The Wizard of Oz: The First Five Novels (1900)

Guess I've seen the movie too many times to enjoy the original book version much. It is very different with lots of additional things that Dorothy and the whole group go through. It surprises me how small of a part the Wicked Witch of the West has in the story. There is much more violence in the book than in the movie which probably was not deemed proper for a children's movie. Glad I read it though. ( )

After a rather heated vote, my APK class chose this as their November chapter book. I know most of them picked it because of the little bit of the story they knew, such as the fact that a tornado picks up Dorothy, but nevertheless it won against some stiff competition. I was a little worried it would be a little too dark for them at times, such as the story of how the Tin Woodsman became tin, but they sunk right into it. If the only thing they remember from this year with me is this story, I think I’m doing a fairly decent job as a teacher. They picked up on parts of the story that many of us probably skip over, like the kalidahs, and brought them to life. I even caught them playing a version of freeze tag on the playground but with the freezer being the wicked witch trying to stop Dorothy and her friends. As much as I absolutely love the film, the first book in the series is far superior (which is not surprising at all). I love this story as an adult, reader and I loved seeing how my group of learners really enjoyed the story and talked about it at home with their parents and siblings and even caught on to the lessons like how sometimes we are a lot braver than we think and how the Wizard was really “not nice” for lying and saying he could help but only if they killed the witch for him. Great story that I think everyone, adults and children, should take the time to read. ( )

A classic story, although a bit simplistic in the book itself (the movie was actually a more complex plot!) The Anne Hathaway audiobook version is really good, but I'd still say the 1939 movie is the best format. ( )

I read this book aloud to my kids (ages 8 and 12). I wasn't sure if they would enjoy it at first because of the old-fashioned language and style, but honestly, the hero's quest, the pure unadulterated imagination, the adventure in form of a journey, and the comradeship are timeless and ageless. We really enjoyed reading this book together and looked forward to our chapters every night. Yes, it is different from the movie, but also surprisingly the same. Read it just to say you have; you won't regret it. ( )

Wonderful! ( )