The Wizard of Oz

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L. Frank Baum

Our price £9.99 (£19.99)

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Pages: 14 (Pop-Up)

ISBN: 0689834985

Pub: Simon & Schuster Children's

Pub date: 2001-07-25

Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 5821

Editorial Review:

How many times have you seen The Wizard of Oz on Television? How many times have you seen Judy Garland and her red shoes following the Yellow Brick Road? Can you remember the story, or do you just remember the film characters? Forget all those, and immerse yourself in this magnificent book. If you also have preconceptions about pop-up books, then forget those too. The original story was written by L Frank Baumand; this edition, created by Robert Sabuda, is a shorter version of the original story. The artwork, in the style of WW Denslow, the original artist, is exceptional, made up of prints created from cut blocks of linoleum.
Open up the first page and find Dorothy, with her uncle Henry, a farmer, and his wife Aunt Em on their farm in the cyclone belt of Kansas, USA. Watch the cyclone approach and see the house and its surroundings before they are transported (found over the page) to a "country of marvellous beauty", the land of Oz. Meet the munchkins, hear about the Wicked Witch of the East and be there when Dorothy finds the magical silver shoes, and the Witch of the North, before undertaking her journey on the Yellow Brick Road to the Emerald City, accompanied by her dog Toto. Dorothy joins up with a scarecrow, finds a tin woodman, and a cowardly lion, and with them makes her way through a great forest. The Emerald City comes into view (more easily appreciated when seen through the green spectacles provided) and Dorothy discovers Oz, the Great and Terrible. The amazing story unfolds and the travellers continue in their quest to find the Wicked Witch. Further adventures ensue, featuring flying monkeys, yellow Winkie slaves, the demise of the Wicked Witch, and soon, until eventually, as in all good stories, there is a happy ending when Dorothy returns home safely.

Recommend for children aged 6 years and over, this book is a modern take on a real classic, and it will make an excellent gift for book lovers everywhere.--Susan Naylor

Reader Reviews:

Very, very good. (0/0 people found this helpful)

I still think that the Alice in Wonderland book is the benchmark for current stock of pop-up books, but this is easily in my #2 spot.

I'm not quite as enamoured of the art used here on WoZ as I was with AiW, but the quality and design is up close to the top. Very tempting to add the final star as current price £9.99 represents very good value.

Not a purchase likely to be regretted.

Wizard of Oz Pop Up Book (3/3 people found this helpful)

I had been recommended this book a long time ago and having looked in book shops found that the book looked amazing but the price at 19.99 was a bit steep. So spotting the great deal at half the retail price at 9.99 on amazon was a real lucky find. When i got my delivery which was incredibly fast and free, i had a sneak peek of the book which was for one of my daughters xmas presents and was astounded at the craftmanship and beauty of the book. This is a must have keepsake for any child who adores books, the detail is of a very high standard and well worth it. It is so pretty that i had to order the Alice in Wonderland version as well which is just as amazing. This is not your average pop up book it is for keeping out the way when not in use, as i could imagine it to be quite fragile. Overall an excellent book that you will read time and time again, and something very special to pass down from generation to generation.

Part Fairytale Part Psychology All Fun (0/0 people found this helpful)

A fantasy journey. Most British children will remember the afternoon Xmas Film starring Judy Garland. The viewing experience is further enhanced if you have read the book which is plainly a Good versus Evil affair plus much more. I like the encounters that Dorothy has with the Scarecrow, the Tinman and the Cowardly Lion. There is hidden message which transcends the fairytale part and that is of basic human psychological insecurities. The Scarecrow thinks that he is plain stupid and his reason for the path of the Emerald Castle is to get a brain.The Tinman thinks that he is devoid of emotion and wants to get a heart whereas the Cowardly Lion wants to get some courage. A Brilliant book that spawned many spinoffs and sequels such as the Land of Oz.

Too good for children (1/1 people found this helpful)

I bought this book for my grand-daughters birthday although she was well under 6 years old. Younger children do need an adult to supervise when looking at this book but Caitlin loved it and so did I. We made the balloon fly from Oz, sang the songs from the musical and then put the book away safely. It is far too nice to risk damaging, probably too nice for children!! Tomorrow's heirloom.

No, no, no (5/9 people found this helpful)

How can you condense a literary classic like "The Wizard of Oz" into 14 pages? 14 pages with very little text to boot. I love Robert Sabuda's minimalist Christmas books with exquisite paper sculptures on each page. They are the reason I bought this version of a childhood favourite for my son. I regret doing this and am in two minds whether or not to give it to him.

Sabuda is a genius, there is no doubt about this. Even these cluttered, over-fussy pages are technical masterpieces. But they don't encapsulate the magic of the Oz story. You don't get a feeling for Dorothy. This book is clever but wrong.

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