The Marvelous Land of Oz

L. Frank Baum wrote The Marvelous Land of Oz (the second book in the Wizard of Oz series and the sequel to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz) as a direct response to overwhelming popular demand, driven by the phenomenal success of its predecessor’s stage adaptation. In his “Author’s Note,” Baum explains that for years after the 1900 publication of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, he received many “letters from children” asking him to write more about the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman (ix). Amplifying this demand was the 1902 Broadway musical The Wizard of Oz (in which Baum was involved), a massive commercial hit that transformed the story into a national sensation. The production, which ran for 293 performances on Broadway before extensive touring, was a comedic extravaganza that focused heavily on the antics of the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman, played by star comedians Fred Stone and David C. Montgomery. Their performances made the characters household names, and Baum gratefully dedicated The Marvelous Land of Oz to them.

The Wizard of Oz series includes 40 novel-length books, the first 14 of which were written by Baum, illustrated by John R.