Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz

This fourth book in the classic Oz series reunites Dorothy with the Wizard of Oz when an earthquake sends them, along with Dorothy's cousin Zeb and their animals, deep beneath California. They journey through a succession of imaginative and sometimes unsettling underground lands, encountering unique creatures like the Mangaboos and Gargoyles, before finally being rescued by Ozma and finding their way back to the familiar Land of Oz. The story explores themes of perseverance, courage, and the wonders of the unknown, offering both whimsical and darker elements. It's a rich fantasy adventure that further develops beloved characters and introduces new, memorable ones, challenging the familiar movie narrative.

While all of Baums books are great, overall I think this was the one that I enjoyed the most. Like the very first book, the plot is simple. Dorothy gets pulled into a magical world against her will, and she wants to get home. She then goes through a series of adventures trying to achieve her goal. Although the book has In Oz in the title, Dorothy and the Wizard spend very little time actually in Oz. But dont let this put you off. The underground lands that they pass through are every bit as exciting and magical as the different lands actually in Oz. The ending (how they escape the underground world) is a bit weak, but the imaginative countries that they pass through and the adventures they have in each more than make up for this. Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz is a book that you will want to start reading again as soon as you finish, but dont. Go on to the next Oz book and then the next. While I believe that this was the best of the 14 original books in the series, they are all wonderful and I would recommend that everyone read the entire series from beginning to end. This is one of my favorite Oz books. We see Dorothy and the Wizard reunite, of course, but there are some interesting things going on. The Wizard has become a grand character; Baum has thrown his own nature into him and has made him real to us. The Wizard is now a resourceful, sometimes devious, sardonic, yet compassionate man. The story delves into the bizarre with the Glass City and its vegetable people (and their gruesome demise). The Gargoyles are quite disturbing in their emotionally hollow, wooden world. The Braided Man of Pyramid Mountain provides dry humor (here we see Baums love of puns). Esentially this is one of the more original works of Baum, with quixotic new characters, and further development of those we already knew. I think perhaps Ozma comes into her own in this novel; she is what a queen should be, loyal to her subjects, but not above the law; she is regal, kind yet firm, passionate and loving. Baum has created a fearsome yet beautiful personage in Ozma. This is a great read; I would suggest it to non-Ozophiles so that the MGM movie can be challenged, and the true Oz can be appreciated in its majesty of fantasy, humor, horror, and splendor.