Tuesday, November 27, 2007

On ... Rinkitink in Oz by Frank L. Baum

It's been a while since I read the Wizard of Oz and I've never read anything else by Frank L. Baum so I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I opened this book. In addition, I'd heard that some of Baum's books get a little dark. I didn't know if this book was one of them. Thankfully I was wrong.

I loved this cute book. Of course everything works out for the protagonist, young Prince Inga, and he learns some life lessons along the way. Even though this type of story has been told many times before in countless slightly varied ways I enjoyed Baum's take on a traditional theme and the lovable... somewhat hilarious King Rinkitink. I still don't understand though why the book is named for Rinkitink when the story centers around Inga, his home and kingdom, and not in Oz at all. The only connection to Oz is the fact that Dorothy enters the book at the very end. Hmm... I guess this means that I'll just have to read the other books about Oz. :D

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