The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

    l.frankbaumneverimaginedtheimpactthewonderfulwizardofozwouldhaveonchildrenswritingortheappealthebookwouldhavetogenerationsofreaders.althoughhewrotenumerousbooks,thewonderfulwizardofoziseasilyhismostenduring.baumwantedtowriteafairytalethatwasamerican,noteuropean,althoughheintroducedelementsoftraditionaleuropeanfairytales(witches,castles,forests)intothestory.bypresentingafemaleprotagonist,casuallanguage,characterssuchasthescarecrowandthetinwoodman,andsettingssuchaskansas,baumcreatedanewapproachtochildrenswritingthatisdistinctlyamerican.beforethewonderfulwizardofoz,childrensbookswerestiltedmoralitytalesdesignedtoinstructortofrightenreadersintobehavingproperly.baum,however,presentedathrillingadventurefromachildspointofview,showingthechildsabilitytosolveherownproblemsandreturntothesecurityofherhome.thewonderfulwizardofozreceivedpraisefromcriticsandreadersalike.criticsapplaudedbaumssimplestorytelling,hismessage,andhisimaginative,believablecharacters.readersfellinlovewiththewondersofozanddemandedmorebooksaboutthisenchantedland.althoughthebookdidnotwinanyawardsduringbaumslifetime,itwasgiventhelewiscarrollshelfawardin1968.