Lyman Frank Baum (1856–1919) was an American writer, poet, and playwright, the author of the famous series of books about Oz. Throughout his life, he wrote several dozen various works and also tried his hand as an actor, playwright, merchant, and magazine editor. His most successful creation was the series of narratives about the wondrous land of Oz. The first book in the series, "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz," was published in 1900 and became the best-selling children's book in the USA. Soon the story of the girl Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion captured the whole world. Four years later, Baum wrote a sequel, which was also well-received by the public. As a result, Baum penned fourteen books dedicated to adventures in the land of Oz. Screen adaptations and theatrical productions based on the travels of little Dorothy began during Baum's lifetime, and his books continue to be reprinted in numerous editions and translated into various languages today. This edition presents the ninth and tenth parts of the series. In "The Scarecrow of Oz" (1915), Captain Bill and the girl Trot join forces with Ork and the beloved Scarecrow. After visiting the land of the Wicked, they overthrow the cruel King Zobo, who had frozen the heart of Princess Gloria. The book "King Rinkitink in Oz" (1916) was dedicated to Baum's newly born grandson. It tells the story of Prince Ingvar from the island of Pingare. Together with King Rinkitink, he travels across magical islands to save the pingarians and his parents from evil invaders. The edition is adorned with charming illustrations by the American artist John R. Neill; he was the first to illustrate the wonderful stories about the magical land of Oz.
John R. Neill (1877–1943) is known as an illustrator of children's books. His creative journey began early: even in high school, John drew for the school newspaper. Later, Neill started collaborating with periodicals: he worked on comic drawings as well as illustrated stories for children. In 1904, Neill's drawings adorned the first edition of Baum's second book about the land of Oz — "The Wonderful Land of Oz." Since then, Neill illustrated every book in this series, including those tales written by other authors after Baum's death. Moreover, the artist himself created several tales about the land of Oz. His illustrations, expressive and dynamic, beautifully convey the characters' personalities and the appearance of the magical land full of wondrous marvels.
