Cover of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
Historical FantasyFairy Tale RetellingsWitch Fiction

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

by

  • 1899 first published
  • 159 pages
  • ★ 4.0 (129 ratings)
  • 2,049 editions
  • 🎧 3 h 49 min free audiobook
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L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1899) is a historical fantasy and fairy-tale retelling novel. The story is set in Oz and Kansas, in the 20th Century. Characters include Dorothy Gale, Scarecrow (Fictitious character : Baum) and Wizard of Oz. It deals with witches, wizards, specimens and imaginary Voyages.

Open Library readers give it an average of 4.0 out of 5 from 129 ratings, and 1,273 more have it on their want-to-read list. It has been published in 2,049 editions across 30 languages. On Project Gutenberg it was downloaded 7,534 times in the last 30 days.

At about 159 pages, most readers finish it in 2–3 hours. It is in the public domain, so you can read it free on Project Gutenberg or listen to the 3 h 49 min LibriVox audiobook.

About The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

Over a century after its initial publication, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is still captivating the hearts of countless readers. Come adventure with Dorothy and her three friends: the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion, as they follow the Yellow Brick Road to the Emerald City for an audience with the Great Oz, the mightiest Wizard in the land, and the only one that can return Dorothy to her home in Kansas.
Description from Open Library

Free audiobook

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz — LibriVox recording, 3 h 49 min in 24 sections.

Public-domain recording by volunteer readers. Listen online, download MP3s or stream from the Internet Archive.

Opening line

“Orothy lived in the midst of the great Kansas prairies, with Uncle Henry, who was a farmer, and Aunt Em, who was the farmer's wife.”

Themes, setting & tropes

Genres

Setting

Era

Characters

  • Dorothy Gale
  • Scarecrow (Fictitious character : Baum)
  • Wizard of Oz
  • Tin Woodman
  • Cowardly Lion
  • Dorothy
  • Tin Man
  • Scarecrow
  • L. Frank Baum (1856-1919)

Subjects

  • Witches
  • Wizards
  • Wizards in fiction
  • Children's stories, Russian
  • Specimens
  • Imaginary voyages in fiction
  • Classic Literature
  • Imaginary Voyages
  • Children's stories, American
  • Adventure and adventurers
  • Books and reading
  • Children's stories
  • Witches in fiction
  • Latin language materials
  • Fairy tales
  • Children

Quick answers

Who wrote The Wonderful Wizard of Oz?

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz was written by L. Frank Baum and first published in 1899.

What genre is The Wonderful Wizard of Oz?

It is usually shelved as Historical Fantasy, Fairy Tale Retellings, Witch Fiction and Fae & Fairy Fiction.

How long is The Wonderful Wizard of Oz?

The median edition has 159 pages, about 2–3 hours of reading at 250 words per minute.

Is The Wonderful Wizard of Oz free to read?

Yes. It is in the public domain in the United States and can be read free on Project Gutenberg in EPUB, Kindle and HTML formats.

Is there a free audiobook of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz?

Yes — LibriVox volunteers recorded it; the recording runs 3 h 49 min.

What books are similar to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz?

Readers who like it often enjoy Thumbelina, Le chat botté and Yellow Brick War.

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