The Land of Oz – L. Frank Baum (1904, commonly reprinted through 1926)
This second book in the Oz series (titled The Marvelous Land of Oz in its 1904 first edition) follows Tip, a boy who escapes his wicked guardian Mombi with the help of a living wooden man named Jack Pumpkinhead. Their journey to the Emerald City sparks a revolution—led by General Jinjur’s all-girl army—that topples the Scarecrow’s rule and reveals shocking secrets about Tip’s true identity (including one of literature’s first transgender-coded revelations). John R. Neill’s illustrations define Oz’s visual style, from the Gump’s flying sofa to Glinda’s sorcerous grandeur.
If You Enjoyed This, Try:
- Ozma of Oz (1907) – Dorothy returns, facing the Nome King.
- The Patchwork Girl of Oz (1913) – Baum’s personal favorite sequel.
- Queen Zixi of Ix (1905) – Baum’s non-Oz fantasy with similar whimsy.