Toto: The Dog-Gone Amazing Story of the Wizard of Oz

by Michael Morpurgo M B E, Emma Chichester Clark (Illustrator)

Overview

From master storyteller MICHAEL MORPURGO, and illustrated in stunning color by the award-winning EMMA CHICHESTER CLARK, comes a surprising, charming and uplifting twist on The Wizard of Oz, told by a very special and unforgettable character: Dorothy’s pet dog, Toto. A perfect, collectible gift for all children (and children at heart).“I was there,” Papa Toto said, and those magic words sent shivers down my spine. It was going to be the Wizard story. “Dorothy and me were both there.”We were all silent, snuggled up together, waiting, waiting.Then Papa Toto began…When a twister descends on their Kansas farm, Toto and his owner Dorothy hide in the house – only to be plucked into the air and whisked away!Coming down with a crash in the mysterious land of Oz, the pair meet a series of extraordinary characters: a scarecrow who believes he has no brains, a tin man without a heart, and a cowardly lion who may not be as cowardly as he thinks he is.But Toto and Dorothy are desperate to return home – after all, home is home, and home is best! So they set off with their new friends on a journey down the yellow brick road to find the only person who might be able to help them: the Wonderful Wizard of Oz.But what they find might surprise them. And on the way, all of them will learn that what they think they are missing might have been there, all along…Beautifully illustrated throughout, this is an unforgettable telling of a classic story, and a must for every bookshelf.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780008252564
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	09/12/2017
Pages:	284
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.00(h) x 1.10(d)
Age Range:	7 - 12 Years

About the Author

Michael Morpurgo OBE is one of Britain's best-loved writers for children, and has sold more than 35 million books around the world. He has written more than 150 novels and won many prizes, including the Smarties Prize, the Whitbread Award and the Blue Peter Book Award, while several of his books have been adapted for stage and screen, including the global theatrical phenomenon War Horse. Michael was Children’s Laureate from 2003 to 2005, and founded the charity Farms for City Children with his wife, Clare. He was knighted in 2018 for services to literature and charity.Emma Chichester Clark studied art at the Royal College of Art. She has worked as a freelancer for magazines, publishers and advertising agencies as well as teaching art for several years, but now dedicates most of her time to children’s books. She won the Mother Goose Award for Best Newcomer and has been nominated for the Kate Greenaway Medal.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for Michael Morpurgo:“Michael Morpurgo writes brilliantly about war and animals, conveying the big emotions without preaching.” Guardian“Champagne quality over a wide range of subjects.” Daily Telegraph“There are few children’s writers as compelling as Michael Morpurgo.” Daily Express“Morpurgo, as always, is subtle and skilful, and incorporates social and moral issues into his writing without being self-righteous or detracting from the quality of the narrative”Elizabeth Reilly, British Council“The former children's laureate has the happy knack of speaking to both child and adult readers.” Guardian

From the Publisher

Michael Murporgo and illustrator Emma Chichester Clark have collaborated on a fresh take on Frank L. Baum’s magical story—the dog’s-eye view. Time has passed since the over-the-rainbow-adventure, and Toto is now a father. Sharing the story of his adventure is his strategy for soothing the pups to sleep. All of them doze off as he talks, except for Tiny Toto, the runt who is Papa’s favorite. This is Tiny Toto’s memory of that account, framed by the cozy scene of snuggling with a parent during storytime. Drawing more heavily from Baum’s original than the movie version—but including elements of both (Winkies, for example, from the book; red slippers, a movie feature)—will engage the reader with a familiar story in a new, humorous way. From the blue-and-white checked endpapers at the start to the red poppies on the inner flap of the dustjacket, Clark’s full-color illustrations give new and lovely yet retro feel to this high-action, laugh-out-loud retelling of a beloved tale. (Do not miss a peek under the dust jacket.) It is to be expected that this book will appeal to dog lovers and to fans of The Wizard of Oz, but its appeal is wider than that, to anyone who enjoys a good tale. This is a good choice for a read-aloud, and it is sure to inspire discussion about how perspective shapes storytelling. Reviewer: Heidi Hauser Green; Ages 8 to 12.

Children's Literature - Heidi Hauser Green