The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Interactive (MinaLima Edition)

This is such a unique way to experience the original, unabridged “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.” I bought this copy to read to my children and promptly bought two more copies as gifts for young cousins and my son’s 3rd grade teacher (who was concurrently reading the story to his class). I loved the unique full color illustrations and details that were found on every page of the book; it made reading aloud more interesting and enjoyable, and I feel like it was easier to keep my children engaged through such a long story. I didn’t have difficulty in keeping the book closed with all the extra cardstock pop up’s, as other reviewers mentioned. It is definitively a “handle with care” item, as all pop up books are. This isn’t the copy you dog ear or read in the tub. The only issue I have with this version of book is that the creative license taken means that the pictures didn’t always match the text. I felt, at times, that I was viewing what the illustrator saw in their head, as opposed to what L Frank Baum actually described. He is a master storyteller so I would have appreciated more literal illustrations, although most of the time it wasn’t an issue. There was ONE glaring mistake early on in the illustrations that my brain just couldn’t move past. In the fold out map of Oz, the Munchkins are shown to be in the West, and the Winkies are shown to the East. Nope. The directions are so fundamental to the character’s journey through Oz that I probably checked my “never eat soggy waffles” mantra about 50 times before forcing myself to accept the discrepancy and turn the page. It wasn’t enough to make me knock a star off the review of this enchanting edition, but it bothered me enough to consider it. Of all the pictures to get right, that one was the most important. I love this story, and the others that follow in the Oz series. I love that this version is unabridged and slightly violent in the way most good children’s stories are. It’s a truly original tale about an exciting journey. It promotes kindness, bravery, resilience, critical thinking, healthy skepticism, and loyalty. Along the way it reveals great ironies about how the characters view themselves and others, and encourages the reader to shed pre-conceived notions and stories that might impede our own perception. To me, this book is a perfect illustration of the concept that life is about the journey, not the destination.

I simply don’t have words for how much my 11-year old daughter and I are enjoying this gorgeous and creative masterpiece. In a world where the visual matters more than ever before, it’s so much fun for us to gather together and enjoy the interactive visuals of a classic book together (instead of a screen!) while also making beautiful memories. Worth every penny. I can’t wait to start the next book in this series!

This is a beautiful book. The interactive pages are a delight! Very nice quality and well worth the price.

Bought it as a Christmas gift for my 8 year old daughter who is really into the movie Wicked. The book is much longer than what she usually reads but thanks to all the beautiful tricks and illustrations, she truly enjoys reading the book all by herself. I would love to buy other classic story books from the same series in the future.

This book is absolutely beautiful and a perfect collection piece

A beautifully bound book with wonderful pictures…..a delight for any age, especially young children interested in this subject!

This a beautiful picture book making the story even more compelling

This book is absolutely gorgeous! A keepsake for sure! The colors are vibrant. The pages are thick. All of the pop-ups and pullouts help make storytelling so much fun. Looking forward to buying all of these! Will keep for years to come and grandkids to come.