L. Frank Baum (1856-1919)
Illustrated by Michael Hague

In 1899, after the success of "Mother Goose in Prose" and "Father Goose: His Book," L. Frank Baum wrote "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" for which he received countless rejections from publishers. The book was considered a radical departure from the conventional children's literature of the day. Geo. M. Hill Co., a small Chicago publisher, agreed to publish the book with the condition that L. Frank Baum and W.W. Denslow, the Illustrator, incur all expenses.

On August 1, 1900, "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" was published and the world was introduced to a new kind of American Fairytale. Children and adults immediately embraced this wonderful story of unlikely friendships, co-operation, bravery and trust and all the inhabitants of Oz: Dorothy, the Tin Woodman, the Lion, the Scarecrow, and the little dog, Toto. By November 1900 the book had already been reprinted twice.

Several years later the title of the book was changed to "The Wizard of Oz," which has become a classic American treasure sparking the imagination of millions.

TO ORDER THE 100th ANNIVERSARY EDITION - re-illustrated by Michael Hague

Lavish facsimile of the rare first edition contains all 24 of W.W. Denslow's original color plates, colorful pictural binding, and the 130 two-color illustrations. This is a treasure.
TO ORDER THE 100th ANNIVERSARY EDITION - W.E. Denslow

A spellbinding annotated edition that illuminates all of Oz's numerous contemporary references, provides fascinating character sources,  and explains the actual meaning of the word "Oz." It is a facsimile of the rare 1900 first edition with the original drawings by W. W. Denslow.
TO ORDER

THE WIZARD OF OZ [Charles Santore, Illustrator]

Wizard of Oz Lesson Plan Suggestions

Official Oz Site - Warner Bros.

Additional OZ Vintage Pictures - Rare Books, Copyright Application for 1900 Book, color plates and more.

The OZ Chronicles

Biography of L. Frank Baum (1856-1919)

The Man Behind the Curtain:
L. Frank Baum and The Wizard of Oz

L. Frank Baum's Early Life and Career - to 1899

The Baum Oz Years - from 1900

Other Ventures and Back to Oz - 1911 to 1919

Original Book illustrated by W.W. Denslow (1856-1915)

PRINT OUT YOUR OWN OZ PICTURE

SCARECROW NOTE PAPER
THE LION
DOROTHY, LION, SCARECROW, TINMAN, TOTO
DOROTHY,SCARECROW, TINMAN