Reviews for The Wizard of Oz

The average rating for The Wizard of Oz based on 2 reviews is 3.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2019-02-05 00:00:00 Terry Salyers Having seen the film with Judy Garland, it seems remarkable that 'The Wizard of Oz' can be told in just 24 pages. But here it is and it seems to miss nothing significant and in addition it is beautifully illustrated by Mauro Evangelista. Dorothy lives on a farm with her little dog Toto and her Uncle Henry and Aunt Em when one day a storm blows up and spins the house into the air. It sails through the sky and lands with a mighty bump and when she pokes her head outside she sees friendly faces who greet her with 'Welcome to Oz!' But Dorothy just wants to find her way home and when she asks how to do so, a local woman directs her to the wizard who lives in Emerald City. To assist her on her way she gives Dorothy a pair of sparkling silver shoes. She walks along the yellow brick road and a scarecrow shouts 'Hello there!' and asks where she is going. She tells him she is going to see the wizard so he asks if he can join her for he wants to ask the wizard for some brains. The two of them then carry on their way. Next she encounters a tin man who says, 'Help! I'm rusted up.' Dorothy fortuitously spots a nearby oil can, trickles some oil onto the tin man's stiff joints and tells him that she is off to see the wizard. The tin man asks if he can accompany her as he wants to ask the wizard for a heart. The three of them then continue their journey. 'Roar!' is the next thing Dorothy hears and a lion leaps out of the trees. He is a very tame lion and when he realises they are off to see the wizard he asks if he can go with them because he wants to be made brave. The four of them carry on along the yellow brick road, past forests, rivers and fields until they come to a city of glittering emeralds. Once there a gatekeeper gives them each a pair of green glasses and leads them to the wizard's palace. They meet the wizard who says that he will help each of them providing that they help him first. 'You must kill the wicked witch,' he tells them. The only problem is that the witch lives in a castle guarded by wolves and crows. So the tin man fights off the wolves, the scarecrow scares away the crows and the lion simply looks on. The witch sees what is going on and is furious so she summons her flying monkeys and the four friends are made prisoners in her castle. 'Now you're my slaves,' she cackles, 'Get to work.'. She then notices Dorothy's silver shoes and decides that she wants them so when Dorothy fetches a pail of water the witch pushes her down ready to steal the shoes. Dorothy is so annoyed that she throws the water all over the witch … and you cannot imagine what happens! Anyway the foursome are free to move on and the wizard gives out his rewards, the scarecrow is given a handful of pins, the tin man is given a heart-shaped cushion and the lion is given a bottle marked 'Courage'. Last of all Dorothy is given a hot-air balloon and the wizard says, 'We'll fly home!' But before Dorothy can get in the balloon the ropes securing it snap and it takes off without her. 'Go to the good witch Glinda' shouts the wizard, 'She'll help you.' and Dorothy does just that. Glinda gives Dorothy an important clue as to how to get home … and it works a treat. Dorothy and Toto whirl through the air and are soon back on their farm with Aunt Em waiting to greet them. 'I've been on an amazing adventure. But oh! I'm so glad to be home,' she says. And Toto's bark is interpreted as him saying 'Me too!' This is a really nice re-telling of the tale and the illustrations complement it admirably.

Review # 2 was written on 2019-08-03 00:00:00 Susana Ortiz A good version.