Lyman Frank Baum was born in 1856 in Chittenango, New York. Educated mostly at home due to ill health, he was encouraged by his wealthy father to pursue his early interests in journalism and playwriting. At a young age he started his first magazine, established his own theatre and worked for many newspapers and periodicals before turning to children’s fiction. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, published in 1900, was a bestselling book and launched the hugely successful series of ‘Oz’ titles. Baum continued writing for the rest of his life and died in 1919 with over one hundred books to his name.

Like Robin Hood, Alice or Winnie the Pooh, Baum's inventions . . . have become the mythological furniture of our children's minds, and of our own and our parents' . . . Funny and inventive

• Chapter - 1: The Cyclone Chapter - 2: The Council with the Munchkins Chapter - 3: How Dorothy Saved the Scarecrow Chapter - 4: The Road through the Forest Chapter - 5: The Rescue of the Tin Woodman Chapter - 6: The Cowardly Lion Chapter - 7: The Journey to the Great Oz Chapter - 8: The Deadly Poppy Field Chapter - 9: The Queen of the Field-Mice Chapter - 10: The Guardian of the Gates Chapter - 11: The Wonderful Emerald City of Oz Chapter - 12: The Search for the Wicked Witch Chapter - 13: The Rescue Chapter - 14: The Winged Monkeys Chapter - 15: The Discovery of Oz the Terrible Chapter - 16: The Magic Art of the Great Humbug Chapter - 17: How the Balloon was Launched Chapter - 18: Away to the South Chapter - 19: Attacked by the Fighting Trees Chapter - 20: The Dainty China Country Chapter - 21: The Lion Becomes the King of Beasts Chapter - 22: The Country of the Quadlings Chapter - 23: The Good Witch Grants Dorothy’s Wish Chapter - 24: Home Again