“He is a good Wizard. Whether he is a man or not I cannot tell, for I have never seen him...” The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is a children’s book by L. Frank Baum which was first published in 1900 and later became one the most popular fairy tales ever written. Its sheer delightfulness with an American setting that had just enough fantasy elements to keep things interesting without being overwhelming has captured the hearts of children and adults alike. Dorothy is a young girl who lives in Kansas with her Uncle Henry, Aunt Em and her dog, Toto. A sudden tornado strikes, and Dorothy is unable to reach the storm cellar in time. She is still inside the house with Toto when the cyclone picks it up for a long voyage. Dorothy discovers herself in a beautiful world inhabited by incredibly short, curiously clad people when the house finally lands. The Witch of the North informs her that she has arrived at the country of the Munchkins, who are thankful to her for killing the Wicked Witch of the East (the house having landed on the witch), thereby liberating them. The Witch of the North offers Dorothy the deceased witch's silver shoes and tells her to travel to the City of Emeralds to meet the Great Wizard Oz, who may be able to assist her in returning to Kansas. The witch sends Dorothy along the yellow brick road with a magical kiss to keep her safe, and she makes some unexpected friends along the way! Sneak Peek: But the little old woman walked up to Dorothy, made a low bow and said, in a sweet voice: “You are welcome, most noble Sorceress, to the land of the Munchkins. We are so grateful to you for having killed the Wicked Witch of the East, and for setting our people free from bondage.” Dorothy listened to this speech with wonder. What could the little woman possibly mean by calling her a sorceress, and saying she had killed the Wicked Witch of the East? Dorothy was an innocent, harmless little girl, who had been carried by a cyclone many miles from home; and she had never killed anything in all her life. But the little woman evidently expected her to answer; so Dorothy said, with hesitation, “You are very kind, but there must be some mistake. I have not killed anything.” “Your house did, anyway,” replied the little old woman, with a laugh, “and that is the same thing. See!” she continued, pointing to the corner of the house. “There are her two feet, still sticking out from under a block of wood.” Title Details Original 1900 Text Large, easy-to-read print throughout 6 x 9 Inches Matte Cover White Paper