'Safe'
Off-topic discussion. Wanna talk about corsets, duct tape, or physics? This is the place. Detailed discussion of any current-season TV must be whitefonted.
Didn't Matilda's wand actually say 'OZ' on it? That's definitely educator-fail then.
Having recently watched a documentary on Baum (thank you, Smithsonian Channel) I was surprised to find out that Baum was related to some fairly prominent suffragettes, so the prominence of young female protagonists with agency in his books is not a coincidence. I wonder how much that played into librarian-disapproval, because the books aren't exactly endorsing girls staying home to become housewives....
Actually, Marvel Comics has been doing a well-regarded series of Oz adaptations.
Oh, I know she's *in* books, but her origin is definitely the movies; after that, the novelizations and the expanded universe and so on and so forth. But Leia-the-book-character would never have existed without Leia-the-movie-character coming first, so (in my brain anyway) she's firmly slotted as Movie Character, not Book.
I read non stop as a child but had no idea who Ozma was until JZ explained. As I remember, we had some Oz books at home and started one but didn't really like them. Although I would never have gotten Princess Leia from her adorable costume.
Actually, Marvel Comics has been doing a well-regarded series of Oz adaptations.
Yeah, those are pretty great and are both faithful to the originals, but bring a lot of the artist's own vision to the stories. Recommended.
I never read an Oz book at all. Once I'd seen the movie, and realized that the books were a little different, I had no interest in *another* Oz. So I didn't know who Ozma was, either.
I never read an Oz book at all. Once I'd seen the movie, and realized that the books were a little different, I had no interest in *another* Oz. So I didn't know who Ozma was, either.
Me, too. Also, "Wicked."
When I lived in Huntington Beach, the HB main library had every OZ book.
The Soldier is a splendid man when marching on parade.
And when he meets the enemy he never is afraid.
He rights the wrongs of nations, his country's flag defends.
The foe he'll fight with great delight, but seldom ever fights his friends!
I read all (or many, anyway) the Oz books as a kid because my grandmother had them and that was part of visiting her, reading the Oz books. I don't think I've actually seen the movie all the way through, just clips.
It's tricky because the Oz books really vary in quality. The first three or four are consistently inventive and interesting and often funny. Then Baum got tired of them and resented them and wanted to branch off to create something else. Then he'd reinvest himself and knock off a great one like The Patchwork Girl of Oz (my favorite, and book 8 in the series) or Glinda of Oz (Baum's last and a bit darker, and one of JZ's favorites).
I'm also a big fan of the two Cap'n Bill and Trot books The Sea Fairie and Sky Island which dovetail into the Oz series (both characters cross over and recur in Oz books). They're a little darker/scarier but really well written and have some of the most gorgeous illustrations by John R. Neil.