The Wicked Witch of Oz facts for kids
First edition
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| Author | Rachel Cosgrove Payes |
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| Illustrator | Eric Shanower |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | The Oz Books |
| Genre | Fantasy |
| Publisher | The International Wizard of Oz Club |
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Publication date
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1993 |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover) |
| Pages | 320 |
| ISBN | 1-930764-04-9 |
| Preceded by | The Ozmapolitan of Oz |
| Followed by | The Emerald Wand of Oz |
The Wicked Witch of Oz is an exciting fantasy novel written by Rachel Cosgrove Payes. This book is part of the famous Oz series, which was started by L. Frank Baum. Even though Rachel Cosgrove Payes wrote it in the early 1950s, it wasn't published until 1993.
Rachel Cosgrove Payes had already written another Oz book called The Hidden Valley of Oz in 1951. This was published by Reilly & Lee, who were the main publishers for the Oz series. The Wicked Witch of Oz was meant to be the next book in the series, planned for 1954. However, Reilly & Lee decided not to publish it because the Oz books were not selling as well anymore.
The book stayed unpublished for nearly 40 years. Finally, in 1993, The International Wizard of Oz Club published the first edition. It included new drawings by Eric Shanower. The club officially made it the 45th book in the Oz series. Rachel Cosgrove Payes always said she wouldn't let anyone read her story until it was a real book.
The Wicked Witch of Oz is followed by The Emerald Wand of Oz. This later book was written by Sherwood Smith in 2005.
Contents
Discover the Story: What Happens?
This book introduces a new villain named Singra, who is the Wicked Witch of the South. She wakes up after sleeping for 100 years! Her special Magical Musical Snuffbox tells her everything she missed. With this new information, Singra plans to get revenge on Dorothy Gale. Dorothy is the main hero who has changed things in Oz.
Singra's Tricky Plan
On her way, Singra helps a water nymph. Because of this, she gets a special wish: she can't be melted by water. This is important because her cousin, the Wicked Witch of the West, melted away. Singra then tricks the Scarecrow. She also tries to trick a girl she thinks is Dorothy into drinking a magic potion.
But Singra makes a big mistake! She thinks the girl is Dorothy, but it's actually Trot. The potion turns Trot into a piece of green cheese! Now, Dorothy must go on a quest to rescue her friend Trot. Meanwhile, Singra is still trying to get her revenge.
Dorothy's Amazing Friends
Dorothy gets help from Percy, a giant talking white rat. Percy was also in Rachel Cosgrove Payes's earlier book, The Hidden Valley of Oz. On their adventure, they meet a group of musicians called a rubber band. They also meet an animated neon man named Leon, known as Leon the Neon.
Dorothy, Percy, and Leon face a giant beehive. Dorothy and Percy even fly using hummingbird wings! Singra manages to turn Dorothy into a statue. But Dorothy's friends, including Ozma, the Wizard, and Jellia Jamb, work together. They figure out Singra's evil plan.
The End of the Witch's Wickedness
In the end, Singra drinks from the Forbidden Fountain. This makes her forget all her bad intentions and even her memories. Good wins over evil, and everyone in Oz is safe once more!
