Public-domain ebook
Language: en6,466 downloads on Project Gutenberg
Subjects
In: Children & Young Adult Reading·Science-Fiction & Fantasy·Adventure
Public-domain ebook sourced from Project Gutenberg #26624.
The Road to Oz is a whimsical continuation of L. Frank Baum’s beloved Oz series, written expressly for the children who begged for more of Dorothy’s adventures. The book opens with a lively preface in which Baum explains that, despite his desire to move beyond Oz, he has been “deluged with letters from children imploring me to ‘write more about Dorothy’,” and thus he obliges them with a new tale that promises fresh characters such as the shaggy‑man, Polychrome, and the ever‑curious Button‑Bright. The narrative then jumps straight into a scene where Dorothy, accompanied by her faithful dog Toto, attempts to guide the shaggy‑man to the town of Butterfield. Their dialogue is peppered with playful misunderstandings, a maze of branching roads, and the introduction of a mysterious “Love Magnet,” setting the stage for a series of episodic journeys through strange villages, kingdoms, and enchanted locales listed in the chapter titles.
Baum’s voice remains breezy and conversational, retaining the direct address to “my dears” that characterizes his early twentieth‑century juvenile fiction. The prose blends simple, vivid description with gentle humor, making the story accessible to young readers while still offering the imaginative depth that older fans of classic fantasy appreciate. Those who enjoy light‑hearted quests, quirky companions, and the familiar blend of magic and moral tidiness found in the original Oz books will find this volume a pleasant addition to the series.
The opening · free to read
To my readers: Well, my dears, here is what you have asked for: another "Oz Book" about Dorothy's strange adventures. Toto is in this story, because you wanted him to be there, and many other characters which you will recognize are in the story, too. Indeed, the wishes of my little correspondents have been considered as carefully as possible, and if the story is not exactly as you would have written it yourselves, you must remember that a story has to be a story before it can be written down, and the writer cannot change it much without spoiling it.
In the preface to "Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz" I said I would like to write some stories that were not "Oz" stories, because I thought I had written about Oz long enough; but since that volume was published I have been fairly deluged with letters from children imploring me to "write more about Dorothy," and "more about Oz," and since I write only to please the children I shall try to respect their wishes.
There are some new characters in this book that ought to win your love. I'm very fond of the shaggy man myself, and I think you will like him, too. As for Polychrome--the Rainbow's Daughter--and stupid little Button-Bright, they seem to have brought a new element of fun into these Oz stories, and I am glad I discovered them. Yet I am anxious to have you write and tell me how you like them.
Since this book was written I have received some very remarkable news from The Land of Oz, which has greatly astonished me. I believe it will astonish you, too, my dears, when you hear it. But it is such a long and exciting story that it must be saved for another book--and perhaps that book will be the last story that will ever be told about the Land of Oz.
L FRANK BAUM.
Coronado, 1909.
The book keeps going
Reading is free forever. Sign up and watch scenes appear while you read.
Scenes Storieta drew for other classics.
New illustrated classics
Once or twice a month: the latest books to get full character casts, scene art, and free comic editions. No account needed.
