Frank Baum, the man, is perhaps as interesting as the many worlds he created on the page.įrom Aunt Jane’s Nieces to The Wizard of Oz series, Baum captured the imagination of readers with fantastical locations and endearing characters.
He restlessly pursued a string of jobs, from chicken breeder to shopkeeper, but never lost his childlike sense of wonder. Part of the American Experience series “American Oz” (via Hoopla) tells the remarkable story of this uniquely American writer, the true wizard behind the curtain. Learn more about the author and his life as well. The novels included such themes as adventure, corruption, political intrigue and romance with such titles as “Daughters of Destiny," “Fate of the Crown” and “The Last Egyptian” which was adapted into a 1914 silent film. His 1902 book, “The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus," explored Santa’s history and was later adapted into a film by famed seasonal filmmakers, Rankin-Bass, released in 1985 under the same title.īaum occasionally dabbled in less fantastical fiction intended for adult readers using several pseudonyms. Different in style is “American Fairy Tales” which contains 12 fantasy tales that originally appeared in major newspapers in serialized form. “Mother Goose in Prose” contains prose fables based on familiar nursery rhymes. “The Master Key: An Electrical Fairy Tale, Founded Upon the Mysteries of Electricity and the Optimism of Its Devotees," is a foray into science fiction and originally was written for boys, more specifically, Baum’s own son but will be enjoyed by any young reader who loves “wholesome adventure and exciting incident”.īaum also created original works inspired by classic themes. “Dot and Tot of Merryland” follows two children on a magical river voyage through the Valley of Clowns, Valley of Lost as well as many other wondrous places. Baum wrote many stand-alone juvenile titles on a variety of subjects. “The Sea Fairies” and “Sky Island” are two titles in the Trot & Cap’n Bill series featuring an underwater adventure with mermaids and aristocratic codfish.
0 kommentar(er)
