Queen Zixi of Ix, or The Story of the Magic Cloak (1905) is a novel in L. Frank Baum’s Land of Oz series. Originally serialized in St. Nicholas from November 1904 to December 1905, Queen Zixi of Ix was considered by the author to be his finest work of fiction. Unlike most of Baum’s stories, which bridge the gap between fairy tale and fiction by portraying Earth alongside the Land of Oz, Queen Zixi of Ix takes place in the world of fantasy alone. The novel was adapted into a 1914 silent film titled The Magic Cloak of Oz. In the Forest of Burzee, Queen Lulea and her fairies design a magical cloak that will grant its wearer anything they desire, as long as they have not stolen it. Ereol is sent to Noland to deliver the cloak to the first unhappy person she sees. Along the road to the capital city of Nole, Ereol meets Fluff, a young girl on her way into town with her brother Bud and Aunt Rivette. As they enter the city, Bud is declared King by the five high counselors of Nole, making Fluff a Princess and granting them control of the kingdom of Noland. As the cloak makes its rounds at the royal palace, bringing happiness and fulfillment to countless government officials, Queen Zixi of the neighboring kingdom of Ix hatches a plan to take the magic cloak for herself. Filled with rich, detailed layers of fantasy from the mind of L. Frank Baum, Queen Zixi of Ix, or The Story of the Magic Cloak is a story about the frail innocence of childhood and the will to persevere that can be found in even the youngest of hearts. Long overshadowed by the film, Baum’s Land of Oz series is required reading for children, adults with children, and adults who refuse to let life lose its flavor of fantasy. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of L. Frank Baum’s Queen Zixi of Ix, or The Story of the Magic Cloak is a classic of American literature reimagined for modern readers.
