L Frank Baum

Classics for Your Collection: goo.gl/U80LCr --------- A Kidnapped Santa Claus + A Bonus Book (American Fairy Tales by L. Frank Baum) "A Kidnapped Santa Claus" is a Christmas-themed short story written by L. Frank Baum, famous as the creator of the Land of Oz; it has been called "one of Baum's most beautiful stories" and constitutes an influential contribution to the mythology of Christmas. The story opens with a quick overview of Santa's castle in the Laughing Valley. Its focus soon switches to the five Caves of the Daemons in nearby (though unnamed) mountains. These creatures are pagan daemons rather than Christian demons, in that they are not servants of Satan or necessarily evil. Four of the five, the Daemons of Selfishness, Envy, Hatred, and Malice, certainly are bad, but the fifth, the Daemon of Repentance, is a more ambiguous figure. The Daemons of the Caves resent Santa Claus because children under the influence of his gifts rarely visit their caves. They decide to frustrate his efforts and counter his influence. (The Daemon of Repentance goes along with the plan, since children cannot reach his remote cave without passing through the caves of his compatriots beforehand.) The Daemons first try to tempt Santa Claus to their own vices; they visit him one by one, and attempt to lure him into selfishness, envy, and hatred. Santa Claus merely laughs at their clumsy efforts. (The obvious model for these episodes is the Temptation of Christ in the Synoptic Gospels.) Failing at temptation, the Daemons instead kidnap Santa Claus; they lasso him as he is riding in his sleigh on Christmas Eve, and bind him in their caverns. Santa Claus is accompanied on his rounds by a fairy, pixie, knook, and ryl, who travel under the seat of his sleigh; once the four realize that Santa is gone, they endeavor to complete his mission and deliver the gifts. They generally succeed, though with some mistakes; they deliver a toy drum to a little girl and a sewing kit to a little boy. Overall, though, they manage to save Christmas. Then they report Santa's absence; the queen of the fairies in the Forest of Burzee knows what has happened. An army of magical creatures is mustered to rescue the missing hero. Meanwhile, though, Santa is released from captivity by the Daemon of Repentance, who has repented the kidnapping. Santa meets the army on its way, and turns it back from attacking the daemons. Scroll Up and Grab Your Copy

I am going to tell a story, one of those tales of astonishing adventures that happened years and years and years ago. Perhaps you wonder why it is that so many stories are told of "once on a time", and so few of these days in which we live; but that is easily explained. In the old days, when the world was young, there were no automobiles nor flying-machines to make one wonder; nor were there railway trains, nor telephones, nor mechanical inventions of any sort to keep people keyed up to a high pitch of excitement. Men and women lived simply and quietly. They were Nature's children, and breathed fresh air into their lungs instead of smoke and coal gas; and tramped through green meadows and deep forests instead of riding in street cars; and went to bed when it grew dark and rose with the sun--which is vastly different from the present custom. Having no books to read they told their adventures to one another and to their little ones; and the stories were handed down from generation to generation and reverently believed. Those who peopled the world in the old days, having nothing but their hands to depend on, were to a certain extent helpless, and so the fairies were sorry for them and ministered to their wants patiently and frankly, often showing themselves to those they befriended.

“We’re off to see the Wizard! The wonderful Wizard of Oz!” Rediscover L. Frank Baum's timeless children’s classic that has charmed readers for generations. Readers of all ages will delight as they color their own Yellow Brick Road in this unforgettable and colorful journey. From Dorothy’s gray Kansas home into the blue Munchkin land; from the sparkling bejeweled Emerald City to the dark, foreboding forest; and finally, to the ruby-red throne room of Glinda the Good Witch readers can color their way through the wonderful land of Oz in this interactive story. Join the found family of Dorothy and Toto, Scarecrow, the Cowardly Lion, and the Tin Woodman as they journey through the wonderful land of Oz. This coloring book of The Wizard of Oz features:A beautifully designed paperback with coloring pagesA child-friendly retelling that remains faithful to L. Frank Baum's original textIllustrations by renowned artist Charles Santore, the critically-acclaimed illustrator of multiple classic tales, including The Night Before Christmas, The Velveteen Rabbit, The Classic Tale of Peter Rabbit, and Aesop's FablesIs a wonderful gift for young readers during the holidays or for birthdaysCharles Santore’s works has been widely exhibited in museums and celebrated with recognitions such as the prestigious Hamilton King Award, the Society of Illustrators Award of Excellence, and the Original Art 2000 Gold Medal from the Society of Illustrators. He is best known for his luminous interpretations of classic children’s stories, including The Little Mermaid, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, and Snow White.

The Magic of Oz: A Faithful Record of the Remarkable Adventures of Dorothy and Trot and the Wizard of Oz, Together with the Cowardly Lion, the Hungry Tiger and Cap'n Bill, in Their Successful Search for a Magical and Beautiful Birthday Present for Princess Ozma of Oz is the thirteenth Land of Oz book written by L. Frank Baum. In this book, the Wizard, Dorothy, and a few of her friends set off to find a birthday present for Ozma of Oz. Meanwhile, two of the most ineffectual villains in literature history try to take over Oz with the use of a magic word that allows you to change shape. Of course, the key word here is "try". Includes vintage illustration