Young Dorothy of Kansas, caught in her house with her dog Toto during a tornado, finds herself in a strange and magical land where she is hailed as a hero: her
house landed on the Wicked Witch of the East, ending her reign of terror over the peaceful Munchkins. The good news is there's only one Wicked Witch left in all
the land of Oz. The bad news is, the great and powerful Wizard of Oz won't send Dorothy home until she, Toto, and her unlikely companions - the Tin Woodsman, the
Scarecrow, and the Cowardly Lion - destroy her.
Review
Okay, okay, I admit it. I'd only seen the movie. A while ago, I realized that there are a few books I've never read and probably should, and for some reason this one
wound up on my list. This fairy tale, considered by many to be the first such story of any notoriety written by an American, was first published in 1900. It holds up
fairly well, and has a certain whimsical charm about it that is indeed timeless. It's different enough from the classic Judy Garland musical movie that it's worth one's
while to read the book in addition to seeing the movie. A fairly simple tale, yet not too simple to be enjoyed.
Bold young Mayre, affectionately known as Trot, has always loved the sea. No wonder her best friend is Cap'n Bill, a peg-legged old sea dog who used to sail with
her skipper father. With pockets full of wonders and a head full of stories, he regales her on their many walks beside the seashore. One fine day, Bill tells Trot
about mermaids, sea-dwelling fairies so beautiful yet so dangerous that no sailor who ever met one lived to tell the tale. His story awes the girl, but inadvertently
offends eavesdropping mermaids. They offer to show Trot and Bill their wonder-filled world beneath the waves, to set the record straight. It's an offer neither of them
can refuse. Trot and Bill dive into an adventure far grander than any salty sailor yarn - but will they live to tell the tale?
Review
A frivolous little fancy by the author of the Oz series, it follows the basic, non-threatening formula of many elder-day children's tales. A young hero (and often a
friend or two) encounter a friendly guide who takes them to a magical world, shows them pretty things, introduces them to benignly odd characters, then returns them home
with minimal fuss or bother. Any threat, usually minimal, is dealt with not by the young visitor but by the guide or another magical ally (save, perhaps, once or twice
toward the end, when the hero/heroine might make a minimal, even accidental, contribution to their own survival.) Such tension-free adventures remind me of those bland,
unappetizing yet healthy "treats" that well-meaning parents sneak into their children's lunches: no-calorie, sugar-free, fun-shaped objects that appeal more to
overprotective parents than the kids stuck eating them.
