52 Weeks Book Challenge

Well, it has been a while since I have posted a book review for my 52 Weeks Book Challenge. You are probably wondering at this rate will she even make her goal to read more books this year than last? The jury is still out on that one. ( I am reading the second book in the Song of Ice and Fire series- they are over 900 pages each! Does that count as two books?) Anyway, I have also been reading some other books as well. I am the kind of reader that can have more than one book going at a time.

 The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, Unabridged.

 I have enjoyed the movie versions of this book for years so I thought that it would be a great thing to read it aloud to Abi. While some of the events of the book are found in various films, there is are many differences. The book follows the journey of Dorothy and her three companions, Scarecrow, Tin Woodman, and Lion as they make their way to see the Wizard of Oz to see if he would grant them the things they wanted most. After following the yellow brick road to the Emerald city, each of the sojourners met with Oz, who appeared in a different form to each. Oz says he will grant their wishes if they will kill the wicked witch of the west who rules over the western Winkie Country. Once the Witch realizes what is going on, she tries many different ways of disposing with the travelers in hopes of obtaining the magical silver shoes that Dorothy was given by Glinda, the good witch of the North. When all efforts fail, the witch resorts to using a golden cup to summon the winged monkeys to capture the four friends. The witch forces Dorothy to do house work around her castle, all the while scheming for a way to get the slippers. When she tricks her into giving her one slipper, Dorothy grabs a bucket full of water and the witch melts. The winged monkeys fly the friends back to the emerald city but their journey does not end there. The three face many more obstacles before Dorothy ends up in the land of Glinda, who tells her she has had the power in the silver shoes to go home to Kansas all along. Abi and I both enjoyed reading the original and comparing it to not only several movies but also the stage version, which she had the opportunity to be a part of last spring, that our community theater group performed.