The first 40 books of the Oz series were known as the Famous Forty. Anyone who had read that many has decent bragging rights to having read all the major Oz books. However, there are more... a lot more. I did not stop at the Famous Forty. I kept on going.
Based on the checklist I am using, the following books are considered canon by The International Wizard of Oz Club of which I am a card-caring member:
41. "Yankee in Oz" by Ruth Plumly Thompson. (1972)
42. "The Enchanted Island of Oz" by Ruth Plumly Thompson (1976)
43. "The Forbidden Fountain of Oz" by Eloise Jarvis McGraw and Lauren Lynn McGraw (1980)
44. "The Ozmapolitan of Oz" by Dick Martin (1986)
45. "Queer Visitors from the Marvelous Land of Oz" by L. Frank Baum (1904-1905)
I actually read this a long time ago back when I was going through all of Baum's personal stories. I did not like it as much at the time because it shows all the mainline Oz characters using magic in our world, something I rarely saw them doing in Oz itself.
46. "The Woggle-Bug Book" by L. Frank Baum (1905)
Read this one a long time ago.
47. "Little Wizard Stories of Oz" by L. Frank Baum (1913)
This is an excellent Oz short story collection written by the creator of the series itself. Well-worth your time to find and read it. We did not get anymore Oz short stories until Eric Shanower did it nearly a hundred years later.
48. "The Runaway in Oz" by John R. Neill (1995)
This was John R. Neill's lost Oz book. He wrote it but died before he could illustrate it. The publishers did not want to accept it without illustrations so they dismissed it. Later on, Eric Shanower showed up and illustrated the book, finally allowing it to be released. It is the forth and final part of his series.
49. "The Wicked Witch of Oz" by Rachel Cosgrove Payes (1993)
The return of Percy the Rat!
50. "The Rundlestone of Oz" by Eloise Jarvis McGraw (2001)
51. "The Hidden Prince of Oz" by Gina Wickwar (2000)
52. "Toto of Oz" by Gina Wickwar (2006)
This marks another milestone where books are being chosen as canon by different people, a lot of them fans in high positions here and there. It's a bit cloudy here, and there are some other lists that pick different books as the canon, but, as I said, this is the list I am going by.
All I know is that this list is curated by someone named Joe Bongiorno. I don't really know who he is, but I just thought I'd drop his name since he is credited with this list. Continuing with:
53. "The Giant Garden of Oz" by Eric Shanower (1993)
This book can be considered to be a horror in genre, and it is very good. One of my all time favorites in fact.
54. "Adventures in Oz" by Eric Shanower (1986-1992; 2006)
An actual canon graphic novel for Oz. I never expected to have to read this one. Very good though! It might also possibly be considered the first Oz short story collection since "Little Wizard Stories of Oz" unless you don't think comic books should count. In that case, you can always consider:
55. "The Salt Sorcerer of Oz and Other Stories" by Eric Shanower (2002)
This is a real short story collection that is not a comic book. Some of Eric's finest work, honestly.
56. "Paradox in Oz" by Edward Einhorn (1999)
The book that showed us that all Oz universes exist within a massive multiverse. Very important to those who want to create a new piece to this beloved Ozian puzzle.
57. "The Living House of Oz" by Edward Einhorn (2005)
This book finally dealt with the whole "no magic allowed" problem in Oz, making it possible for anyone to practice magic as long as they were doing it for the right reasons. Thank goodness for that.
58. "The Emerald Wand of Oz" by Sherwood Smith (2005)
The first of three books commissioned by the Baum Family Trust.
59. "Trouble Under Oz" by Sherwood Smith (2006)
60. "Sky Pyrates over Oz" by Sherwood Smith (2014)
This was the most recent Oz book written. If you have made it this far in the Oz series then you can say you have read the "Sovereign Sixty." Like the Famous Forty, the Sovereign Sixty is a whole other level of Oz dedication! I have confirmed that I have made this this far, and yes... I am going to go even further.
Now, a funny thing happens here. As I proceed onward, I find in the list quite a number of books I have already read. "Sky Pyrates over Oz" is the last of the canon Oz books that take place directly in Oz. But if you look at the map of Oz, there are other fairylands surrounding it. The following books in the Oz series, after you proceed past the Sovereign Sixty, all take place in what is known as "The Borderland of Oz."
I will now list out the books I have already gone through to confirm that I have been there and done that. Starting with:
61. "The Magical Monarch of Mo" by L. Frank Baum (1900)
Confirmed as read. I listed this in my notes as my least favorite Baum book. I don't exactly remember why, but this book apparently made me feel physically ill just to read it.
62. "Dot and Trot of Merryland" by L. Frank Baum (1901)
I confirmed that I read it, and it seems I liked it. It was like opening presents on Christmas and you never knew what you were going to get.
63. "The Life and Adventures of Santa Clause" by L. Frank Baum (1902)
I confirmed that I read this one, and I really enjoyed it.
64. "The Enchanted Island of Yew" by L. Frank Baum (1903)
I confirmed that I read this one. I gave it a middling review. I liked some things but were annoyed by others.
65. "Queen Zixi of Ix" by L. Frank Baum (1905)
Confirmed as read. The only thing I have in my notes are that the title is a bit misleading and the rather ominous warning that says, "Bad things happen when fairies get bored." Yikes!
66. "A Kidnapped Santa Clause" by L. Frank Baum (1904)
Confirmed that I read this one. Weirdly, I noted that it barely registered with me. I even went on to say that I did not think it needed to be written.
67. "John Dough and the Cherub" by L. Frank Baum (1906)
Confirmed as read. Another middling review from me. Liked some aspects and disliked others.
68. "Policeman Bluejay" by L. Frank Baum(1907)
Confirmed. Here is a weird one. Apparently this one was written under the penname of Laura Bancroft. There is a apparently a surprising amount of murder in this one. I also comment that I did not understand why Baum did not use his real name since it fit his style so well. I think this one came across as just a teeny, tiny bit psychotic from how my notes read. Haha.
69. "The Sea Fairies" by L Frank Baum (1911)
Confirmed. I gave this book an extremely happy review. I apparently loved the villain known as Zog. As I recall, this book introduces two famous Ozians known as Trot and Captain Bill.
70. "Sky Island" by L. Frank Baum (1912)
Confirmed I read it. This is the sequel to "The Sea Fairies," and it continues the adventures of Trot and Captain Bill. I only remarked that it was cartoonier than the first story. These sky islands actually hover over Oz, and they are an important part of the Oz universe.
71. "The Collected Short Stories of L. Frank Baum" by L. Frank Baum (2006)
Confirmed. I own this book and I have read it. No more to say about it.
That, my friends, is as far as I have gotten. There are four more books before my journey is complete. I am working very hard to obtain them all. Catch you on the other side!
This blog was written on December 30, 2023.
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Very detailed. Very insightful. It seems some works not directly part of the Oz universe are still part of it; Trot and Capt. Bill, for example. I read those books. Sky Island was especially trippy, in a very good way. It was like a brain massage that stimulated my own imagination.
ReplyDeleteI should say that I think "Sky Island" is probably the most influential non-Oz book that he did. Second would probably be "The Life and Adventures of Santa Clause."
DeleteWow, only four to go! A fantastic journey full of wonder but not without a few disappointments along the way. Your critiques have been fun to read.
ReplyDeleteThere is still a bumpy road ahead, but I'll make it.
DeleteThere are very few series that I like enough to read every book. However, when I find one I will read as much as I can. Some authors can really draw you into their work.
ReplyDeleteIn this case, it was probably the world itself that kept me coming back.
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