their friend the Lion, lying fast asleep among the poppies. The flowers had been too strong for the huge beast and he had given up, at last, and fallen only a short distance from the end of the poppybed, where the sweet grass spread in beautiful green fields before them." What I notice most about the above selections is it seems like Baum is truly talking only to me, like he's sitting beside me and whispering this all in my ear, such is the natural flow of the language and the sensory appeal of the images. The illustrations are good, but they don't in my estimation compare to the text in quality. Without this flowing yarn there would never have been a cult movie. I honestly hope that anyone who has died without knowing this story on earth will have someone read it aloud to them in heaven or in the Summerlands. This may well be the best read aloud after lunch, a chapter at a time book that was ever created. Yes, better than SOCKS by Beverly Cleary or ZUCCHINI by Barbara Dana. I thought making ferrets out of zucchini squash with gumdrops, marshmallows, and toothpicks was the ultimate read-aloud and craft tie-in. Would that my teachers or me as a teacher had discovered the art and philosophy that could be taught with this most American of all fantasies. Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus and his name, honest to God, is L. Frank Baum!