"The book has a bright and joyous atmosphere and does not dwell upon killing and deeds of violence. Enough stirring adventure enters into it, however, to flavor it with zest ...It will indeed be strange if there be a normal child who will not enjoy the story."

"An original departure in children's literature, in every way novel and unique. ... The text is charming and will prove interesting to both young and old. ... The illustrations surpass anything of the kind hitherto attempted. ... The funniest - the handsomest - the most elaborate child's book ever published." - The New York Times, 1900.

"The Wonderful Wizard of Oz has become America's greatest and best-loved homegrown fairy tale. The first totally American fantasy for children, it is one of the most-read children's books." - Library of Congress.

"The Oz books are far ahead of their time both scientifically and politically. They are full of inventions that would not appear on the market for most of the century, among them a robot man, an artificial heart and limbs, a television monitoring system, anti-gravity devices, and a computer-type news service." - Alison Lurie.

"I have learned to regard fame as a will-o-the-wisp, which when caught, is not worth the possession; but to please a child is a sweet and lovely thing that warms one's heart and brings its own reward." - L. Frank Baum.

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is an enchanting tale of adventure and self-discovery in a magical country. It is America's first and greatest fairy tale and is one of the most-read children's books. Its unforgettable characters and memorable adventures made it an instant classic.

This edition contains all the original illustrations. Denslow's original images and changing colour scheme enhance our appreciation of the book. His illustrations contain elements not in the text, notably the Tin Man's funnel hat. Denslow's imagination has given us the familiar and beloved visual world of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

Frank Baum (1856-1919) was an American children's writer. He is best-known for The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, though he wrote another thirteen books in the Oz series and over fifty-five novels. Baum wrote The Wonderful Wizard of Oz after failures as an actor, and proprietor of, successively a theater, a general store, a newspaper and a trade magazine. With The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Baum aimed to create an Americanized fairy tale, like Grimms' and Andersen's "in which the wonderment and joy are retained and the heartaches and nightmares are left out."

Features of this edition:

• It contains all 148 of W. W. Denslow's color illustrations, that are essential to a true appreciation of this book, which is the creation of both author and illustrator.
• Almost every page has a color illustration.
• The text is set in a crisp large modern 12 point font that children and grandparents will find easy to read.
• It contains the author's introduction.