I don’t know when my love of The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum began, but I think I fell back in love with the story again when I checked out the three-dimensional version illustrated by Nicola L. Robinson.
image from Amazon.com
This version, while granted not as beautiful in my eyes as the movie, was gorgeous and full of moving images of the story. Before this book, I never read the story, so to pair the words with the illustrations was almost like magic to me.
Oh? This book was for the kids? That’s right. I shared the story with my 4-year-old daughter and I could just see the magic her eyes were capturing as we uncovered each new pop-up image. If only I had captured video of her eyes lighting up as we unveiled the Emerald City and she compared how big it was compared to the images of Dorothy, the Tin Man, Cowardly Lion, and the Scarecrow. Or, was the best moment at the end when Dorothy is reunited with Aunt Em and they embrace in the final three-dimensional illustration? I can’t pick my favorite moment, and I am sure she can’t pick her favorite image. Did I mention the cover is even 3-D? No detail was left undone.
This version of the story is one of many different options you can pick when you search for a Wizard of Oz book, but it’s truly a beautiful one. Since the illustrations in the three-dimensional images are so gorgeous and intricate, I will not let Arianna take the book off my desk (honestly, I still put it back in the wrapper after I read it with her!). Robinson put a lot of time into the pen and ink images, and I’d hate to see them torn at the hands of a four-year-old.
While working on this review, I stumbled upon Robinson’s blog and found this post about how excited she was to share the book with her readers. (As well she should be, the book seriously gives me chills based on the beauty.)
One final interesting fact…I learned that the movie wasn’t 100% true to Baum’s text. The ruby red slippers were actually silver and red was only for technicolor. Hmm! Now I wonder if when Arianna puts on the Dorothy costume I found for her she’ll demand to wear her silver shoes instead?
You can get your own copy of this beautiful book to share with your children or the biggest Wizard of Oz fan in your life by picking up a copy from Insight Editions for $22.99.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for a review. All opinions are 100% my own.
I love this movie , have watched it so many times growing up and i still do with the little ones, this book sounds awesome in 3-D
thanks for sharing and about those slippers LOLL
I know they say don’t judge a book on it’s cover, but my 9 year old daughter would take one look at this book and would be begging for it =) Looks awesome! Thanks for sharing!!!
My Mom collects Oz stuff, probably because she looked like Judy Garland when she was younger. I’ll have to hunt this up for her.
My grandchildren love the Wizard of Oz and would really like this. I will have to find it for them. Thanks for the post.
Gorgeous illustrations. Great story. How can anyone go wrong with this book!
I love the Wizard of Oz, this is a great post!
I will have to look for this book so I can share it with my grandaughters, they loved the movie!