Adventures in Oz (founded on and continuing the famous Oz stories by L. Frank Baum) by Eric Shanower.* Copy provided by publisher IDW Publishing. Graphic novel.
The Plot: Five stories continue the adventures of Dorothy & Co in Oz. And this is Baum's Oz, not Garland's. Fans of the movie may be both disappointed and puzzled; fans of the book will love it.
The Good: A beautiful book; I loved the feel of the pages, the vibrant colors.
I love the adventures, and that it is a continuation of the book Oz. While I love movies, one of the problems with movies of teen and kids books is that often it leaves a "younger" impression in people's minds; Oz is not a "baby" book or a little kid book.
The five stories: The Enchanted Apples of Oz; The Secret Island of Oz; The Ice King of Oz; The Forgotten Forest of Oz; The Blue Witch of Oz.
I have to say, it's been years and years since I read the original Oz books; but in 3rd to 5th grades, I adored them. (note to self: when you have time, reread the books.) So I cannot say for sure if the language is Baum-like. Regardless, here are some of the quotes I enjoyed:
"I don't think it's a good idea to wander around in a castle that just appeared from thin air."
Dorothy: "Are you sure this is safe?"
Cowardly Lion: "My dear, surely you know by now that nothing is completely safe."
*Yes, the same Eric Shanower of Age of Bronze. I know!
Other reviews:
The AmoXcalli review
Note: I read this last year, as part of last year's Cybils stuff. This is an example of the stuff I read, loved, but just didn't get around to reviewing; and now, I can. Yay!
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By: Lizzy Burns,
on 2/2/2008
Blog: A Chair, A Fireplace and A Tea Cozy (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Oz, cybils long list 2006, reviews, graphic novels, fantasy, GN, Oz, cybils long list 2006, Add a tag
By: Jane Mack,
on 1/10/2008
Blog: Saipan Writer (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Libraries, books, TBR Shelf, TBR Shelf, Add a tag
I finished my most recent children's book column (probably to be published Friday the 18th in the Marianas Variety--actually published Jan. 25, 2008, and online here ). The introductory paragraphs discuss my TBR Shelf (well, in my case, it's more like a TRB book case).
TBR= To be read. Be sure to check it out when it's published, and I'll link here (in the post title) to the MV page, when available.
In the meantime:
I thought I'd search for images of other people's TBR Shelves, just out of curiosity, and I found this amazing site. While it's not just about TRB shelves, it is a collection of photos of people's home libraries.
People from all over the globe have sent in photos, and some include brief descriptions of what's on their shelves. Some of the photos are just one shelf, some are entire rooms of shelves filled with books. Some photos show very neatly organized and shelved books, and others show massive disarray. Some show unity of purpose, with just books or book/desk or book/reading chair spaces; some show books amid the full panoply of life, with toys and art and animals sharing the same environment.
I find these photos interesting. I love books so seeing piles of them on shelves and stacked up alone is intriguing. But I also find it amazing how people relate to books, keeping them as friends, companions, trophies, furniture!
What's on your TBR Shelves? And what does your home library look like?
By: Gina MarySol Ruiz,
on 3/25/2007
Blog: AmoxCalli (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: illustration, collections, graphic novel, comics, eric shanower, oz, children's books, Add a tag
Author: Eric Shanower, Frank L. Baum
Publisher: IDW Publisher
ISBN-10: 1933239611
ISBN-13: 978-1933239613
Adventures in Oz is the collection of five comics that were published by Eric Shanower from 1986-1992, The Enchanted Apples of Oz, The Secret Island of Oz, The Ice King of Oz, The Forgotten Forest of Oz and The Blue Witch of Oz.
I hadn’t read the original comics but I fell completely in love with this collection. The stories are told in a voice very much like the original Baum stories but the stories are original. His love for his subject really shines and Oz fans will really like these original stories.
Shanower expands on the Oz myth with some amazing and imaginative little tales. I loved the flying Marlin especially. I loved the fact that Ozma, one of my favorite Oz characters is brought back to life in this book. I’ve always had a soft spot for her and thought she was wonderful. I also loved Flicker and his head of fiery hair and Knotboy.
The illustration, especially in The Blue Witch of Oz is lavish and simply gorgeous. The colors of the forests are just tremendous. There is this unbelievable page with all the wood nymphs in front of Zurline that is just gorgeous. It’s very Art Deco in style and the lines just flow so elegantly. You almost could just step right into the page and touch their hair.
Adventures in Oz is a worthy addition to any library and most especially to those Oz fans who want more Oz stories. I’ve read many attempts to capture the feel of Baum’s timeless classics, but none so spot on as Eric Shanower’s.