The Emerald City of Oz

L. Frank Baum

Apr 2013 · Courier Corporation

About this ebook

[The King, wanting some advice from his Chief Counselor, called for him, explained his problem and then listened to the Counselor's suggestion.] Hearing this, the King glared at his Counselor with a furious expression and tugged at his own long white whiskers until he pulled them so hard that he yelled with pain.
"You are a fool!" he exclaimed.
"I share that honor with your Majesty," said the Chief Counselor.
Long-time fans of the Land of Oz will find this gentle humor familiar. For newcomers as well as veteran travelers to L. Frank Baum's fabled realm, this captivating tale promises a host of astonishing creatures, incredible feats and outlandish situations.
Considered to be the most spectacularly illustrated of all the Oz books, The Emerald City of Oz vividly describes the continuing adventures of Dorothy, Aunt Em and Uncle Henry and their move to the magical kingdom. Readers discover how Dorothy became a princess, got lost and was found again by the Wizard; how the Wizard practiced sorcery, the Scarecrow displayed his wisdom and Uncle Henry got into trouble; and how the fierce warriors invaded Oz. And, of course, there are such bizarre characters as the Cuttenclips, Wogglebug, Grand Gallipoot, and Flutterbudgets.
Over 100 highly imaginative illustrations by John R. Neill — all enchanting representations of new friends and old favorites — enhance this fun-filled fantasy that adults as well as children will enjoy reading again and again.

About the author

Best known as the author of the Wizard of Oz series, Lyman Frank Baum was born on May 15, 1856, in New York. When Baum was a young man, his father, who had made a fortune in oil, gave him several theaters in New York and Pennsylvania to manage. Eventually, Baum had his first taste of success as a writer when he staged The Maid of Arran, a melodrama he had written and scored. Married in 1882 to Maud Gage, whose mother was an influential suffragette, the two had four sons. Baum often entertained his children with nursery rhymes and in 1897 published a compilation titled Mother Goose in Prose, which was illustrated by Maxfield Parrish. The project was followed by three other picture books of rhymes, illustrated by William Wallace Denslow. The success of the nursery rhymes persuaded Baum to craft a novel out of one of the stories, which he titled The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Some critics have suggested that Baum modeled the character of the Wizard on himself. Other books for children followed the original Oz book, and Baum continued to produce the popular Oz books until his death in 1919. The series was so popular that after Baum's death and by special arrangement, Oz books continued to be written for the series by other authors. Glinda of Oz, the last Oz book that Baum wrote, was published in 1920.