Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz, Reviewed by my Son
My six-year-old and I just finished reading the fourth Oz book: Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz. He’s still enjoying the series, and we did our review together about ten minutes after we closed the book.
As with his previous reviews, I asked Jackson some questions, but everything that follows is his own words (except for my italicized comments, which will be in parentheses).
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First Dorothy was at Hugson’s Ranch, but then the earthquake brought them inside of the world. It’s a good thing that they didn’t fall to the core! Then they would die. So they fell a little , and while they were there they were trapped in a mountain and it had glass rocks because everything was glass there. And they have a bunch of colored suns. And there’s a trick that the Wizard performed to make two suns that they’d never seen before, with lanterns!
Then they went to a higher layer because they were climbing the mountain, where everything but them was invisible, and the wizard killed an invisible bear! And then they got into the buggy and rowed up the river away from the bears to where the wooden gargoyles lived, and everything was wooden! And then when they were locked up they saw another rock so they went in there and met some dragonettes. They should be called dragons, but they say that they’re too young. And then they went the wrong way, but Dorothy made the signal, and then they were in Oz. And a couple of chapters later, everybody went home. (Plotwise, the ending of this one did not impress me. -Jim)
But when Zeb was home, his uncle asked where in the world he’s been, and Zeb said he was in the world! That was funny, wasn’t it?
The best part was when they saw the dragonettes. I thought it was funny when the eyes were flashing yellow. I think it was silly.
I didn’t like the part when they were saying that Eureka (Dorothy’s kitten) ate the piggy. Well, she tried to actually, but she couldn’t because it fell into a vase. And then the Tin Woodman had to open the vase. I didn’t like it because they said Eureka was going to die. I don’t like it when people say other people are going to die.
I think my favorite character was the piggies. They were the ones who were safe from the bears. They were invisible, so the bears couldn’t see them! When I pictured them in my head with my mind’s eye, they looked cute! Teeny tiny pigs.
I think the best Oz book is The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. And by the way, how many of you read that book from my first interview? I want to know!
Chenelle
June 26, 2011 @ 2:05 pm
Well thank you, Jackson, for the wonderful review. When I was six years old my Aunties (Auntie Ruth and Auntie Toni) gave me the Oz books to read. For some reason, I only have two books left “Ozma of Oz” and “Glinda of Oz”. Now that I see your review I will need to go back and read more of L.Fank Baum’s books.
Crystal
June 26, 2011 @ 2:40 pm
I really do enjoy your reviews Jackson, and you wanted to know how many read The wonderful Wizard of Oz after reading your reviews? Well I am at least one! I had to be very careful with my copy though, it was my great-grandmother’s and it’s very old. The pages are starting to fall out, it’s sad. But I still enjoy reading it, and I like the pictures in the book. There are little dorthys or other charachters drawn on random pages. Maybe not as cute as the teeny tiny pigs you imangine.. Maybe you should draw them out!
Crystal
Jim C. Hines
June 26, 2011 @ 3:02 pm
Very cool! I love old books…
Originally, Jackson had planned to draw a picture to go with the review. But he kept getting distracted 🙂
David Y
June 26, 2011 @ 9:27 pm
Hi Jackson.
I read most of the books a long time ago. I know the first three pretty well, but I’m going to go back and read this one again. I have all but two of them in the basement, somewhere. (boast)
I don’t remember the last chapter of this book, but I have a complaint about the last chapters of most of the later books.
Jim: do you have access to the full set, all 3 authors?
Eric Gjovaag
June 26, 2011 @ 11:52 pm
Hi, Jackson. I, for one, am enjoying your reviews very much. I’ve been reading and collecting Oz books for almost forty years now (would you believe I have over a thousand books now? I find it hard to believe myself sometimes), and it’s refreshing to see them all through a new reader’s eyes again. Please, keep up the good work! And tell your dad to track down “The Little Wizard Stories of Oz” for you, too. Those are six short stories that L. Frank Baum wrote. They’re not usually considered an official part of the series, but I think they’re fun, and I have a sneaking suspicion that you’d like them.
And Jim Y, where do you get this idea that there were only three authors of the Oz books? There were six (or seven, if you count both co-authors of Merry Go Round in Oz)!
Jim C. Hines
June 27, 2011 @ 8:56 am
David – I’ve been pulling them down off of Project Gutenberg. The books are all public domain, and it’s kind of fun reading to him from my phone. Not to mention convenient.
Baum definitely has a looser approach to plot than most modern authors. It’s interesting reading his notes in the beginning, and I wonder how much of a plan he really had for these books, vs. just wanting to bring back various characters and play with different ideas.
Jim C. Hines
June 27, 2011 @ 8:57 am
So noted, thanks! I hadn’t heard about the short stories. Those could be fun for when we need a quicker read.
Leslie
July 11, 2011 @ 4:16 pm
Hi, Jackson. I read the first Wizard of Oz book many years ago, but I’ve never read any of the sequels. I’m enjoying your reviews, though, and thinking I may have to go back and do that. I’m glad you’re enjoying the series!