Status
Checked out
Genres
Publication
Ann Arbor Media Group (2003), Paperback, 264 pages
Description
Classic Literature. Fantasy. Juvenile Fiction. HTML: The fifth novel in Baum's beloved series of stories about the magical land of Oz, The Road to Oz recounts Dorothy's fourth interlude in Oz, during which she encounters whimsically imaginative characters such as Shaggy Man, Polychrome, and Button Bright. A masterwork of imaginative fiction, this book is a must-read for fans of classic children's literature..
User reviews
LibraryThing member bzedan
The Shaggy Man is sort of a great character, if totally a cipher. Same with Button Bright, what the hells did Santa tell Shaggy Man about Button Bright and where he was from at Ozma's B-day party?Four-stars, if only because I was so freaking relieved that it did not grate as badly as the previous
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books. Show Less
LibraryThing member bookworm12
A shaggy man asks Dorothy for directions and soon they find themselves (and Toto too) on an adventure. Along the way they meet a dense boy named Button-Bright and Polychrome, the daughter of the rainbow king. They travel to the land of foxes, where Button-Bright's head is replaced by fox's head.
I love how Baum tends to find a way to let us revisit all of the characters we met in previous books. I'm slowly making my way through all of the Oz books (this is book 5 of 15), and this one is a sweet story.
"Why didn't you want to go to Butterfield?" she asked.
"Because a man lives there who owes me fifteen cents, and if I went to Butterfield and he saw me he'd want to pay me the money. I don't want money, my dear."
"Why not?" she inquired.
"Money," declared the shaggy man, "makes people proud and haughty. I don't want to be proud and haughty. All I want is to have people love me."
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Then the same thing happens to the shaggy man in the land of donkeys. The shaggy man's love magnet gets them out of a few scraps, but not all of them. Their misadventures eventually lead them to the Land of Oz, where Ozma is celebrating her birthday. I love how Baum tends to find a way to let us revisit all of the characters we met in previous books. I'm slowly making my way through all of the Oz books (this is book 5 of 15), and this one is a sweet story.
"Why didn't you want to go to Butterfield?" she asked.
"Because a man lives there who owes me fifteen cents, and if I went to Butterfield and he saw me he'd want to pay me the money. I don't want money, my dear."
"Why not?" she inquired.
"Money," declared the shaggy man, "makes people proud and haughty. I don't want to be proud and haughty. All I want is to have people love me."
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LibraryThing member ElizabethChapman
I read many, many of the Oz books in my childhood and the characters in The Road to Oz were some of my favorites -- after the characters in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz of course.
Even now as an adult often think of the Shaggy Man and his Love Magnet (Love Magnet meant something rather different in
Even now as an adult often think of the Shaggy Man and his Love Magnet (Love Magnet meant something rather different in
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1909 than it does today.) And Button Bright became a term of endearment in my family. The plot isn't as interesting as some of the other Oz books -- Rinkitink in Oz for example. But the escape from the altogether repellent Scoodlers provides great entertainment. Not the best of the Oz sequels, but still a lot of fun. Show Less
LibraryThing member TheLostEntwife
I'm torn on how to write a review of this particular Oz book. Although I do love the series dearly (up until this point), this book fell sadly flat for me. Normally I find myself loving each and every character, but at this point I'm wondering if there is just too much of a good thing.
Even the new
Of course, there were still some funny moments and I did enjoy portions of the book - so I am hoping that the next one will bring back a little of the love for me and perhaps provide me with characters that are a bit more like-able than this latest set.
Even the new
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characters were lacking in charm for me. Button Bright just seemed like a little brat, The Shaggy Man (and this is NOT Baum's fault) kept putting Shaggy from Scooby-Doo in my minds eye and Polly gave me several urges to smack her.Of course, there were still some funny moments and I did enjoy portions of the book - so I am hoping that the next one will bring back a little of the love for me and perhaps provide me with characters that are a bit more like-able than this latest set.
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LibraryThing member lizzybeans11
This is a difficult book to review. It is, after all, a children's story and set to different standards, but I wasn't as enamoured with Oz and its characters as I was in the other tales.
The new characters we meet seem rather one dimensional and...weird. Which is saying something as it's freaking OZ
By the time I was half-way through Dorothy's adventure I was bored out of my skull and skipped to the resolution. Would children's short attention spans really like this book?
The new characters we meet seem rather one dimensional and...weird. Which is saying something as it's freaking OZ
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we're talking about.By the time I was half-way through Dorothy's adventure I was bored out of my skull and skipped to the resolution. Would children's short attention spans really like this book?
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LibraryThing member Sean191
The second Oz book I've read. All the familiar characters from the first make an appearance and the story is again fun, weird and ...weird? Baum had some imagination and for a kid's book, Oz is something else. I don't think it's a problem for kids to read, it's not quite as Disney-fied as the movie
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based on one of the other Oz books was, but that makes it better I think. Show Less
LibraryThing member Chris177
This is the 5th book in the OZ series of books by L. Frank Baum. It is loaded with all of the many OZ characters that you know and love as well as many more new people and creatures to meet. Even one famous jolly old elf drops by! What a birthday party we will have for Ozma of OZ. Be sure not to
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miss this grand adventure. Show Less
LibraryThing member dbcollin
This story is about the life of writer L. F. Baum's struggle to provide for his family while taking many business risks. After many years of writing, Baum finally became successful in 1900 with the very popular story The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
LibraryThing member Runa
This is my second favorite of the Oz series, right after Ozma of Oz. I love the new characters, the Shaggy Man and Polly especially. I really like that, while there are some challenges in the book, the main goal is a happy one. They're not on the run from anyone, they're all on their way to Ozma's
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birthday party, where they meet the greatest assortment of colorful individuals. Unlike some of the other books in the series, this one really stays true to the spirit of Oz, with unique but awesome characters like Johnny Dooit and Baum's version of Santa Claus, who is of course close friends with Ozma :) I suppose the only complaint I have is that the chapter titles give away way too much of what's going to happen, but that's the same in all of the Oz books. Again, loved seeing the reunions between many of the characters, even though they have been reuinted in the series already, it's always awesome seeing the original cast of Oz characters together and having fun. Show Less
LibraryThing member rrainer
I really need to stop expecting these to have a plot, rather than a series of adventures culminating in someone going home again, but this one seemed even slighter than usual and I'm afraid just didn't do it for me. I didn't connect to the new characters (though delighted a little when old friends
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showed up), and nothing really happened. At least there were cannibals. (Well, I suppose they weren't technically cannibals. People-eaters, then.) Show Less
LibraryThing member antiquary
By some odd chance I can't explain, when I was really young the only Oz book I had was The Road to Oz. I had seen the Wizard of Oz movie, but I did not read the book until later, so Road was my introduction to Oz, and I am still very fond of its characters like the Shaggy Man and Johnny
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Doit.-though I now think Baum's statement that pretty little girls are never harmed by shaggy tramps could be dangerous. Even Allegro da Capo, the human musicmaker, still amuses me. The culminating birthday party may seem trivial compared to the climaxes of some of the stories, but it introduced me to Baum's non-Oz characters Who apper as guests, and I later hunted up those books too and enjoyed them. Show Less
LibraryThing member Barb_H
I read ebook version. Very cute and creatively written. Fun little excursion from my typical murder mysteries. I have been reading the Oz series in order and I do plan to eventually read all of them, but am in no particular hurry.
LibraryThing member SoulFlower1981
As I continue to read these books as an adult I am shocked by what Baum has gotten away with as an author. Some of the spark that I had for this series as a child is quickly leaving as I realize some of the mechanics that he uses as an author that I simply am not fond of or even okay with. He often
This book has several introductions of characters to Oz. Polychrome, the Rainbow's daughter, happens to be one of the more interesting ones introduced. The Shaggy Man also seems to be a rather interesting character as well and I hope that he is continued to be used throughout the series.
Baum again makes the majority of the book next take place in oz proper and then suddenly we are in oz. Baum found a formula that he likes to use because he wanted to tell other stories. In this book he even makes a point to almost advertise all these other books that he created by who attends the party at the end. These other stories he created show up and to me that was not needed because of how many characters already inhabit the land of oz itself.
Maybe as a grown up individual I can no longer appreciate these books the same way I could as a child. Sometimes we have to recognize that we have outgrown something that we once loved.
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calls people or things stupid in his books. He belittles frequently and he continues to do that in this book. He also doesn't seem to be that respectful for the most part to his actual fans. It becomes more apparent as you continue to read that has is increasingly becoming annoyed with having to write about Oz all the time, even though he keeps saying at the beginning of the books that he is doing this for the children. This book has several introductions of characters to Oz. Polychrome, the Rainbow's daughter, happens to be one of the more interesting ones introduced. The Shaggy Man also seems to be a rather interesting character as well and I hope that he is continued to be used throughout the series.
Baum again makes the majority of the book next take place in oz proper and then suddenly we are in oz. Baum found a formula that he likes to use because he wanted to tell other stories. In this book he even makes a point to almost advertise all these other books that he created by who attends the party at the end. These other stories he created show up and to me that was not needed because of how many characters already inhabit the land of oz itself.
Maybe as a grown up individual I can no longer appreciate these books the same way I could as a child. Sometimes we have to recognize that we have outgrown something that we once loved.
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LibraryThing member AbigailAdams26
When a shaggy traveler asks Dorothy Gale the way to Butterfield, the helpful young Kansas girl sets out to show him the way, only to find herself caught up in another magical adventure when the road inexplicably shifts, leading her and her companion into fairyland. Soon meeting Button Bright, a
Originally published in 1909, this fifth Oz book from L. Frank Baum is quite interesting for the author's fans (more on that anon), although not one of the stronger Oz stories, judged on its own merits. Despite his 'love magnet,' I have always had troubling taking the Shaggy Man as much to heart as I wanted to - he always seems as if he should be more endearing than he is - and have always found Button Bright distinctly annoying. Polychrome is an appealing character, but as is often the case with Baum, she is underdeveloped. The story is somewhat disjointed, and its eventual object - getting the travelers to the Emerald City for Ozma's birthday - never feels particularly compelling. That said, I was charmed by the multicolored paper used for this facsimile edition of the book - a tribute to Polychrome, perhaps? - and enjoyed picking out all the references to Baum's other works, in the attendees at Ozma's party. There are figures from other Oz stories, from the Royal family of Ev (Ozma of Oz) to the Braided Man (Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz), as well as characters from non-Oz fantasies, like Queen Zixi of Ix, Dot and Tot in Merryland, John Dough and the Cherub, and The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus. Despite the pleasure of identifying these characters, The Road to Oz is only a low three-star read for me, and would probably only merit two, were I not sentimentally attached to it, after reading it in childhood.
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beautiful but not-so-clever toddler, as well as Polychrome, the lost daughter of the rainbow, the companions slowly make their way closer and closer to Oz, hoping to attend Ozma's upcoming birthday celebration. On their way they encounter a kingdom of foxes, a society of donkeys, and a group of sinister Scoodlers. With the help of magical jack-of-all-trades Jonny Dooit, they manage to cross the great desert surrounding Oz, and are soon on their way to the Emerald City, there to witness the pomp and ceremony of Ozma's great celebration...Originally published in 1909, this fifth Oz book from L. Frank Baum is quite interesting for the author's fans (more on that anon), although not one of the stronger Oz stories, judged on its own merits. Despite his 'love magnet,' I have always had troubling taking the Shaggy Man as much to heart as I wanted to - he always seems as if he should be more endearing than he is - and have always found Button Bright distinctly annoying. Polychrome is an appealing character, but as is often the case with Baum, she is underdeveloped. The story is somewhat disjointed, and its eventual object - getting the travelers to the Emerald City for Ozma's birthday - never feels particularly compelling. That said, I was charmed by the multicolored paper used for this facsimile edition of the book - a tribute to Polychrome, perhaps? - and enjoyed picking out all the references to Baum's other works, in the attendees at Ozma's party. There are figures from other Oz stories, from the Royal family of Ev (Ozma of Oz) to the Braided Man (Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz), as well as characters from non-Oz fantasies, like Queen Zixi of Ix, Dot and Tot in Merryland, John Dough and the Cherub, and The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus. Despite the pleasure of identifying these characters, The Road to Oz is only a low three-star read for me, and would probably only merit two, were I not sentimentally attached to it, after reading it in childhood.
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LibraryThing member librisissimo
By this time, Baum was desperately trying to get out of the job of Royal Historian of Oz. This volume phones it in, checking the boxes readers expected. Even so, there are some delightful inventions, and traces of Baum's characteristic quiet satire.
NOTES: p. 24 Shaggy Man tells a story about the
p. 168 one of his punning jokes "the Rainbow's daughter missed her mist-cakes, by a mistake Miss Polly's mist-cakes were mislaid and not missed until now."
p. 170 on Tik-tok (surely one of the earliest depictions of robots?) and that one can be respected without being loved: "Perhaps it is better to be a machine that does its duty than a flesh-and-blood person who will not, for a dead truth is better than a live falsehood."
p 180: unknown word: "It's a very slimpsy affair altogether, that bear rug (brought to life)";
p. 185 Hungry Tiger asking Dorothy not to reveal that he doesn't eat fat babies: "you'll ruin my reputation if you are not more discreet. It is n't what we are, but what folks think we are, that counts in this world." (but they don't have money!)
p. 195 despite Baum's populism every republican is at heart an aristocrat-enabler: "it was easy to see that Polychrome was used to splendid palaces and was therefore entitled to special attention" (same in Freckles and George MacDonald's books).
p. 208 Shaggy Man's true story of stealing the Love Magnet from a girl who was being quarreled over by the young men but when she lost it only her true love remained.
p. 217 the Scarecrow points out that the ignorant child Button-Bright isn't necessarily named for a polished button, but perhaps one covered in dull cloth.
p. 250 the Winkie band plays "There's No Plate like Tin" at the birthday party for Ozma.
p. 265 in the Aferward, Peter Glassman draws attention to the place in the book where the fox-captain commends Button-Bright for asking questions Because if you don't ask questions you will learn nothing." and calls him very clever indeed (although BB doesn'r ever seem to learn from the answers.
NOTES: p. 24 Shaggy Man tells a story about the
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nature of bears (and lies about how he got the Love Magnet); p55 the Fox King disputes Aesop's depiction of them in the fables (a start on PC, as they others do not dispute him "because he ought to know the nature of foxes better than men did"; p. 110 the Scoodlers do love the Shaggy Man - in soup; p 165 The Tin Woodman affirms that they have no use for money in OZ, "for what one wishes the others all try to give him, in order to hake him happy, and no one in all Oz cares to have more than he can use." -- a celestial ideal impossible in the world. p. 168 one of his punning jokes "the Rainbow's daughter missed her mist-cakes, by a mistake Miss Polly's mist-cakes were mislaid and not missed until now."
p. 170 on Tik-tok (surely one of the earliest depictions of robots?) and that one can be respected without being loved: "Perhaps it is better to be a machine that does its duty than a flesh-and-blood person who will not, for a dead truth is better than a live falsehood."
p 180: unknown word: "It's a very slimpsy affair altogether, that bear rug (brought to life)";
p. 185 Hungry Tiger asking Dorothy not to reveal that he doesn't eat fat babies: "you'll ruin my reputation if you are not more discreet. It is n't what we are, but what folks think we are, that counts in this world." (but they don't have money!)
p. 195 despite Baum's populism every republican is at heart an aristocrat-enabler: "it was easy to see that Polychrome was used to splendid palaces and was therefore entitled to special attention" (same in Freckles and George MacDonald's books).
p. 208 Shaggy Man's true story of stealing the Love Magnet from a girl who was being quarreled over by the young men but when she lost it only her true love remained.
p. 217 the Scarecrow points out that the ignorant child Button-Bright isn't necessarily named for a polished button, but perhaps one covered in dull cloth.
p. 250 the Winkie band plays "There's No Plate like Tin" at the birthday party for Ozma.
p. 265 in the Aferward, Peter Glassman draws attention to the place in the book where the fox-captain commends Button-Bright for asking questions Because if you don't ask questions you will learn nothing." and calls him very clever indeed (although BB doesn'r ever seem to learn from the answers.
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LibraryThing member nx74defiant
Journey with Dorothy and Toto once more to the magical Land of Oz—this time with the Shaggy Man, little Button-Bright and the beautiful Polychrome. Meet such amazing characters as the Scoodlers, the Musicker and Johnny Dooit.
No real plot. Dorothy travels on a road meets the Shaggy Man and
Then they go to Ozma's birthday party. Every one comes - even Santa Claus.
I was disappointed that we never found out who were Button-Brights family.
No real plot. Dorothy travels on a road meets the Shaggy Man and
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Button-Bright and more colorful characters. The Donkeys were funny in why they thought they were wise.Then they go to Ozma's birthday party. Every one comes - even Santa Claus.
I was disappointed that we never found out who were Button-Brights family.
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LibraryThing member eilonwy_anne
This was my favorite Oz book as a child...I particularly loved the grand and lushly illustrated birthday party at the end, and Polychrome. This edition, like all the Book of Wonder editions, reprints the original in all its illustrations and whimsical typesetting, in the original size. This
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particular volume, with its rainbow themes, also has pages of different colors as you progress through it. A beautiful edition of a whimsical, adventurous classic. Show Less
LibraryThing member AliceAnna
I've been reading through all of the Oz books and have found them to be quite entertaining ... until now. Nothing much actually happens in this one. I found it boring (and somewhat absurd when Santa Claus shows up). Seriously, I felt like Baum was phoning it in with this one. The newly introduced
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characters were as boring as the plot. Zero charm. Show Less
LibraryThing member bereneezypie
I was a fan with the Oz series growing up, and it's great to know I'm still a fan as an adult! I love revisiting these books, they truly are timeless!
LibraryThing member EmScape
One of the more entertaining Oz books, but still very meandering. The plot is mostly an excuse to introduce the reader to more strange and wonderful characters living in and around Oz.
LibraryThing member comfypants
A 1909 children's novel, book 5 in the Oz series.
Dorothy and some new friends are lost and try to get to Oz.
2.5/4 (Okay).
As this series goes on, there's less and less new stuff, and more and more space taken up with exhaustive curtain calls of every character who's ever been in a previous book. In
(Nov. 2022)
Dorothy and some new friends are lost and try to get to Oz.
2.5/4 (Okay).
As this series goes on, there's less and less new stuff, and more and more space taken up with exhaustive curtain calls of every character who's ever been in a previous book. In
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this case Dorothy's adventure is over only slightly more than half way through the book. I did still like it a little more than the previous book; it's more coherent, and the long anti-climax was at least thoroughly foreshadowed.(Nov. 2022)
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Subjects
Language
Original publication date
1909-07-10
Physical description
264 p.; 8.8 inches
ISBN
1587260379 / 9781587260377