Dorothy of Oz by Roger S. Baum, illustrated by Elizabeth Miles

I've been re-reading my Oz collection and scooped up the one Roger S. Baum I own to skim through again. Roger Baum is L. Frank Baum's great-grandson, but unfortunately didn't inherit his writing talent. His Oz books are better than much of the Oz fan material floating around, but far inferior to the originals or to Ruth Plumly Thompson, John R. Neill, or Jack Snow's contributions. Eric Shanower and Edward Einhorn are excellent contemporary Oz writers also. I can't remember why I kept this one however....it's poorly written, with heavy-handed interjections and explanations from the narrator, a whispy thin plot, and heavily coated with sentimentality.

Verdict: There are a few pleasant moments, but only very serious collectors will be interested in this book.

ISBN: 978-0688078485; Published October 1989 by HarperCollins; Purchased for my personal collection