About the Book

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is an American children's novel written by author L. Frank Baum and illustrated by W. W. Denslow, originally published by the George M. Hill Company in May 1900.

Theme and Characters

The predominant theme of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is self-sufficiency. The Scarecrow, Tin Woodman, and Cowardly Lion all seek external magic to give them qualities they already possess but fail to recognize.

Legacy and Symbolism

Although the Wizard of Oz might be most famous today for the 1939 movie, starring Judy Garland, the book was originally written in the 1890s by author L. Frank Baum. And it turns out that the Wizard of Oz is full of hidden political symbolism, which sometimes seems barely hidden at all.