L Frank Baum
L. Frank Baum was born in New York in 1856. The Wizard of Oz was based on a story he used to tell his own children. It was published in 1900 and became an international bestseller. The Wizard of Oz was made into a stage play in 1902 and a film starring Judy Garland in 1939. Baum wrote 12 more Oz novels and six short stories. After his death in 1919, his publishers carried on producing Oz stories and didn't stop until 1963!
Books
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
Author: L Frank Baum Illustrator: Robert R. Ingpen
Publisher: Templar
Interest age: 8-12
Reading age: 9+
First published in 1900, this children's classic is still popular. Dorothy and her dog Toto find themselves in the strange land of Oz after a cyclone hits her Aunt and Uncle's house in Kansas.