During the subsequent decades after the novel's publication in 1900, it received little critical analysis from scholars of children's literature. Lists of suggested reading published for juvenile readers never contained Baum's work, and his works were rarely assigned in classrooms. This lack of interest stemmed from the scholars' misgivings about fantasy, as well as to their belief that lengthy series had little literary merit.
during the subsequent decades after the novel's publication in 1900 it received little critical analysis from scholars of children's literature lists of suggested reading published for juvenile readers never contained baum's work and his works were rarely assigned in classrooms this lack of interest stemmed from the scholars' misgivings about fantasy as well as to their belief that lengthy series had little literary merit