---
product_id: 11037651
title: "The Annotated Wizard of Oz"
price: "€ 112.27"
currency: EUR
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 13
url: https://www.desertcart.it/products/11037651-the-annotated-wizard-of-oz
store_origin: IT
region: Italy
---

# The Annotated Wizard of Oz

**Price:** € 112.27
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- **What is this?** The Annotated Wizard of Oz
- **How much does it cost?** € 112.27 with free shipping
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- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.it](https://www.desertcart.it/products/11037651-the-annotated-wizard-of-oz)

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## Description

In celebration of the 100th anniversary of its publication, a beautifully illustrated annotation of The Wizard of Oz , complete with an exact reproduction of the original 1900 edition. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is the quintessential American fairy tale. Michael Patrick Hearn, the world's leading Oz scholar, now provides a fascinating new annotation that not only reacquaints readers with the Tin Woodman, Scarecrow, and Cowardly Lion, but also illuminates the colorful background of this treasured American classic. This edition explores numerous contemporary references, provides character sources, and explains the actual meaning of the word "Oz." A facsimile of the rare 1900 first edition appears with the original drawings by W.W. Denslow, as well as 25 previously unpublished illustrations. There is a bibliography of L. Frank Baum's published work, every notable "Oz" edition, and the stage and cinematic productions from 1939's The Wizard of Oz , to the 1974 Broadway hit, The Wiz . A beautiful, awe-inspiring work, The Annotated Wizard of Oz is an enduring tribute to the timeless joy of The Wizard of Oz , and a classic to rival Baum's own.

Review: Superior to original book & movie - I bought this to read the original Oz to my daughter but loved reading it for myself. The Annotated Wizard of Oz by Michael Patrick Hearn contains a facsimile of the 1900 first edition with the beautiful illustrations by William Wallace Denslow and previously unpublished illustrations. It has a preface by Martin Gardner, an extensive introduction by Hearn, hundreds of annotations, previously unpublished photographs, and expanded research notes. According to L. Frank Baum, his stated his purpose for writing the original Oz book was to entertain children. “The story of ‘The Wonderful Wizard of Oz’ was written solely to please children of today. It aspires to being a modernized fairy tale, in which the wonderment and joy are retained and the heart-aches and nightmares are left out.” Baum thought older European fairy tales were outdated for modern kids and included scary, violent, or heavily moralistic elements. He deliberately stripped away stereotypical fairy-tale figures to create a distinctly American version (bright, optimistic fantasy world full of colorful adventures, friendly characters, and happy endings). Most people today are more familiar with the wizard if Oz 1939 MGM movie than the 1900 Frank Baum book. As usual there is more character development in the book but this annotated version takes it to a different level. Michael Patrick Hearn wrote a lengthy introduction including a biography of L. Frank Baum. The core of this edition is an annotated facsimile of the first “Wonderful Wizard of Oz” edition with 25 more W. W. Denslow illustrations not in the original book. Also the appendix has a bibliography of published “Oz” work with several Wizard of Oz productions from 1939-2000. Michael Patrick Hearn was a L. Frank Baum scholar and defender of Baum’s work. One popular 1964 essay by high school history teacher proposed that Baum embedded a subtle critique of 1890s America - bimetallism, farmers’ struggles, industrialization, and political unrest. Though Henry Littlefield’s “The Wizard of Oz: Parable on Populism” influenced some in the literary world, Hearn was a strong critics of Littlefield’s theory. He noted a lack of contemporary evidence (reviews, letters, or statements from Baum) suggesting a hidden political allegory. Hearn mentions in the book’s introduction that he found “no evidence that Baum’s story is in any way a Populist allegory.” Littlefield later responded to Hearn, conceding there was no factual basis for his allegory. Now to the core story: SPOILERS on differences. The Good Witch of the North, Glinda, kissed Dorothy on the head proving her a protection charm. The group falling victim to the poppy field employed the help of field mice to save the lion. Wicked Witch of the East had silver shoes instead of ruby slippers. Oz’s Guardian of the Gate supplies all visitors with tinted spectacles that makes everything appear emerald green. The foursome meet the Wizard of Oz separately on successive days and he takes a different firm each time - Toto didn’t have a solo audience. The large headless green body from the movie is how Dorothy sees the wizard. The wizard wants the wicked witch dead not simply her broomstick like in the movie. A golden cap had a charm to call the flying monkeys. The Wicked Witch of the East only has one eye but can see things at a distance like a telescope. Also there is no road to the witch’s castle only untilled fiends of flowers. The Wicked Witch typically enslaves trespassers but decided to kill Dorothy’s group because they cannot work for her. After defeating the Wicked Witch of the West with a bucket of water, Dorothy frees the Winkies and the Flying Monkeys. Using the golden cap, Dorothy has the monkey’s fly her party back to the Emerald City. The wizard would not see them until threatened with Flying Monkeys - who defeated the Wizard of Oz before. The wizard is revealed as a small, bald, old man without powers. He was a ventriloquist turned balloonist from Omaha. The wizard said this land had four witches when he arrived - north and south were good and east and west were wicked. How the wizard manifests the Scarecrow’s brains, Tin Woodman’s heart, and the Lion’s courage differs with the movie version more effective. However the success of each is due to the placebo effect. Dorothy gives the golden cap to Glinda which she used to transport the three companions to different lands as ruler: Munchkin, Winkie, and Oz. There are several adventures from the book not present in the movie such as the Queen of the Field Mice, traveling to the south, the attacking trees, China doll country, the forest beasts meeting, and quadling country. The movie version is a concise and satisfying hero’s journey whereas the book describes a land in reality with a little girl’s adventures trying to return home. Kansas is featured less prominently in the book but is repeatedly discussed as Dorothy’s goal throughout. A note to you g readers: Dorothy’s companions kill many creatures on their journies: wildcats, wolves, crows, black bees, and a Kalidahs (bear with lion’s head).
Review: An OUTSTANDING annotation of OZ story. Not best for a "first" reading Oz, but AWESOME for someone looking to return for more! - This Annotated Wizard of Oz (Centennial Edition) is a comprehensive and in depth exploration of the original children's book by L.Frank Baum. I have long been a fan of the 1939 Hollywood movie version of the story, and have read the original story many times before. However, this annotated version opens the "OZ" world to a whole new level. Initially, there are about 100 pages that deal with the history of Baum, the Oz book, the illustrations, the public reception, critical reviews, the stage and movie treatments, and where it stands today. Outstanding. Next, the true "heart" of the book, is the annotated facsimile of the original Oz book. After re-reading the book this time, along with the detailed annotation notes, it was a whole new experience. I have a new understanding of Baum, his surrounding world and his thought process in writing "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz". This annotated version is NOT a book a would I recommend for young child or a first time reader of Oz. However, if you have "traveled" to Oz few times before, and would like something more, this version will take you to places a general reader could never imagine.

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| Best Sellers Rank | #384,804 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #122 in Children's Literary Criticism (Books) #726 in American Literature Criticism #1,019 in Teen & Young Adult Classic Literature |
| Customer Reviews | 4.7 out of 5 stars 250 Reviews |

## Images

![The Annotated Wizard of Oz - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71JDmrqZzBL.jpg)

## Available Options

This product comes in different **Media Format** options.

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Superior to original book & movie
*by D***L on June 18, 2026*

I bought this to read the original Oz to my daughter but loved reading it for myself. The Annotated Wizard of Oz by Michael Patrick Hearn contains a facsimile of the 1900 first edition with the beautiful illustrations by William Wallace Denslow and previously unpublished illustrations. It has a preface by Martin Gardner, an extensive introduction by Hearn, hundreds of annotations, previously unpublished photographs, and expanded research notes. According to L. Frank Baum, his stated his purpose for writing the original Oz book was to entertain children. “The story of ‘The Wonderful Wizard of Oz’ was written solely to please children of today. It aspires to being a modernized fairy tale, in which the wonderment and joy are retained and the heart-aches and nightmares are left out.” Baum thought older European fairy tales were outdated for modern kids and included scary, violent, or heavily moralistic elements. He deliberately stripped away stereotypical fairy-tale figures to create a distinctly American version (bright, optimistic fantasy world full of colorful adventures, friendly characters, and happy endings). Most people today are more familiar with the wizard if Oz 1939 MGM movie than the 1900 Frank Baum book. As usual there is more character development in the book but this annotated version takes it to a different level. Michael Patrick Hearn wrote a lengthy introduction including a biography of L. Frank Baum. The core of this edition is an annotated facsimile of the first “Wonderful Wizard of Oz” edition with 25 more W. W. Denslow illustrations not in the original book. Also the appendix has a bibliography of published “Oz” work with several Wizard of Oz productions from 1939-2000. Michael Patrick Hearn was a L. Frank Baum scholar and defender of Baum’s work. One popular 1964 essay by high school history teacher proposed that Baum embedded a subtle critique of 1890s America - bimetallism, farmers’ struggles, industrialization, and political unrest. Though Henry Littlefield’s “The Wizard of Oz: Parable on Populism” influenced some in the literary world, Hearn was a strong critics of Littlefield’s theory. He noted a lack of contemporary evidence (reviews, letters, or statements from Baum) suggesting a hidden political allegory. Hearn mentions in the book’s introduction that he found “no evidence that Baum’s story is in any way a Populist allegory.” Littlefield later responded to Hearn, conceding there was no factual basis for his allegory. Now to the core story: SPOILERS on differences. The Good Witch of the North, Glinda, kissed Dorothy on the head proving her a protection charm. The group falling victim to the poppy field employed the help of field mice to save the lion. Wicked Witch of the East had silver shoes instead of ruby slippers. Oz’s Guardian of the Gate supplies all visitors with tinted spectacles that makes everything appear emerald green. The foursome meet the Wizard of Oz separately on successive days and he takes a different firm each time - Toto didn’t have a solo audience. The large headless green body from the movie is how Dorothy sees the wizard. The wizard wants the wicked witch dead not simply her broomstick like in the movie. A golden cap had a charm to call the flying monkeys. The Wicked Witch of the East only has one eye but can see things at a distance like a telescope. Also there is no road to the witch’s castle only untilled fiends of flowers. The Wicked Witch typically enslaves trespassers but decided to kill Dorothy’s group because they cannot work for her. After defeating the Wicked Witch of the West with a bucket of water, Dorothy frees the Winkies and the Flying Monkeys. Using the golden cap, Dorothy has the monkey’s fly her party back to the Emerald City. The wizard would not see them until threatened with Flying Monkeys - who defeated the Wizard of Oz before. The wizard is revealed as a small, bald, old man without powers. He was a ventriloquist turned balloonist from Omaha. The wizard said this land had four witches when he arrived - north and south were good and east and west were wicked. How the wizard manifests the Scarecrow’s brains, Tin Woodman’s heart, and the Lion’s courage differs with the movie version more effective. However the success of each is due to the placebo effect. Dorothy gives the golden cap to Glinda which she used to transport the three companions to different lands as ruler: Munchkin, Winkie, and Oz. There are several adventures from the book not present in the movie such as the Queen of the Field Mice, traveling to the south, the attacking trees, China doll country, the forest beasts meeting, and quadling country. The movie version is a concise and satisfying hero’s journey whereas the book describes a land in reality with a little girl’s adventures trying to return home. Kansas is featured less prominently in the book but is repeatedly discussed as Dorothy’s goal throughout. A note to you g readers: Dorothy’s companions kill many creatures on their journies: wildcats, wolves, crows, black bees, and a Kalidahs (bear with lion’s head).

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ An OUTSTANDING annotation of OZ story. Not best for a "first" reading Oz, but AWESOME for someone looking to return for more!
*by K***N on May 11, 2016*

This Annotated Wizard of Oz (Centennial Edition) is a comprehensive and in depth exploration of the original children's book by L.Frank Baum. I have long been a fan of the 1939 Hollywood movie version of the story, and have read the original story many times before. However, this annotated version opens the "OZ" world to a whole new level. Initially, there are about 100 pages that deal with the history of Baum, the Oz book, the illustrations, the public reception, critical reviews, the stage and movie treatments, and where it stands today. Outstanding. Next, the true "heart" of the book, is the annotated facsimile of the original Oz book. After re-reading the book this time, along with the detailed annotation notes, it was a whole new experience. I have a new understanding of Baum, his surrounding world and his thought process in writing "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz". This annotated version is NOT a book a would I recommend for young child or a first time reader of Oz. However, if you have "traveled" to Oz few times before, and would like something more, this version will take you to places a general reader could never imagine.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A true delight for Oz fans!
*by S***T on October 22, 2000*

This beautiful, oversize, lavishly illustrated Centennial Edition of L. Frank Baum's "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" is a cornucopia of enjoyment for Oz fans. Edited by Oz expert Michael Patrick Hearn, it's annotated in a manner similar to Martin Gardner's "Annotated Alice" (Gardner contributes a preface outlining the history of the "The Annotated Wizard of Oz"). There's a hundred-page introduction, with lots of photos and color illustrations, covering Baum's life, his family, his non-Oz books, and the history of the Oz phenomenon (books, plays, musicals, movies, other Oz authors, and much more). The story itself is reproduced from the 1900 edition. W.W. Denslow's original illustrations, including all 24 color plates, are here too. Hearn's notes are entertaining, informative and very extensive. For example, there are three double-columned pages dealing with Baum's brief one-page introduction alone! Anyone who loves the Oz books will find countless hours of pleasure in this delightful book. It's well worth the price!

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*Product available on Desertcart Italy*
*Store origin: IT*
*Last updated: 2026-10-04*