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Title: The Wiz is back
Review: While not quite as compelling or dramatic as other installments in the Oz series, "Dororthy and the Wizard in Oz" is a pleasant follow up to "Ozma of Oz" (the strongest of all the early Oz entries). Baum doesn't try to accomplish too much in this tale--his main intent seems to get that humbug of a wizard back to Oz. Along the way there are some amusing adventures, populated with wonderful new creatures and characters. As a child, I especially enjoyed the scene (and illustration) in which the Wizard slices the vegetable king cleanly in half, though the escape from the gargoyles is also quite engaging. I think girls will love this book for the return of Dorothy and for the rascal, Eureka the kitten, while the boys will love the Wizard's dastardly sword and slights-of-hand that he performs throughout the book.
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