The Wizard of Oz book series by L. Frank Baum consists of 14 books published between 1900 and 1920. Determining the chronological order of the Oz books can be a bit tricky since Baum did not necessarily write them in sequential order. However, the following is the generally accepted reading order:
The Original Oz Books by L. Frank Baum
- The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900)
- The Marvelous Land of Oz (1904)
- Ozma of Oz (1907)
- Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz (1908)
- The Road to Oz (1909)
- The Emerald City of Oz (1910)
- The Patchwork Girl of Oz (1913)
- Tik-Tok of Oz (1914)
- The Scarecrow of Oz (1915)
- Rinkitink in Oz (1916)
- The Lost Princess of Oz (1917)
- The Tin Woodman of Oz (1918)
- The Magic of Oz (1919)
- Glinda of Oz (1920)
The first book, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, published in 1900, is the most well known story that introduces Dorothy Gale and her journey to the magical Land of Oz after her farmhouse is swept away by a tornado. She meets the Scarecrow, Tin Woodman, and Cowardly Lion on her way to the Emerald City to ask the Wizard of Oz to help her return home.
The Marvelous Land of Oz is the second book in the series published in 1904. The protagonist is Tip, who escapes from the evil witch Mombi with the help of Jack Pumpkinhead and Sawhorse. Tip meets with the Scarecrow from the previous book and learns his origins as Princess Ozma, the rightful ruler of Oz.
Ozma of Oz, published in 1907, brings Dorothy back to Oz. She lands in Ev with her chicken Billina. Together, they team up with Ozma to defeat the evil Nome King and rescue the royal family from Ev.
In Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz published in 1908, Dorothy visits her Uncle Henry in California when an earthquake swallows them up and takes them to the land beneath the earth’s surface. They have adventures and meet new characters as they make their way back to the surface.
The Road to Oz, published in 1909, introduces the Shaggy Man and his magnet that attracts the nails that hold Ozma’s palace together. Dorothy and the Shaggy Man have adventures on the road to Oz for Ozma’s birthday party.
In The Emerald City of Oz published in 1910, Dorothy, Aunt Em and Uncle Henry come to live permanently in Oz. The Nome King tunnels beneath the desert to invade Oz, and it’s up to Dorothy and her friends to stop him.
The Patchwork Girl of Oz published in 1913 follows the story of Ojo, Unc Nunkie and Dr. Pipt as they quest to find the ingredients to make an antidote for Unc Nunkie’s wife after she is accidentally turned to stone.
Tik-Tok of Oz published in 1914 brings Betsy Bobbin and her companions to Oz after she washes ashore from a shipwreck. She meets up with Dorothy, Ozma and other friends as they try to rescue the Shaggy Man’s brother from the Nome King.
The Scarecrow of Oz published in 1915 sees Trot and Cap’n Bill washed overboard during a storm at sea and end up in Jinxland ruled by the villainous King Krewl. They team up with the Scarecrow, Button-Bright and friends in Oz to help overthrow Krewl.
Rinkitink in Oz published in 1916 brings back the characters from The Marvelous Land of Oz. The wicked King of Regos and Queen of Coregos capture Price Inga, King Rinkitink, and Dorothy and the Wizard must save them.
The Lost Princess of Oz published in 1917 follows Ozma when she is mysteriously disappears. Dorothy and her friends search Oz to figure out what happened to her.
The Tin Woodman of Oz published 1918 has the Tin Woodman find out he is the lost prince of the Munchkin Country. He travels to the Munchkin Country to find out about his past and finds intrigue and his lost love.
The Magic of Oz published in 1919 brings back Ruggedo the ex-Nome King. He plots revenge against Oz by making hand-made people with moving casters he finds to attack the Emerald City.
The final original book by Baum is Glinda of Oz published in 1920. Ozma and Dorothy travel to stop a war between the Skeezers and the Flatheads. They meet Glinda on a magical island.
Oz Books by Ruth Plumly Thompson
After L. Frank Baum died in 1919, Ruth Plumly Thompson continued the Oz book series. She wrote 19 additional titles between 1921 and 1939. Here is the order of her Oz books:
- The Royal Book of Oz (1921)
- Kabumpo in Oz (1922)
- The Cowardly Lion of Oz (1923)
- Grampa in Oz (1924)
- The Lost King of Oz (1925)
- The Hungry Tiger of Oz (1926)
- The Gnome King of Oz (1927)
- The Giant Horse of Oz (1928)
- Jack Pumpkinhead of Oz (1929)
- The Yellow Knight of Oz (1930)
- Pirates in Oz (1931)
- The Purple Prince of Oz (1932)
- Ojo in Oz (1933)
- Speedy in Oz (1934)
- The Wishing Horse of Oz (1935)
- Captain Salt in Oz (1936)
- Handy Mandy in Oz (1937)
- The Silver Princess in Oz (1938)
- Ozoplaning with the Wizard of Oz (1939)
Later Oz Books by Other Authors
Here are some of the later Oz books published after Ruth Plumly Thompson:
- The Wonder City of Oz by John R. Neill (1940)
- The Scalawagons of Oz by John R. Neill (1941)
- Lucky Bucky in Oz by John R. Neill (1942)
- The Magical Mimics in Oz by Jack Snow (1946)
- The Shaggy Man of Oz by Jack Snow (1949)
- The Hidden Valley of Oz by Rachel R. Cosgrove (1951)
- Merry Go Round in Oz by Eloise Jarvis McGraw and Lauren Lynn McGraw (1963)
- The Forbidden Fountain of Oz by Eloise Jarvis McGraw and Lauren Lynn McGraw (1980)
There are over 40 official Oz books in total when including the books published by Baum, Thompson, Neill, Snow, Cosgrove, McGraw and more all the way up until recent years. But the original 14 Oz books by L. Frank Baum and Ruth Plumly Thompson’s 19 books are considered the classic canon in the proper order.
Summary of the Order of Oz Books
Here is a quick summary of the order of the Oz book series:
- The 14 original Oz books by L. Frank Baum (1900-1920)
- The 19 Oz books by Ruth Plumly Thompson (1921-1939)
- Additional Oz books by other authors (1940s-present)
Reading the books in this order allows you to follow the story chronologically as the fantasy world of Oz and its characters develop and grow over time. Knowing the sequence of the Oz books helps readers fully appreciate and immerse themselves in the magical Land of Oz.
Where to Find the Oz Books
The Oz books are in the public domain and can be accessed freely online. Many websites like Project Gutenberg offer free ebook versions of the titles. There are also collections and anthologies that contain multiple Oz books in order:
- Barnes & Noble Collectible Editions: The First 14 Oz Books
- The Complete Wizard of Oz Collection
- The Oz Collection: 15 Books, L. Frank Baum & Ruth Plumly Thompson
Physical copies of the books can also be found online at Amazon, Book Depository, AbeBooks, and eBay. Local libraries are also a good place to look for the Oz books and often have collections of multiple titles in order. Reading or collecting the books in order helps immerse readers into the magical world of Oz.
The Oz Characters in Order of Introduction
Here is a look at when the main characters from Oz made their first appearance in the book series in the order they were introduced:
Character | First Appearance |
---|---|
Dorothy Gale | The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) |
Scarecrow | The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) |
Tin Woodman | The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) |
Cowardly Lion | The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) |
Wizard of Oz | The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) |
Glinda the Good Witch | The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) |
Wicked Witch of the West | The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) |
Princess Ozma | The Marvelous Land of Oz (1904) |
Jack Pumpkinhead | The Marvelous Land of Oz (1904) |
Tik-Tok | Ozma of Oz (1907) |
Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion form the core group of protagonists introduced in the first book. Other major characters like Ozma, Jack Pumpkinhead, and Tik-Tok emerged in the early books and reappeared frequently throughout the series as it grew. Getting acquainted with the Oz characters in order gives a better sense of the world Baum created.
Major Locations in the Land of Oz
There are many fantastical locations that make up the Land of Oz in the book series. Here are some of the major Oz locales in order of introduction:
- Munchkin Country – Eastern region where Dorothy arrives after tornado in first book. Called Munchkinland or Munchkin Country.
- Emerald City – The capital city of Oz where the Wizard lives first seen in first book.
- Winkie Country – Western region of Oz introduced in first book where Wicked Witch of the West rules.
- Quadling Country – Southern region of Oz introduced in the first book near Glinda’s palace.
- Gillikin Country – Northern region of Oz introduced in Marvelous Land of Oz second book.
- Mountains of Oz – Separate Munchkin Country from Winkie Country, first seen in Road to Oz.
- Deadly Desert – Desert surrounds Oz first appearing in Ozma of Oz.
- Land of Ev – Neighboring kingdom across the desert from Oz seen in Ozma of Oz.
- Land of the Mangaboos – Underground realm visited in Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz.
Exploring the places of Oz in the order they appeared lets readers discover more details about this fantasy world, its different peoples, and environs as Baum built out his visionary creation over the series.
Adaptations of the Oz Books
The Oz book series has spawned countless adaptations over the years in various media formats:
Film and Television
- The Wizard of Oz (1939) – Classic musical film starring Judy Garland.
- Return to Oz (1964) – Animated TV special.
- Journey Back to Oz (1974) – Animated film sequel.
- The Wiz (1978) – Musical film with African-American cast.
- The Muppets’ Wizard of Oz (2005) – TV movie with the Muppets.
- Legends of Oz: Dorothy’s Return (2014) – Animated film.
- Emerald City (2017) – Dark fantasy TV series.
Stage Productions
- The Wizard of Oz (1902) – First musical stage adaptation by Baum.
- The Wiz (1975) – Broadway musical with African-American cast.
- Wicked (2003) – Popular Broadway musical based on the Wicked Witch.
- The Wizard of Oz (2011) – Big budget London musical production.
Literature
- Many sequels and spinoff books using Oz characters by later authors.
- Wicked (1995) – Novel reimagining the Wicked Witch’s perspective.
- Comic books and graphic novels like Oz Squad and Dorothy.
The Oz legacy continues to live on and inspire new takes on Baum’s original fantasy world over 100 years later across various storytelling mediums.
Why the Oz Books Still Endure
There are several reasons why the Oz book series has maintained its popularity over generations:
- Imaginative worldbuilding – Baum created an immersive fantasy universe filled with magical lands, creatures, peoples.
- Timeless characters – Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Man and other Oz characters are iconic and beloved.
- Continuing expansion – Sequels expanded Oz universe and introduced new elements.
- Universal themes – Exploration of friendship, adventure, finding one’s way home appeal to all ages.
- Inspiring vision – Oz’s spectacle and positive themes inspire hope and imagination.
L. Frank Baum hit upon something special with his vision for Oz and memorable characters like Dorothy. Their continuing resonance and ability to spark reinterpretations help keep Oz alive for new generations.
Conclusion
The Wizard of Oz books in order create a rich fantasy universe that has become embedded in popular culture for over a century.Reading the original 14 Oz books by L. Frank Baum and the subsequent titles by Ruth Plumly Thompson and other authors in chronological order allows readers to fully immerse in the Land of Oz and appreciate how its mythology developed over time. The Oz stories continue to inspire new creative works and adaptations due to their imaginative world, iconic characters, timeless themes, and visionary spirit. Oz remains a magical place full of adventure, heart, courage, and friendship with enduring appeal.