I’m thrilled that my friend Lory at Entering the Enchanted Castle has proposed a book-a-month “Ozathon”, where we’ll read and discuss the 14 Oz books by L. Frank Baum. These were my absolute favorite books of childhood and they still draw me with their beautiful illustrations and magical characters. I’ve been collecting the original illustrated versions over the last 30 years but what I love most is opening them up (carefully) and reliving the stories.
There are 14 books, originally published from 1900 to 1920, and the plan is to start in December and read in published order through January of 2025. There’s no commitment, and if a smaller chunk sounds good to you, consider giving just the first six books a try. Baum actually wrote an ending for the series at book 6, The Emerald City of Oz, but his fans wouldn’t let him quit. The first books are some of the most iconic and must-reads to understand the series, though several of the last eight (Patchwork Girl, Lost Princess and Glinda, among them) are also my favorites.
Lory recommends reading a version with the original illustrations and I strongly second that recommendation! Look for the Denslow illustrations for The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and then the John R. Neill illustrations for the remaining books. These are the books that sparked my love of Art Noveau; they are absolutely gorgeous.
As a child, one thing I was really struck by were the strong female characters, not just as friends or mothers but as leaders, heroes, and also villains. As an adult, learning more about Baum’s history with feminist leaders of the time, I appreciate these books even more.
There’s plenty to unpack in these books but mostly they are here to be enjoyed. I hope you’ll consider joining us!
Here is the proposed schedule:
Part I: Essential Oz adventures
- December, 2023: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
- January, 2024: The Marvelous Land of Oz
- February, 2024: Ozma of Oz
- March, 2024: Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz
- April, 2024: The Road to Oz
- May, 2024: The Emerald City of Oz
Part II: Further journeys in Oz
- June, 2024: The Patchwork Girl of Oz
- July, 2024: Tik-Tok of Oz
- August, 2024: The Scarecrow of Oz
- September, 2024: Rinkitink in Oz
- October, 2024: The Lost Princess of Oz
- November, 2024: The Tin Woodman of Oz
- December, 2024: The Magic of Oz
- January, 2024: Glinda of Oz
Along the way, I’ll discuss some of the things I loved about each book and maybe some things that disappointed. I’ll also look at how the books tie to Baum’s history and personal experiences, and any interesting movie or pop culture connections. I’d also love to hear your thoughts about the books, whether you’re new to them or discovered them in childhood.
You may find some of these books darker than you expect, although if you were scared by the movie version of Wizard of Oz, you’ll know that story gets pretty dark as well. But Baum also brought a lot of humor and insight to his stories, as well as fantastic wordplay.
I can’t wait to journey through Oz again, and I hope you’ll join us. This also ties in nicely with my plan to re-read favorite books in 2024. You can share at #Ozathon24.
