The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

October 24, 2011
Ninth in Ingpen’s series of illustrated classics, this atmospheric outing blends elements of American realism with elegant whimsy. With surprising emotion, Ingpen conveys the Tin Woodman’s grim transformation, one limb at a time, from a human into a metal automaton; his scrawny Wicked Witch of the West, with her spidery black hair, overcoat, and striped stockings, would be equally at home roaming New York City’s West Village as she would the yellow brick road. Readers yet to discover the story of Oz will find a wholly original vision in this edition. Ages 10–up.

July 1, 2011

Gr 3-5-Stout-hearted Dorothy, dashing but naive D'Artagnan, and feckless Toad are introduced to young graphic-novel enthusiasts. Each book is a serviceable representation of the original work, hitting all relevant plot points in a somewhat rigidly paced 70 to 100 pages. Occasional anachronisms are jarring (D'Artagnan asks, "Are you okay?"). Unfortunately, the pages in Oz suffer from serious overcrowding: detail-heavy panels are arranged in an overlapping layout with no gutters between panels, making the book visually dense. Colors glare and characters appear stiff. Eric Shanower's graphic-novel edition of the same book (Marvel Classics) is easier on the eyes. Musketeers is drawn in a sharper-edged but still goofy style that emphasizes the humor in every scene. Willows is illustrated in an exaggerated cartoon style, with pop-eyed, loose-limbed characters that are a sharp contrast to depictions in other recent illustrated editions by artists such as Robert Ingpen, Luanne Rice, and Inga Moore. No library should be without these classics, but these adaptations may not be the best ones to choose.-Paula Willey, Baltimore County Public Library, Towson, MD

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

20fgarrity - People usually just watch The Wizard of Oz. You should really try reading it though. It is about a girl named Dorothy and her dog Toto who get lost in a tornado. She was in her house so when it landed she landed on the Wicked Witch of The East. The good witch gives her the Ruby slippers. She wanted to find her way home so she asked Glinda, The Good Witch. Glinda told her to follow the yellow brick road which would lead you to the Wizard of Oz. Along the way she met a scarecrow, who needed a brain. She also met a tin man who desparately needed a heart. The lat was a cowardly lion,who needed courage. Once they got to the Wizard he sent them to get the broom of The Wicked Witch of The East. Once they get there the witch holds Dorothy prisoner. Toto helps the friends get Dorothy back. They throw water on the scarecrow because the witch set him on fire. Some water hits the witch and she starts to melt. They get her broom and go back to the wizard. Toto finds out the "great" Oz is just a man behind the curtain. Still he gives them what they wanted. Dorothy's was a parachute ride home. She misses her flight and is thought to be stuck there until the good witch comes. She tells her that all this time she's been able to do it. You just have to click your heels together three times and say "there's no place like home," and she woke up in her bed. If you like to read and, you love the Wizard of Oz, then I highly reccomend this book to you.