Customer Reviews

Ozma of Oz

5 star:		(38)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Though I first read this book nearly 50 years ago, it still remains one of the best books I have ever read. Adults may feel that it is a kid's book, and of course it is perfect for kids, but believe me, it can be enjoyed by people of any age. All you need is love of a good story. For many years Ozma was my heroine--I dreamed that I would meet her somehow, somehow be transported like Dorothy to the Land of Oz. Though these dreams faded, I still often think that this book might be the favorite book of my life. Dorothy's new adventures, the rescue expedition from Oz that crosses the Deadly Desert, and the spooky confrontation between good and evil in the caverns of the Nome King. The Oz characters have accompanied me through life. Try them---you will never forget them.

This title apparently has no images. None of the original great art of the novel. And that's a problem, because there's at least one place in the store where the narrative stops, and the reader is supposed to read from the image in the book. Then the story continues as if you've read the image. But this version has no images, and no replacing text. So there's a discontinuity in the story where the image should have been. The story itself is great, but this version really does suffer for not having the original art.

I just love this books. So much imagination! I read this book back in first grade. I read a lot that year, and no book stuck in my mind like this one did. I have remembered the story for years, because it is so original. I recently checked it out in the library to re-read it, and it was every bit as good. I recommend this book to all ages, L. Frank is da Baum! :)

This is the third OZ book I've read now and I have finally seen a little of what other readers must see in the series. The story succeeds on several levels. Children will enjoy the fantasy of it while adults can see the deeper ironys that abound. In fact, I have read other books that I thought were completely original but now I realize the authors had read Oz! I was happy to read about a couple of new Oz characters teaming up with the old favorites. Like other Oz books, this is a quick read but I plan to read more in the series, just to see what happens.

I loved all the 'Oz' books when I was growing up, and 'Ozma of Oz' was probably my favorite. Dorothy Gale returns to the Land of Oz via the Land of Ev and encounters new adventures, new friends, and new villains. I especially loved the lunch-box and dinner-pail trees, Princess Languidere and her different heads, and the Oz friends making their Eleven Guesses in the Gnome King's cavern. I'm so happy that Books of Wonder has reprinted all these original stories in hardcover! Every one is a treasure that deserves to be discovered by new generations of children and adults alike!

This book was good, but not great. It is the third Oz book that I have read to my four year old son. The first two in the series are full of more adventures, exciting characters and most importantly a frightening villian (The Wicked Witch, Mombi). The book had a good story, but was much more tame. We'll continue with the series, but this book does fall a couple stars short of the first two.

This is the best Oz book I have read so far with my son. That being said, I have only read 3 as I am going in sequential order. Nonetheless, it is much better than Book 2 and marginally better than the original.

The chief difference between Ozma and the prior two books is a streamlined narrative which focuses primarily on a single event (journey to the Nome King) with a tangible goal (free the royal family of Ev). Excluding the small section on the Wheelers and Lunch Pail trees, the fantasy elements tend more towards the traditional as opposed to Baum's imagination. You can even see a bit of the old "Mountain King" myth in this story. The net effect is that this story is more concise and less tied to the early 20th century than the preceding novels.

Another big change from the second book is a drastic reduction in the turn-of-the-century chauvinism on display in book 2. Jinjur even goes so far as to give her husband a black eye for milking the wrong cow. I am not sure if a double-entendre is intended here or not, but this is light-years away from the housewives in the prior book.

I highly recommend this as a good read to your children before they go to bed.

This is a truly delightful book that has captivated our entire family. My almost 6 year old son has been entranced by it for our nightly reads wanting more and more chapters. My 2 year old daughter delights in the pictures and also stays for some of the reads --- she is fascinated by the Wheelers. The book has every element of a great story --- I like it better than the first two (my son likes the first one better because of the movie I think). We all can't wait to read the next one. Don't miss out. Once we have read more, we plan to watch the movie, Return to Oz which is based in part on this book.

Firstly, if you are new to the Oz series, read The Marvelous Land of Oz before reading this book. Marvelous Land of Oz is what directly follows the original, infamous Oz book.
Believe me they just keep getting better.
This is a lovely book to read aloud to children of all ages. I highly reccomend all of the Oz books for their amusing, imaginitve characters(in this book, The Wheelings and Billinia are introduced) , their fantastical situations (trees with lunch boxes full of food, talking chickens, a shipwreak, all in this one), sweet plot and storylines. These books still stand the test of time (written over 100 years ago!)for good reason.
This book really sets the tone for the rest of the books to follow and in my opinion the best. A must read for every family.

I agree with the other reviewers. I first read this book in grade school and it is my favorite Oz book. I still re-read it from time to time, twenty years later. It's a great book for kids or adults who like fantasy. One caveat: just like the Grimm fairy tales, the Oz books are a lot more violent than many modern kids stories. The main characters are often threatened with gruesome violence (though it never comes to pass). I find this refreshing but parents might want to read the stories with their children so they can talk about it.