HOURS: Closed for the
season. Shop
will re-open in
May 2009.
OUR ONLINE STORE IS UP AND RUNNING.
To access it click on the
store image at the top of
this page. Happy hunting!
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Did you know?
Frank Baum's Oz Books
The Enchanted Island of Yew, Donahue & Co., 1903
Tik Tok of Oz, Reilly & Britton, 1914
The Road to Oz, Reilly & Britton, 1909
John Dough & the Cherub, Reilly & Britton, 1906
The Emerald City of Oz, Reilly & Britton, 1914
Most of us at one time or another has seen the 1939 MGM movie, “The Wizard of Oz.”
L. Frank Baum, the author of the book on which the movie was based, was a prolific
writer, as well as a reporter, playwright, actor, merchant, salesman, filmmaker, and songwriter.
Born in 1856 in Chittennango, NY, east of Syracuse, Baum was a natural storyteller
who stimulated the imagination of his readers with fairytales unlike any previously written,
especially in America. His first Oz book, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, written in 1900,
became the nation’s best selling children’s book that year. From then on (1900 – 1920),
although involved in numerous other projects, Baum continued to write many other children’s
books including an “Oz series.” There were 13 sequels to the original Oz book written by Baum,
and another 27 books in the 40-book Oz series written by others.
In addition, Frank Baum wrote 10 books based on Oz (like the 1906 John Dough and the Cherub),
16 non-Oz books published under his own name (like the 1903 The Enchanted Island of Yew),
and 34 non-Oz books published under various pen-names.
Oz, the timeless fairyland, originally evolved from stories Baum told his children and
their friends. The word Oz is thought to have come from Baum groping for a name for
his magical place when he spied his file cabinet with “o – z” on it.
The appeal of the Oz stories was far reaching and has endured over time.
In 1957, the International Wizard of Oz Club (IWOC) was founded.
Today, there are over 3,000 members of all ages around the world. It attracts oz readers, students,
and collectors. The club publishes a journal, two newsletters, and a literary magazine,
as well as sponsoring several regional conventions throughout the US.
Close to home, there is each May or June, a L. Frank Baum Day (“Ozfest”),
in Chittennango, NY. Oz books and merchandise are available at IWOC Conventions.
Oz fans, called Ozites, Ozzies, Ozmologists, etc., included such famous personalities
as Steven Spielberg, Oprah Winfrey, Salman Rushdie, Stephen Sondheim, and Kevin Costner.
Oz books remain a sought-after item and new copies of all of Baum’s Oz books are available from
a number of publishers. Collecting older editions of these books is also very popular. Oz books
are valued according to the publication date, publisher, condition of the book, etc., although,
because of the many variables involved and a constantly shifting market, there is no established
price guide for old Oz books. Until 1936, every new Oz book and many older title reprints were
published with some sort of color. These editions are highly sought after and quite valuable.
Please contact us if you want more information or wish to purchase any of these items.
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