Patchwork from the Land of Oz. Tik-Tok from the Land of Oz

Lyman Frank Baum (1856–1919) was an American writer, poet, and playwright, the author of the famous series of books about the Land of Oz. During his life, Baum wrote several dozen different works. He also tried his hand as an actor, playwright, merchant, and magazine editor. His most successful creation was the cycle of stories about the wonderful Land of Oz. The first book about it, "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 captivated the whole world. Four years later, Baum wrote a sequel, which was also well received by the public. As a result, fourteen books dedicated to adventures in the Land of Oz came from Baum's pen. Screen adaptations and theatrical productions based on the journeys of little Dorothy began even during Baum's lifetime, and his books were translated into various languages of the world. This edition introduces the reader to the seventh and eighth parts of the series. "Patchwork from the Land of Oz" tells the story of a boy named Ojo traveling through the strange land. Together with his ragged friend Patchwork, the hero tries to obtain a miraculous remedy that will help him save his uncle, accidentally turned into a stone statue. The heroine of the next book, "Tik-Tok from the Land of Oz," is a girl named Betsy Bobbin. Accidentally arriving in the Land of Oz from Oklahoma as a result of a shipwreck, she meets the Woodsman and decides to help him rescue his brother, who is languishing in captivity of the king of gnomes. The works are adorned with marvelous illustrations by American artist John R. Neill, who illustrated the first editions of the wonderful stories about the magical Land of Oz.

John R. Neill (1877–1943) was a well-known American illustrator of children's literature. His creative path began early, even in high school — back then, the boy drew for the school newspaper. Later, Neill began collaborating with periodicals: he worked on comic illustrations and illustrated stories for children. In 1904, the first edition of Baum's second book about the Land of Oz, "The Marvelous Land of Oz," was published with illustrations by Neill. Since then, Neill illustrated every book in this cycle, including works written by other authors after Baum's death. Moreover, Neill also wrote several stories about the Land of Oz himself. His illustrations, expressive and dynamic, splendidly convey the characters' traits and the look of the incredible land, full of amazing wonders and phenomena.