The Patchwork Girl of Oz

by L. Frank Baum and Lyman Frank Baum

Book Overview

In this dazzling tale, L. Frank Baum proves once again his power to delight and enchant readers of all ages. Follow the adventures of a charming new band of characters as they explore the wondrous land of Oz and discover that you learn more by traveling than by staying at home.

Forced to venture out of the dark forest, Unc Nunkie and Ojo the Unlucky call on the Crooked Magician, who introduces them to his latest creation:...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0688133541
• ISBN13: 9780688133542
• Release Date: March 1995
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 2.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 7.0" x 9.3"
• Age Range: 8 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 3 to 7

Customer Reviews

Did Not Receive - Received Rip Van Winkle Instead!!!!

DID NOT RECEIVE THE BOOK!!! How Can I Rate Something I Did Not Receive?????????????????????????????? SINCE THERE AIN'T NO ZERO, I'LL GIVE IT A ONE!?!?!?!

Patchwork Girl leaves you in stitches

This book marks Baum's return to the world of Oz after trying to quit his fabled story land in an attempt to muse upon new subjects--thankfully, it was an unsuccessful attempt, and he came back with delightful vengeance in this remarkable story. "The Patchwork Girl of Oz" is one of Baum's longer Oz books, and it is also very plot-driven, somewhat of an exception for him. Luckily, this plot--the quest of the Munchkin boy Ojo to save his Uncle from a magic spell--does not come at the expense of Baum's usual humor and story-telling style. This book is very funny, mostly due to the introduction of the Patchwork girl herself, who, of course, quickly became an instant favorite with fans of Oz. There are other new characters who are just as delightful, and I'm thinking here of the Woozy. I highly recommend this book, not only to fans of Oz, but to lovers of fantasy.

The Patchwork Girl of Oz (Books of Wonder)

The Patchwork Girl of Oz (Books of Wonder) by L. Frank Baum being the 7th title in the oz series is also the strongest and best developed story so far and here we have a new feisty and strong willed charachter addded to oz, i.e., the patchwork girl which is a doll come to life with a wonderfully free spirited personality and basically steals the show in this magnificient story where we also get to meet Dorothy, Ozma, the scarecrow and tin man to mention a few of the old and beloved charachters. I can not say enough good things about the patchwork girl since she is nice breath of fresh air in oz and her way of looking at things is quite refreshing and new to an otherwise quite stale mindset. This is a splendid series and I can not wait to read the next book.

A must read for fans of fantasy

The title of the book actually misleads the reader somewhat. Yes this book does describe the origins of Scraps, the patchwork girl, who goes on to become a regular fixture in future Oz stories. However she is, in fact, a secondary character in the story. The main character is Ojo "the unlucky," a Munchkin boy who embarks on a quest to save his beloved uncle who has been accidentally turned into a marble statue.This book offers the usual assortment of pleasantly odd characters, strange magical happenings and dramtic tension that go into all of the good Oz novels. What makes "Patchwork Girl..." stand out is its reltively mature subplot of the importance of rules. Ozma has made it illegal for most people to use magic. The crooked magician ignores this rule, and as an indirect result two innocent people are turned into marble. One of the items Ojo must get for his quest is illegal to gather. He doesn't want to break the law, but restoring his uncle is the most important thing to him, so he justifies it to himself. Then, the reader is introduced to the humane way Oz deals with people who break the rules. This theme will speak volumes to any child who has chaffed under the rules of an adult, but secretly acknowledged that the adult had his or her best interests at heart.Several reviewers have commented that the end of the book is a cop out, and yes it might be disappointing if you were expecting a big, dramatic magical event. In truth, however, it is a masterful conclusion to the rules subplot. The conclusion underscores that rules are made to be kept, and that breaking them and then trying to sneakily get around them only causes problems. If one admits to breaking the rules, as the crooked magician should have done, and then tries to correct the mistake, it often avoids a great deal of trouble and ultimately works out better.Overall, this book is a great read for young and old alike.

Whee! But There's A Gaudy Dame!

Recognizing the increasing danger from lands beyond, at the end of 1910's The Emerald City Of Oz, child ruler Ozma and sorceress Glinda decided to magically close Oz off from the outside world forever. In reality, Baum was tired of Oz and wanted to develop other ideas and projects. But hounded by young fans to provide more stories of the utopist fairyland, in 1913 Baum again took up his pen as Royal Historian. Explaining to readers that he had begun receiving new tales from the Shaggy Man via a wireless telegraph in Oz, the fruit of this partnership was The Patchwork Girl Of Oz, probably the general favorite of Baum's novels among dedicated Oz enthusiasts. In fact, the Patchwork Girl Of Oz is the book appreciated even by those who dislike the Oz series as a whole. In poetry - spouting Scraps the Patchwork Girl, Baum introduced a vibrant, riveting figure to his fairyland, one equal to earlier classic creations the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, Jack Pumpkinhead, the Wooglebug, and the Gnome King. Rowdy, grotesque Scraps was perhaps Baum's last great character; indefatigable and indomitable, Scraps was also Baum's most original and fully realized female character, whether human, fairy, sorceress, or otherwise. A winning combination of common sense and nonsense, Scraps, a kind of nightmare version of Raggedy Ann, is pleasantly naive, utterly free, tactless, curious, and enthusiastic about all facets of life, including romance. Though stuffed with cotton, Scraps finds the straw - packed Scarecrow a perfect dreamboat, and finds twig - bodied Jack Pumpkinhead attractive as well. John R. Neill's illustrations of the Scraps and the Scarecrow's ' hearts aflutter ' first meeting is hilarious. A reconfiguration of the happy peasant figure who blissfully notices that the emperor is naked and doesn't hesitate to say so, Scraps, though not an outright trickster figure, approaches trickster status. The Patchwork Girl Of Oz is Baum's most fluid, well rounded, and detailed children's novel. Unlike some of the other titles in the series that have a predominantly sketchy narrative, the Patchwork Girl Of Oz is composed of enthusiastic, rollicking prose that allows the reader to happily suspend disbelief. All Oz titles have filler chapters that pad the books and add little to their forward motion, and the Patchwork Girl Of Oz has its share. However, the filler chapters here -- 'The Troublesome Phonograph' and 'The Foolish Owl and the Wise Donkey' -- don't irritate or distract from the story's forward motion as much as they might. Far from being finished with Oz, in 1913 Baum was still working out the magical laws that would govern his fairyland kingdom; readers will note that those laws applied here differ somewhat from those provided in 1918's The Tin Woodman Of Oz. Most noticeably, young Ojo the Unlucky is described as a growing boy; in the later books, all characters would be permanently fixed in their ages and physical growth or decline would become impossible. The

Yet Another of Baum's Masterpeices!

This book is fantastic! It's funny, and full of fun! A "crazy-quilt" girl comes to life, Unc Nunkie turns to stone, and Ojo, along with his friends Bungles the glass cat and Scraps the patchwork quilt girl, goes on a journey to find the ingredients to brink Nunkie back to life. On the way, they make some unusual aquaintances! Filled with great fun!