Most of us remember The Wizard of Oz as the film starring Judy Garland and Bert Lahr. But the film was based on L. Frank Baum's immensely popular Oz series, which was published in the early twentieth century. In these novels, Oz is the utopian land beyond the rainbow where threats are turned back with valor and ingenuity. The books' success lies in the way they induce children to look for the element of wonder in the world around them. Considered the first truly American fairy tale, The Wizard of Oz follows the adventures of Dorothy Gale and her dog, Toto, after her Kansas home is swept away by a cyclone and lands in Oz, killing the Wicked Witch of the East. The Munchkins and the good witch, Glenda, show them the yellow brick road, which leads to Emerald City and the powerful Wizard of Oz. On this unforgettable journey, Dorothy encounters the brainless Scarecrow, the heartless Tin Woodman, and the cowardly Lion, each of whom must overcome the wrath of the Wicked Witch of the West to get his heart's desire.
