Summary:
When Dorothy leaves a storm shelter to chase after her dog, Toto, she is swept away in a tornado. Her house lands on the Wicked Witch of the East, killing her. The Good Witch of the North explains they are surrounded by dessert and it would be impossible to get back to Kansas without help from the Wizard of Oz. Then she sends Dorothy off with directions to follow the yellow brick road and to wear the silver shoes the Wicked Witch of the East was wearing. (The shoes have unknown but special powers). Along the way, Dorothy befriends a scarecrow, a tin woodman, and a cowardly lion who decide to join Dorothy because they each have something to request from the Wizard. They walk into a beautiful field of poppies that knocks out the lion and Dorothy. The Tin Woodman and Scarecrow can carry Dorothy through the field, but must solicit the help of an army of mice to pull the lion. After the field, they reach the Emerald City. The Wizard of Oz says he will grant their wishes if Dorothy kills the Wicked Witch of the West. When the group reaches the western land, the Wicked Witch of the West sends her slaves, the Winkies, to attack them. Dorothy's friends defeated the attack, so the Wicked Witch of the West sent flying monkeys. Dorothy was held hostage and one of her shoes was stolen by the Witch. Dorothy was so mad she threw a bucket of water which killed the Wicked Witch of the West. When they returned to the Emerald City, they waited many days only to find out the Wizard was a fake. He still managed to make good on his promises, but when Dorothy was set to travel with him in a hot air balloon to Kansas, the balloon left without her because she had to chase after Toto. They group traveled to the Good Witch of the North for help. She told them the silver shoes would help Dorothy get back to Kansas and they did. The Scarecrow, Tin Woodman, and Lion returned to various parts of the kingdom to be kind and welcomed leaders.
Cavallaro, M. (2005). The Wizard of Oz. New York, NY: Puffin Books.
My Impressions:
As I perused the graphic novels shelf at my public library, a Puffin Books series of graphic novels based on classic novels and plays caught my eye. The series included graphic novel adaptations of the Call of the Wild, Frankenstein, Treasure Island, The Red Badge of Courage, The Wizard of Oz and many Shakespeare classics. I was intrigued at the concept, so I picked up the story I knew best, The Wizard of Oz, to see how its graphic novel adaptation compared. I was pleasantly surprised. It was fun to read and to notice the differences. Some parts of the dialogue seemed to come directly from the movie version, while the treatment of the characters had a more modern spin.
I think this would be a fun series to incorporate into a school library for a few reasons. First, graphic novels are flying off library shelves right now. The more, the merrier. Second, even if a fad (although I doubt it), these selections would have more longevity than the basic manga or general graphic novel. They can be applied within the curriculum both as a paired selection to target comparison skills and as an accommodation for students with special learning considerations such as English language learning or Dyslexia. Third, teachers would be able to embrace these more easily than some of the other graphic novels students enjoy.
I think graphic novels can be a bit of a mystery to teachers. Many teachers have not been exposed to graphic novels or comic books either as a child or adult, so they are daunting to incorporate into a book discussion or into the curriculum. I found this to be true of American Born Chinese. I know it earned the Michael L Printz Award, but I do not support that it was worthy of the award. When you compare it to other Printz Award winners such as Jellicoe Road, there is far less depth and complexity. I imagine I may be missing the merit of American Born Chinese, but I would not be as excited to see a student read this book as I would if they were reading quality award-winning books. I saw it as a silly collection of stories that would appeal to boys especially, but I did not see award-winning quality. I imagine I have a lot of learning to do about graphic novels because a committee chose this book for a reason. The Wizard of Oz graphic novel version proved a good bridge to the genre as I get more familiar with this book style.
Professional Reviews:
A lively and charming adaptation of the quintessential American fairytale. Caballero's black-and-white art uses clean lines, bold blacks and pleasingly variegated panel layouts to breathe fresh vigor into Baum's timeless classic. The storyline moves briskly while staying mostly faithful to the original text, though purists might cavil at the telescoping of Dorothy's admittedly redundant journey to Glinda's castle. The real delight here is the re-imagining of beloved characters for the 21st century, ironically reminiscent of Baum's own prairie populism. These Munchkins are no Art Deco midgets, but as friendly and familiar as Wal-Mart shoppers. The Tin Man becomes a genial robot with a buzz-saw appendage, and the Scarecrow a likable homeboy. Generous, openhearted Dorothy herself is clearly on the cusp of adolescence, spunky and self-reliant in her boot-cut jeans and Wonder Girl bracelets; and her magical silver shoes (no glittery ruby pumps here!) look comfortable and sturdy, far more sensible for the long trek down the Yellow Brick Road. By no means a substitute for the original, but certainly a worthy companion, and well able to stand on its own.
[Review of the book The wizard of Oz, by M. Cavallaro]. (2005). Kirkus Reviews, 73(14), 786. Retrieved from http://www.kirkusreviews.com
In adapting the classic story for L. Frank Baum's The Wizard of Oz: The Graphic Novel (Puffin Graphics), Michael Cavallaro sets Dorothy's Kansas house into a small town of today. Uncle Henry wields a wrench instead of a plow, and Dorothy herself-about age 15-wears low-slung jeans and a hoodie. This sharply drawn black-and-white version will appeal to youth who appreciate a contemporary feel. David Hutchison's Oz the Manga (Antarctic Pr.) puts a more fanciful spin on the characters-the Tin Woodman is a large, clanking mecha exuding steam from his head, while the scrawny-sultry Wicked Witch of the West lives in a high turret cantilevered off a grotesque factory. By far the most striking adaptation is The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (Image Comics), a stylized and stylishly colored French import by David Chauvel and Enrique Fernández. Their Woodman portrayal suggests a Don Quixote built from a large tin can, while the winged monkeys appear as elegant mandrills. For more visually sophisticated readers of any age.
Cornog, M. (2009). [Review of the book The wizard of Oz, by M. Cavallaro]. Library Journal, 134(1), 68. Retrieved from http://www.libraryjournal.com
Library Uses:
Write the Movie Summer Challenge: The Wizard of Oz graphic novel has similarities and differences to the movie version. As a summer project, challenge students to write a graphic novel based on their favorite movie. As an incentive for participating, have a movie and popcorn party where all participants can share their graphic novels and vote on one the movies to watch.
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