Comments on: Top 100 Children’s Novels #83: Ozma of Oz by Frank L. Baum

By: Elizabeth Bird

Elizabeth Bird — Fri, 18 May 2012 01:03:47 +0000

Mr. Bell, we actually had a copy of Snow’s book in the office so I plucked it up for help with this post. Wasn’t sure where to go for my Ozma info and it seemed like a safe enough bet. I think it’s the reissued 80s copy, though.

By: Meredith

Meredith — Thu, 17 May 2012 23:29:27 +0000

When I was in college one of my friends said I looked exactly like Dorothy from Return to Oz. (It’s not true. We just have the same nose and coloring). But that was my first exposure to any Oz stories besides the original movie. I will have to read this one.

By: Genevieve

Genevieve — Thu, 17 May 2012 20:46:46 +0000

Always my favorite of the Oz books. Princess Langwidere, whose temper varied according to which head she was wearing that day. The lunch box pail tree, with leaves of paper napkins, and food growing on stems inside the boxes (sandwiches on a stem!).

I really need to see the movie.

By: Betsy

Betsy — Thu, 17 May 2012 19:31:08 +0000

Totally forgot about this one!! I loved it as a kid.

By: J. L. Bell

J. L. Bell — Thu, 17 May 2012 14:14:32 +0000

Delighted to see this novel made the list. It’s indeed one of Baum’s best, with a terrific combination of the modern and the magical.

Jack Snow wrote Who’s Who in Oz in 1954; it was reissued in the 1980s. The book therefore doesn’t include the last novel of the series, nor Baum’s Little Wizard Stories collection, then long out of print. It’s an interesting early example of a publisher providing fans with reference material on a fiction series, and from a “canonical” author yet.

By: Louise

Louise — Thu, 17 May 2012 13:44:35 +0000

YES. Love this book! And the movie – so very creepy and yet so awesome. My sister and I used to hiss “QUICK” at each other for years, in imitation of the “ozma” real-world character. And oh, that headless Mombie … *shudders*

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Thu, 17 May 2012 04:30:26 +0000

IT MADE THE LIST!!! I can’t believe it! I am soooo happy! Let’s all pick a dinner pail to celebrate!