Boek

Wizard of Oz, The

Wizard of Oz, The

Auteur Lyman Frank Baum
Eerste Uitgave1993
Uitgave1993
UitgeverijWordsworth Classics
Vormjeugd
TaalEngels
Bladzijden143 bladzijden
Gelezen2004-03-07
Score8/10

Inhoud

When a huge cyclone transports the orphan Dorothy and her little dog Toto from Kansas to the Land of Oz, she fears that she will never see Aunt Em and Uncle Henry ever again.
But she meets the Munchkins, and they tell her to follow the Yellow Brick Road to the Emerald City where the Wonderful Wizard of Oz will grant any wish. On the way, she meets the brainless Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman and the Cowardly Lion. The four friends set off of seek their hearts' desires, and in a series of action-packed adventures they encounter a deadly poppy field, fierce animals, flying monkeys, a wicked witch, a good witch, and the Mighty Oz himself.

Bespreking

Wonderfully rich story that still deserves a broad audience

When a cyclone transports Dorothy and her little dog Toto together in their small wooden house from Kansas to the strange Land of Oz, she fears that she will never see Aunt Em and Uncle Henry again. In that weird land Dorothy meets the Munchkins, who are convinced that she must be a great sorceress after watching her drop a house on top of the Wicked Witch of the East. The Munchkins tell her to follow the Yellow Brick Road to the Emerald City where the Wonderful Wizard of Oz will grant her any wish and return Dorothy back home. On the way, she meets the brainless Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman and the Cowardly Lion.


Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz was first published in 1900 and has ever since fascinated millions of young and older readers. The reason for this is clear: this book extremely well written and takes the reader, no matter what age, on a trip through a magical world where fantasy is unlimited. A typical characteristic of the early children's books is the heavy focus on moral messages. Also in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz this is clearly the case and could be a reason not to read this kind of stories.


But I would advice everyone to see beyond the pedagogic messages and task the wonderful richness of the story. Even so, the morality of the story is still relevant to modern times, although it is never again put in such an uncomplicated way.