Little Wizard Stories of Oz
Encyclopedia
Little Wizard Stories of Oz is a set of six short stories written for young children by L. Frank Baum
, the creator of the Oz
books. The six tales were published in separate small booklets, "Oz books in miniature," in 1913
, and then in a collected edition in 1914
with illustrations by John R. Neill
. Each booklet was 29 pages long, and printed in blue ink rather than black.
The stories were part of a project, by Baum and his publisher Reilly & Britton
, to revitalize and continue the series of Oz books that Baum had written up to that date. The story collection effectively constitutes a fifteenth Oz book by Baum.
Baum had attempted to end the Oz series with the sixth book, The Emerald City of Oz
(1910); in the final chapter of that book he sealed off the Land of Oz from the outside world. He began a new series of books with The Sea Fairies
(1911) and Sky Island
(1912). Also, he reacted to his 1911 bankruptcy by increasing his literary output: he produced five books that year, his greatest output since 1907. Baum tried to launch two other juvenile novel series in 1911, with The Daring Twins
, released under his own name, and The Flying Girl
, under his "Edith Van Dyne" pseudonym.
Unfortunately, none of the new series was as successful as the previous Baum and Van Dyne series — the Oz books and Aunt Jane's Nieces
. Disappointing sales through 1911 and 1912 convinced Baum and Reilly & Britton that a return to Oz was needed. Baum wrote The Patchwork Girl of Oz
for a 1913 release, and in the same year his publisher issued the six Little Wizard stories in individual booklets (price, $0.15 each). The goal was to reach the youngest beginning readers, and create in them an interest in the larger Oz canon, as part of a "promotion of L. Frank Baum and all of his books."
The six tales in the Little Wizard Stories are:
The stories have a charm and simplicity that is appropriate for their intended audience. In the first selection, the Cowardly Lion
and the Hungry Tiger
are frustrated by their tame routine guarding Ozma's
throne in the Emerald City
; they decide to go out and fulfill their darker desires. The Lion wants to attack a man and make "chop suey of him." The Tiger longs to satisfy his long-denied appetite for fat babies. In the end, both cats discover that they cannot bring themselves to harm anybody.
(The story "Little Dorothy and Toto" contains a curious feature. The Wizard
plays a trick on Dorothy
in order to teach her "that it is really dangerous for a little girl to wander alone in a fairy country." This caution is very different from the independent spirit that Dorothy displays in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
, and which Baum appears to encourage throughout the Oz series. It would seem clear that Baum was thinking of the smallest readers when he wrote this story.)
The strategy of reaching beginning readers was successful enough for Reilly & Britton to repeat it within a few years. The publisher released selections from L. Frank Baum's Juvenile Speaker
(1910) in six smaller books called The Snuggle Tales in 1916–17, and again as the Oz-Man Tales in 1920.
Four of the Little Wizard Stories were re-issued in 1932 in a new form, as The Little Oz Books with Jig Saw Oz Puzzles. A year or two later the four tales were released again, as part of a promotion for a Wizard of Oz radio program (sponsored by Jell-O
). Rand McNally
published the six stories in three booklets in 1939.
L. Frank Baum
Lyman Frank Baum was an American author of children's books, best known for writing The Wonderful Wizard of Oz...
, the creator of the Oz
Land of Oz
Oz is a fantasy region containing four lands under the rule of one monarch.It was first introduced in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, one of many fantasy countries that he created for his books. It achieved a popularity that none of his other works attained, and after four years, he...
books. The six tales were published in separate small booklets, "Oz books in miniature," in 1913
1913 in literature
The year 1913 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*Husayn Haykal publishes the first modern Egyptian novel Zaynab.-New books:* Alain-Fournier — Le Grand Meaulnes* L...
, and then in a collected edition in 1914
1914 in literature
The year 1914 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*The literature of World War I makes its first appearance.*November 7 - The first issue of The New Republic magazine is published....
with illustrations by John R. Neill
John R. Neill
John Rea Neill was a magazine and children's book illustrator primarily known for illustrating more than forty stories set in the Land of Oz, including L. Frank Baum's, Ruth Plumly Thompson's, and three of his own. His pen-and-ink drawings have become identified almost exclusively with the Oz series...
. Each booklet was 29 pages long, and printed in blue ink rather than black.
The stories were part of a project, by Baum and his publisher Reilly & Britton
Reilly & Britton
The Reilly and Britton Company, or Reilly & Britton was an American publishing company of the early and middle 20th century, famous as the publisher of the works of L. Frank Baum.-Founding:...
, to revitalize and continue the series of Oz books that Baum had written up to that date. The story collection effectively constitutes a fifteenth Oz book by Baum.
Baum had attempted to end the Oz series with the sixth book, The Emerald City of Oz
The Emerald City of Oz
The Emerald City of Oz is the sixth of L. Frank Baum's fourteen Land of Oz books. It was also adapted into a Canadian animated film in 1987. Originally published on July 20, 1910, it is the story of Dorothy Gale and her Uncle Henry and Aunt Em coming to live in Oz permanently...
(1910); in the final chapter of that book he sealed off the Land of Oz from the outside world. He began a new series of books with The Sea Fairies
The Sea Fairies
The Sea Fairies is a children's fantasy novel written by L. Frank Baum, illustrated by John R. Neill, and published in 1911 by the Reilly & Britton Company, the publisher of Baum's series of Oz books...
(1911) and Sky Island
Sky Island (novel)
Sky Island: Being the Further Adventures of Trot and Cap'n Bill after Their Visit to the Sea Fairies is a children's fantasy novel written by L. Frank Baum, illustrated by John R...
(1912). Also, he reacted to his 1911 bankruptcy by increasing his literary output: he produced five books that year, his greatest output since 1907. Baum tried to launch two other juvenile novel series in 1911, with The Daring Twins
The Daring Twins
The Daring Twins: A Story for Young Folk is a mystery novel for juvenile readers, written by L. Frank Baum, author of the Oz books. It was first published in 1911, and was intended as the opening installment in a series of similar books....
, released under his own name, and The Flying Girl
The Flying Girl
The Flying Girl is a novel written by L. Frank Baum, author of the Oz books. It was first published in 1911. In the book, Baum pursued an innovative blending of genres to create a feminist adventure melodrama. The book was followed by a sequel, The Flying Girl and Her Chum, published the next year,...
, under his "Edith Van Dyne" pseudonym.
Unfortunately, none of the new series was as successful as the previous Baum and Van Dyne series — the Oz books and Aunt Jane's Nieces
Aunt Jane's Nieces
Aunt Jane's Nieces is the title of a juvenile novel published by Reilly & Britton in 1906, and written by L. Frank Baum under the pen name "Edith Van Dyne." Since the book was the first in a series of novels designed for adolescent girls, its title was applied to the entire series of ten books,...
. Disappointing sales through 1911 and 1912 convinced Baum and Reilly & Britton that a return to Oz was needed. Baum wrote The Patchwork Girl of Oz
The Patchwork Girl of Oz
The Patchwork Girl of Oz by L. Frank Baum, is a children's novel, the seventh set in the Land of Oz. Characters include the Woozy, Ojo "the Unlucky", Unc Nunkie, Dr. Pipt, Scraps , and others. The book was first published on July 1, 1913, with illustrations by John R. Neill...
for a 1913 release, and in the same year his publisher issued the six Little Wizard stories in individual booklets (price, $0.15 each). The goal was to reach the youngest beginning readers, and create in them an interest in the larger Oz canon, as part of a "promotion of L. Frank Baum and all of his books."
The six tales in the Little Wizard Stories are:
- "The Cowardly Lion and the Hungry Tiger"
- "Little Dorothy and Toto"
- "Tiktok and the Nome King"
- "Ozma and the Little Wizard"
- "Jack Pumpkinhead and the Sawhorse"
- "The Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman"
The stories have a charm and simplicity that is appropriate for their intended audience. In the first selection, the Cowardly Lion
Cowardly Lion
The Cowardly Lion is the main character in the fictional Land of Oz created by American author L. Frank Baum. He is a Lion, but he talks and interacts with humans....
and the Hungry Tiger
Hungry Tiger
The Hungry Tiger is a fictional character from The Oz books by L. Frank Baum.The Hungry Tiger is a massive beast who is friends with the Cowardly Lion. He is always hungry, no matter how much he eats, and longs to eat a "fat baby," though he never would because his conscience will not allow him to...
are frustrated by their tame routine guarding Ozma's
Princess Ozma
Princess Ozma is a fictional character in the Land of Oz, created by L. Frank Baum. She appears in every book of the series except the first, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz .She is the rightful ruler of Oz, and L...
throne in the Emerald City
Emerald City
The Emerald City is the fictional capital city of the Land of Oz in L. Frank Baum's Oz books, first described in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz...
; they decide to go out and fulfill their darker desires. The Lion wants to attack a man and make "chop suey of him." The Tiger longs to satisfy his long-denied appetite for fat babies. In the end, both cats discover that they cannot bring themselves to harm anybody.
(The story "Little Dorothy and Toto" contains a curious feature. The Wizard
Wizard (Oz)
The Wizard of Oz, known during his reign as The Great and Powerful Oz, is the epithet of Oscar Zoroaster Phadrig Isaac Norman Henkel Emmannuel Ambroise Diggs, a fictional character in the Land of Oz, created by American author L...
plays a trick on Dorothy
Dorothy Gale
Dorothy Gale is the protagonist of many of the Oz novels by American author L. Frank Baum, and the best friend of Oz's ruler Princess Ozma. Dorothy first appears in Baum's classic children's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and reappears in most of its sequels...
in order to teach her "that it is really dangerous for a little girl to wander alone in a fairy country." This caution is very different from the independent spirit that Dorothy displays in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is a children's novel written by L. Frank Baum and illustrated by W. W. Denslow. Originally published by the George M. Hill Company in Chicago on May 17, 1900, it has since been reprinted numerous times, most often under the name The Wizard of Oz, which is the name of...
, and which Baum appears to encourage throughout the Oz series. It would seem clear that Baum was thinking of the smallest readers when he wrote this story.)
The strategy of reaching beginning readers was successful enough for Reilly & Britton to repeat it within a few years. The publisher released selections from L. Frank Baum's Juvenile Speaker
L. Frank Baum's Juvenile Speaker
L. Frank Baum's Juvenile Speaker: Readings and Recitations in Prose and Verse, Humorous and Otherwise is an anthology of literary works by L. Frank Baum, author of the Oz books. The book was first published in 1910, with illustrations by veteran Baum artists John R. Neill and Maginel Wright...
(1910) in six smaller books called The Snuggle Tales in 1916–17, and again as the Oz-Man Tales in 1920.
Four of the Little Wizard Stories were re-issued in 1932 in a new form, as The Little Oz Books with Jig Saw Oz Puzzles. A year or two later the four tales were released again, as part of a promotion for a Wizard of Oz radio program (sponsored by Jell-O
Jell-O
Jell-O is a brand name belonging to U.S.-based Kraft Foods for a number of gelatin desserts, including fruit gels, puddings and no-bake cream pies. The brand's popularity has led to it being used as a generic term for gelatin dessert across the U.S. and Canada....
). Rand McNally
Rand McNally
Rand McNally is an American publisher of maps, atlases, textbooks, and globes for travel, reference, commercial, and educational uses. It also provides online consumer street maps and directions, as well as commercial transportation routing software and mileage data...
published the six stories in three booklets in 1939.