'stylishly abridged... The elegant die-cut overlays are entirely appropriate to the original's themes of illusion, perception and magic.' - The Guardian

"THE WIZARD OF OZ: THE CLASSIC EDITION is a beautifully rendered book that is sure to quickly become a family favorite."

"I look forward to bringing this book into my classroom on Monday. I have a feeling that many of my Wizard of Oz fans will be clamoring to read it."

"Charles Santore turns L. Frank Baum’s classic story, THE WIZARD OF OZ into an heirloom book. There are 100 pages in this abridgment of Dorothy’s adventures, all fully illustrated, most full-page and many double-page spreads. Together they reinvigorate the tale in an oversized book which speaks volumes about the rich imaginations of Baum and Santore while making the book accessible to younger readers."

In his introduction, L. Frank Baum writes, “every healthy youngster has a wholesome and instinctive love for stories fantastic, marvelous, and manifestly unreal.” The Wizard of Oz is all these things. In this classic tale, written thirty-nine years before the movie, Baum relates the adventures of Dorothy and her dog, Toto, who are transported when a cyclone lifts them out of the “gray” world of Aunt Em and Uncle Henry in Kansas, and into the magical, colorful land of the Munchkins where the house lands on top of the Wicked Witch of the East and Dorothy comes into possession of the powerful silver slippers. From the “little old wrinkled woman,” the Witch of the North, Dorothy learns that her return home depends on the Great Wizard in the City of Emeralds. She is soon joined by fellow questers, the Scarecrow, seeking a brain, the Tin Woodman, who wants back the heart that was cut from his chest by a jealous witch, and the Cowardly Lion, who yearns for courage. Together they face all manner of trials and tribulations in their pursuit to fulfill their desires. The accompanying charming watercolor illustrations will delight. Dorothy appears ordinary and innocent, the Scarecrow rotund and overstuffed, the Woodman nimble and thin, and Lion, life-like and, at times, fierce. Other unique characters, like the red-headed Winged Monkeys, the “monstrous” Kalidahs, with “bodies like bears and heads like tigers,” and the powerful Queen of the Mice, are also artfully drawn. This is a story that works on many levels. While youngsters may not be able to articulate Baum’s exploration of the classic themes of friendship, a belief in one’s self, and the value of community, even the youngest readers (or listeners, as this is an excellent read aloud) will recognize that the characters’ actions reveal the qualities they are certain they lack. But for the most part, kids will simply love the imaginative worlds that greet the clear-headed, thoughtful Dorothy in this brilliantly written, fast-paced magical tale, which is far less frightening than the film. Reviewer: Susan Glick; Ages 8 up.