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Children's quizzes

Quiz: Which classic children’s book should you read next?

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Children's reading lists

14 classic audiobooks you need to listen to

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16 must-read fantasy books for 9-12-year-olds

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

Celebrate the 125th anniversary of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz with this irresistible new edition fully illustrated by Steven Lenton. 
 
'Follow the yellow brick road!' 
 
Dorothy thinks she is lost forever when a terrifying tornado crashes through Kansas and whisks her and her dog, Toto, far away to the magical land of Oz. To get home Dorothy must follow the yellow brick road to the Emerald City and find the wonderfully mysterious Wizard of Oz. Together with her companions the Tin Woodman, the Scarecrow and the Cowardly Lion whom she meets on the way, Dorothy embarks on a strange and enchanting adventure.

Frank L. Baum (1856-1919) was born in New York. He enjoyed making up stories, particularly for his own children. The Wizard of Oz, based on their favourite bedtime story about a land of Oz, was published in 1900 and it immediately became a huge international success. He wrote several sequels and numerous other kinds of books under a pseudonym.

Rediscover the Puffin Classics collection and bring the best-loved classics to a new generation - including this irresistible illustrated edition of The Wizard of Oz. 
 
125th anniversary of The Wizard of Oz 
 
'Follow the yellow brick road!' 
 
Dorothy thinks she is lost forever when a terrifying tornado crashes through Kansas and whisks her and her dog, Toto, far away to the magical land of Oz. To get home Dorothy must follow the yellow brick road to the Emerald City and find the wonderfully mysterious Wizard of Oz. Together with her companions the Tin Woodman, the Scarecrow and the Cowardly Lion whom she meets on the way, Dorothy embarks on a strange and enchanting adventure.

The Marvellous Land of Oz

Return to the magical land of Oz in the second book in the beloved Oz series, newly re-published in Puffin Classics. 
 
Join Tip and his strange new friends as they embark on a magical adventure to find old friends and reclaim the Emerald City. 
 
Tip is sick of being bossed around by his guardian, Mombi. So, when she threatens to turn him to stone for using magic to bring Jack Pumpkinhead to life as a prank, he and Jack run away to the Emerald City. But by the time they arrive, the city has been taken over by General Jinjur and her all-girl Army of Revolution! 
 
So begins a remarkable adventure which sees old friends, like the Tin Woodsman and Glinda the Good, and new work together to set the Land of Oz to rights. 
 
A wonderful new edition reissued in Puffin Classics with a gorgeous new cover by Steven Lenton.

L. Frank Baum (Author) 
 Frank L. Baum (1856-1919) was born in New York. He enjoyed making up stories, particularly for his own children. The Wizard of Oz, based on their favourite bedtime story about a land of Oz, was published in 1900 and it immediately became a huge international success. He wrote several sequels and numerous other kinds of books under a pseudonym.

Return to Oz with Tip and his strange new friends as they embark on a magical adventure to find old friends, defeat General Jinjur and reclaim the Emerald Kingdom. 
 
Tip is sick of being bossed around by his guardian, Mombi. So, when she threatens to turn him to stone for using magic to bring Jack Pumpkinhead to life as a prank, he and Jack run away to the Emerald City. But by the time they arrive, the city has been taken over by General Jinjur and her all-girl Army of Revolution! 
 
So begins a remarkable adventure which sees old friends, like the Tin Woodman and Glinda the Good, and new, like the Gump, a flying creature built of sofas and palm leaves, work together to set the Land of Oz to rights. 
 
A gorgeous new edition of this fantastic sequel to the much-loved classic, The Wizard of Oz.

Ozma of Oz

Return to the magical land of Oz in the third book in the beloved Oz series, newly re-published in Puffin Classics 
 
Dorothy and her new friends embark on a perilous journey to rescue the royal family of Ev from the clutches of the wicked Nome King. 
 
Dorothy Gale and her uncle Henry are travelling to Australia by ship when a storm sweeps Dorothy overboard. She finds herself washed ashore in the Land of Ev, a nearby kingdom to the famous Oz. 
 
The Land of Ev is controlled by the evil Nome King, who has transformed many of its inhabitants into ornaments. With the help of her old friends, the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman, as well as new companions such as Tik-Tok, a mechanical man, and Billina, a talking chicken, Dorothy sets out to rescue the people of Ev. 
 
A wonderful new edition reissued in Puffin Classics with a gorgeous new cover by Steven Lenton.

Dorothy and her new friends embark on a perilous journey to rescue the royal family of Ev from the clutches of the wicked Nome King. 
 
Dorothy Gale and her uncle Henry are travelling to Australia by ship when a storm sweeps Dorothy overboard. She finds herself washed ashore in the Land of Ev, a nearby kingdom to the famous Oz. 
 
The Land of Ev is controlled by the evil Nome King, who has transformed many of its inhabitants into ornaments. With the help of her old friends, the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman, as well as new companions such as Tik-Tok, a mechanical man, and Billina, a talking chicken, Dorothy sets out to rescue the people of Ev. 
 
A gorgeous new edition of this fantastic sequel to the much-loved classic, The Wizard of Oz.

The Wizard of Oz

A stunningly beautiful and perfectly wicked hardback 'Glinda' gift edition of the classic much-loved story, with pink sprayed edges. 
 
Follow the yellow brick road! 
 
Dorothy thinks she is lost forever when a terrifying tornado crashes through Kansas and whisks her and her dog, Toto, far away to the magical land of Oz. To get home Dorothy must follow the yellow brick road to Emerald City and find the wonderfully mysterious Wizard of Oz. Together with her companions the Tin Woodman, the Scarecrow and the Cowardly Lion whom she meets on the way, Dorothy embarks on a strange and enchanting adventure. 
 
Collect our Puffin Clothbound Classics: 
9780241444313 The Little Prince 
9780241663554 The Jungle Book 
9780241568811 Charlotte's Web 
9780241688243 Little Women 
9780241688250 Peter Pan 
9780241688267 The Railway Children 
9780241688236 Chinese Cinderella 
9780241411216 Treasure Island 
9780241411209 The Wizard of Oz 
9780241655702 Watership Down 
9780241663578 The Worst Witch 
9780241663547 David Copperfield 
9780241663561 The Neverending Story 
9780241623909 Stig of the Dump 
9780241623916 The Dark is Rising 
9780241411162 The Secret Garden 
9780241411148 Black Beauty 
9780241411155 Dracula 
9780241425121 Frankenstein 
9780241425138 Wuthering Heights 
9780241425114 Tales from Shakespeare 
9780241425107 Tales of the Greek Heroes 
9780241411193 A Christmas Carol 
9780241621196 Grimms' Fairy Tales 
9780241425145 Hans Christian Andersen's Fairy Tales

Follow the yellow brick road! 
 
Dorothy thinks she is lost forever when a terrifying tornado crashes through Kansas and whisks her and her dog, Toto, far away to the magical land of Oz. To get home Dorothy must follow the yellow brick road to the Emerald City and find the wonderfully mysterious Wizard of Oz. Together with her companions the Tin Woodman, the Scarecrow and the Cowardly Lion whom she meets on the way, Dorothy embarks on a strange and enchanting adventure.

And Other Wonderful Books of Oz: The Emerald City of Oz and Glinda of Oz

A collectable hardcover edition bringing together three of L. Frank Baum's classic novels set in the world of Oz, as celebrated in the smash-hit film adaptation of Wicked 
 
This fully annotated volume collects three of Baum's fourteen Oz novels in which he developed his utopian vision and which garnered an immense and loyal following. The Wizard of Oz (1900) introduces Dorothy, who arrives from Kansas and meets the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, the Cowardly Lion and a host of other characters. The Emerald City of Oz (1910) finds Dorothy, Aunt Em and Uncle Henry coming to Oz just as the wicked Nome King is plotting to conquer its people. In Baum's final novel, Glinda of Oz (1920), Dorothy and Princess Ozma try to prevent a battle between the Skeezers and the Flatheads. 
 
Tapping into a deeply rooted desire to live in a peaceful country which values the sharing of talents and gifts, Baum's imaginative creation, like all great utopian literature, holds out the possibility for change. Baum's classics spawned many adaptations, including the 1939 Judy Garland-starring classic film The Wizard of Oz and Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel, Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West. The latter was adapted into the second-highest grossing Broadway musical of all time, Wicked, which is also phenomenally successful in London's West End. Included in this edition are a selection of original illustrations by W. W. Denslow and John R. Neill, a jacketed hardcover, top-staining and coloured endpapers.

This fully annotated volume collects three of Baum's fourteen Oz novels in which he developed his utopian vision and which garnered an immense and loyal following. The Wizard of Oz (1900) introduces Dorothy, who arrives from Kansas and meets the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, the Cowardly Lion and a host of other characters. The Emerald City of Oz (1910) finds Dorothy, Aunt Em and Uncle Henry coming to Oz just as the wicked Nome King is plotting to conquer its people. In Baum's final novel, Glinda of Oz (1920), Dorothy and Princess Ozma try to prevent a battle between the Skeezers and the Flatheads. 
 
Tapping into a deeply rooted desire to live in a peaceful country which values the sharing of talents and gifts, Baum's imaginative creation, like all great utopian literature, holds out the possibility for change. Baum's classics spawned many adaptations, including the 1939 Judy Garland-starring classic film The Wizard of Oz and Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel, Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West. The latter was adapted into the second-highest grossing Broadway musical of all time, Wicked, which is also phenomenally successful in London's West End. Included in this edition are a selection of original illustrations by W. W. Denslow and John R. Neill, a jacketed hardcover, top-staining and coloured endpapers.

Abridged Edition

Penguin Readers Level 2: The Wizard of Oz (ELT Graded Reader)

Penguin Readers is an ELT graded reader series for learners of English as a foreign language. With carefully adapted text, new illustrations and language learning exercises, the print edition also includes instructions to access supporting material online. 
 
Titles include popular classics, exciting contemporary fiction, and thought-provoking non-fiction, introducing language learners to bestselling authors and compelling content. 
 
The eight levels of Penguin Readers follow the Common European Framework of Reference for language learning (CEFR). Exercises at the back of each Reader help language learners to practise grammar, vocabulary, and key exam skills. Before, during and after-reading questions test readers&rsquo; story comprehension and develop vocabulary. 
 
The Wizard of Oz, a Level 2 Reader, is A1+ in the CEFR framework. Sentences contain a maximum of two clauses, introducing the future tenses will and going to, present continuous for future meaning, and comparatives and superlatives. It is well supported by illustrations, which appear on most pages. 
 
Dorothy and her little dog, Toto, are carried by a tornado to the land of Oz. There, they meet the Scarecrow, the Lion and the Tin Man. Dorothy loves her new friends but how will she and Tonto get home? They must find the Wizard of Oz, of course! 
 
Visit the Penguin Readers website 
Exclusively with the print edition, readers can unlock online resources including a digital book, audio edition, lesson plans and answer keys.

With carefully adapted text, new illustrations, language practise activities and additional online resources, the Penguin Readers series introduces language learners to bestselling authors and compelling content. Titles include popular classics, exciting contemporary fiction, and thought-provoking non-fiction. 
 
The Wizard of Oz, a Level 2 Reader, is A1+ in the CEFR framework. Sentences contain a maximum of two clauses, introducing the future tenses will and going to, present continuous for future meaning, and comparatives and superlatives. It is well supported by illustrations, which appear on most pages. 
 
Dorothy and her little dog, Toto, are carried by a tornado to the land of Oz. There, they meet the Scarecrow, the Lion and the Tin Man. Dorothy loves her new friends but how will she and Tonto get home? They must find the Wizard of Oz, of course!

The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus

An irresistible new collectible hardcover in the successful series of Penguin Christmas Classics: the story of Santa Claus, from boy to jolly old fellow, as imagined by the creator of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. 
 
A magical Christmas story by the author of the Wonderful Wizard of Oz, The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus answers the enigmatic Christmas questions: Why does Santa travel via Reindeer? How does he fit through the chimney, and how does he deliver all those toys in one wintry night? 
 
First published in 1902, the tale begins as a wood nymph discovers a baby abandoned in a forest. Raised among mythical forest creatures, the child learns to outwit evil as he grows towards adulthood and must discover how to re-enter the human world, which leaves him determined to share gifts and spread love to his fellow man. 
 
L. Frank Baum creates a world full of charm and whimsy, delightfully imagined with a cast of memorable and loveable characters.

This enchanting tale has captivated generations of children and adults alike.

Like Robin Hood, Alice or Winnie the Pooh, Baum's inventions - the Scarecrow, the Cowardly Lion, the Tin Woodman, the Wizard and the Wicked Witch of the West, as well as Dorothy and her dog Toto - have become the mythological furniture of our children's minds, and of our own and our parents... Funny and inventive

The tales of Aesop and other fabulists...will never pass entirely away, but a welcome place remains and will easily be found for such stories as The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

Baum created a truly extraordinary world, a real world…and filled it with amazing things

[It] has worked its way into the national psyche as a fable of eternal hope in which things are not always as fearsome as they seem

Baum dared to offer delight without instruction

L. Frank Baum was born in New York in 1856. The Wizard of Oz, published in 1900, was based on a story he used to tell his own children. It became an international bestseller and was subsequently adapted into a stage play (1902) and a film starring Judy Garland (1939). Baum wrote thirteen further Oz books, alongside numerous other novels, short stories, scripts and poems. After his death in 1919, his publishers carried on producing Oz stories and didn’t stop until 1963.

'The road to the City of Emeralds is paved with yellow brick' 
 
When a tornado crashes through Kansas City, Dorothy and her dog Toto are whisked far away, over the rainbow, to a strange land called Oz. How will they ever get home? And what is at the end of the yellow brick road? Plucky Dorothy and Toto embark on a magical adventure to search for the Wizard of Oz and along the way encounter new friends: the Tin Woodman, the Scarecrow and the Cowardly Lion. 
 
Includes exclusive material: In the Backstory you can take the quiz and find out how much you really know about The Wizard of Oz! 
 
Vintage Children’s Classics is a twenty-first century classics list aimed at 8-12 year olds and the adults in their lives. Discover timeless favourites from The Jungle Book and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland to modern classics such as The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.

The Wizard of Oz (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition)

This is the complete and unabridged story of The Wizard of Oz, in which Dorothy, together with her companions the Tin Woodman, the Scarecrow and the cowardly Lion, makes her journey along the Yellow Brick Road in search of the wonderful wizard. 
 
Bringing together traditional handicraft with cutting-edge book design, the Penguin Threads series has already created a huge buzz among the art and book-collecting communities. This latest set features cover art by painter and illustrator Rachell Sumpter, who brings a unique, whimsical sensibility to the Threads. With vivid colours and ambitiously intricate details, these additions to our innovative series commissioned by award-winning creative director Paul Buckley are rich works of art to be cherished and shared.

L. Frank Baum lived from 1856 to 1919. He was born in Chittenango, New York State and grew up to be a bit of an entrepreneur. He worked in the theatre, in newspapers and magazines, he manufactured a patent axle grease called 'Baum's Castorine' and managed a general store called 'Baum's Bazaar. For a while he was a poultry farmer and his first book was about raising chickens! 
His ideas didn't earn him much money and he had to think again. He had always loved telling his children bedtime stories, so he turned to writing for children. Even in his early books, retellings of traditional stories, he introduced a little girl called Dorothy! His children loved his stories about a land called Oz and in 1900 The Wizard of Oz was published. It was an overnight success and soon became a stage musical extravaganza for which Baum wrote the lyrics. The wonderful 1939 film, starring Judy Garland, gave the story an even higher profile and has become almost as famous as the book. Baum became so identified with Oz that his other books had to be published under pseudonyms.

Join Dorothy and friends on their wonderful journey through the strange and mysterious land of Oz in this much loved-classic.

When Dorothy and her little dog Toto are caught in a tornado, they and their Kansas 
farmhouse are suddenly transported to Oz, where Munchkins live, monkeys fly and Wicked Witches rule. Desperate to return home, and with the Wicked Witch of the West on their trail, Dorothy and Toto - together with new friends the Tin Woodsman, Scarecrow and cowardly Lion - embark on a fantastic quest along the Yellow Brick Road in search of the Emerald City. There they hope to meet the legendary, all-powerful Wizard of Oz, who alone may hold the power to grant their every wish. 
 
Just as captivating as it was a hundred years ago, this is a story that all ages will love.

L. Frank Baum (1856-1919) was born in New York. He enjoyed making up stories, particularly for his own children. The Wizard of Oz, based on their favourite bedtime story about a land of Oz, was published in 1900 and it immediately became a huge international success. He wrote several sequels and numerous other kinds of books under a number of pseudonyms.

Download L. Frank Baum's timeless classic The Wizard of Oz, unabridged and read by the actor Kerry Shale. 
 
Dorothy thinks she is lost forever when a terrifying tornado crashes through Kansas and whisks her and her dog, Toto, far away to the magical land of Oz. To get home Dorothy must follow the yellow brick road to Emerald City and find the wonderfully mysterious Wizard of Oz. Together with her companions the Tin Woodman, the Scarecrow and the Cowardly Lion whom she meets on the way, Dorothy embarks on a strange and enchanting adventure.

The Wizard Of Oz

Maureen Lipman and Patrick Barlow star in a full-cast dramatisation of the classic children's tale.

Maureen Lipman and Patrick Barlow star in a full-cast dramatisation of the classic children's tale. When Dorothy and her dog, Toto, are whisked away from Kansas by a cyclone, they arrive in the strange land of the Munchkins. Setting off on a magical journey, they are befriended by the Tinman, the Scarecrow and the Cowardly Lion, all of whom join Dorothy's quest to find the wonderful Wizard of Oz. Barbara Barnes, Philip Franks, Patrick Barlow, Bradley Lavelle and Kerry Shale also star in this BBC Radio 4 dramatisation. The wonder and excitement of L Frank Baum's unforgettable story live on in this full-cast dramatisation, complete with evocative music and sound effects.

L. Frank Baum

Escape into this stunning stunning Puffin Clothbound Classic edition of The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus. 
 
'In all this world there is nothing so beautiful as a happy child.' 
 
Meet Santa in all the stages throughout his life – from an abandoned baby who is raised in a forest by nymphs and fairies to adulthood, entertaining children in a beautiful valley and eventually making toys for them. The magical creatures of the forest continue to help him, and slowly the more recognisable features of the Santa story come to life – he gets his reindeers, he goes down chimneys and stockings appear. He is eventually granted immortality for his good work towards children everywhere. 
 
Gift the best-loved classics to a new generation with Puffin’s stunning Clothbound Classics. Bound in high-quality cloth with dazzling new foil-stamped designs, these coveted and highly collectable hardback editions will be treasured forever. The perfect gift for book lovers and new readers alike.

L. Frank Baum

Books by L. Frank Baum

Series by L. Frank Baum

The Oz Series

Articles featuring L. Frank Baum

Quiz: Which classic children’s book should you read next?

14 classic audiobooks you need to listen to

16 must-read fantasy books for 9-12-year-olds

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