 | Dorothy and The Lizard of Oz What Happened to Dorothy and Her Friends After They Lived Happily Ever After? |
HIGHLIGHTS |
| In this book Dr. Gardner modifies The Wizard of Ozthe twentieth centurys classic fairy tale. One of the reasons why The Wizard of Oz is so universally appealing is that Dorothy and her three friendsthe Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, and the Cowardly Lionall obtain quick solutions for their problems. The Scarecrow acquires brains by being awarded a diploma; the Tin Woodman gets a heart, albeit a ticking clock; and the Cowardly Lion gains courage by being given a medal for bravery. Dorothys wish to return to Kansas is gratified by a clicking of the heels of her magic shoes. The appeal of these resolutions lies, in part, in their simplicity. All wishes are granted by the Wizard of Oz, whose solutions the foursome trust, although they recognize him as a humbug. The story, like all fairy tales, ends with everyone presumably living happily ever after. The same four characters in this rendition have no such luck. In Dr. Gardners modificationwhich is, strictly speaking, a sequeleach finds that his (her) problems have just begun. No one wants to hire the Scarecrow, his diploma notwithstanding. The Tin Woodman still cannot love or be loved, no matter how much he displays his ticking clock heart. The Cowardly Lion still finds that his fears have not been overcome, even with his medal. And Dorothy, although back in Kansas, still finds that the problem that caused her to flee Kansas in the first placethe conflict with Miss Gulch who has a sheriffs order to seize her dog Totois still no closer to being solved than it was prior to her departure. It is with the help of the Lizard of Oza wizard who was transformed into a lizard because people were dissatisfied with his complex solutions to their problemsthat the foursome find more realistic and gratifying solutions to their troubles. |
| Dorothy and the Lizard of OzBK13, Hrdcvr, Illust., 108 pp $7.50 |