For parents

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz for Kids: A Parent’s Guide

A cyclone, a yellow brick road and three friends who already have what they’re looking for. How to bring Baum’s original story to young readers.

By Sean Lee · October 27, 2026

What is The Wonderful Wizard of Oz about?

L. Frank Baum’s book, first published in 1900, begins on a gray Kansas prairie, where a cyclone lifts Dorothy’s house, with Dorothy and her little dog Toto inside, and sets it down in the bright Land of Oz. To get home, Dorothy must follow the yellow brick road to the Emerald City and ask the great Wizard for help.

On the way she meets a Scarecrow who wants brains, a Tin Woodman who wants a heart and a Cowardly Lion who wants courage. Together they cross a deep forest, a river and a field of sleepy poppies, face the Wicked Witch of the West, and discover that the Wizard is not quite what he seems.

Meet the characters

• Dorothy Gale: a kind, sensible Kansas girl who just wants to go home.
• Toto: Dorothy’s lively little black dog.
• The Scarecrow: wants brains, but keeps coming up with the best ideas.
• The Tin Woodman: wants a heart, and is the gentlest of them all.
• The Cowardly Lion: wants courage, yet is brave whenever his friends need him.
• The Wizard of Oz: a kindly old balloonist from Omaha who pretends to be a great wizard.
• The Wicked Witch of the West: a cruel ruler who wants Dorothy’s silver shoes.
• Glinda the Good Witch: the wise sorceress of the South who shows Dorothy the way home.

How is the book different from the movie?

Many families know the 1939 film, and children love spotting the differences. In Baum’s book, Dorothy’s magic shoes are silver, not ruby, and Oz is a real place, not a dream. There are adventures the movie leaves out, like the raft across the river, the Queen of the Field Mice who rescues the Lion from the poppies, and a whole village made of china. The Good Witch of the North and Glinda are two different witches, and Dorothy meets Glinda only at the end.

Is it too scary for young children?

The Wicked Witch, the wolves and the Winged Monkeys can feel exciting, but the book never lingers on them, and the Good Witch’s kiss keeps Dorothy safe the whole way. A gentle retelling keeps those scenes short. Most children ages 6–9 enjoy it as a read-aloud, especially when they can cheer for the friends.

Big ideas to talk about

• We often already have what we wish for: the Scarecrow is clever, the Tin Woodman is loving and the Lion is brave.
• Good friends help each other reach their goals, not just their own.
• Being brave doesn’t mean not being afraid. It means doing the right thing anyway.
• There’s no place like home, and the people who love us are what make it home.

Activities

• Make a paper yellow brick road across the floor and act out the journey.
• Look through green-tinted cellophane “spectacles” and see the world turn emerald.
• Draw what you would ask the Wizard for, and then think about how you already have a little of it.
• Use our free Wizard of Oz discussion questions, character cards and unit study.