Ozma of Oz

Gr 4–7—Dorothy and Uncle Henry are sailing to Australia when Dorothy is swept aloft in a chicken coop that lands in the middle of the ocean. Gutsy as ever, Dorothy floats fearlessly with Billina, a talking hen. They arrive in Ev, a fantasy land with dinner pails in trees, a wind-up mechanical man, and a princess with interchangeable heads. Briefly imprisoned, Dorothy and her new friends are rescued by her Oz companions and Ozma, the kingdom's young ruler. They unite to save the queen of Ev and her 10 children, all prisoners of an underworld gnome king. When most of them are transformed by king's magic into household ornaments, Billina saves them by overhearing the king's boasts. After a short return to Oz, Dorothy uses the gnome king's magic belt to get back to Uncle Henry. Narrator Erin Yuen creates distinct vocal personalities including an appropriately stilted voice for the mechanical man.