L. Frank Baum

About the Author

L. Frank Baum was born in 1856 to a family that became wealthy from the oil business. As a child he was weak in health and spent most of his time reading in his father’s study. Baum became the author of the first American fairy tale when he created The Wizard of Oz series.

Charles Santore is a nationally acclaimed illustrator whose works appear regularly in magazines. His honors include the Library of Congress’s 2009 National Book Festival Artist, the Society of Illustrators’ Award of Excellence, and the Hamilton King Award. His works are in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, the U.S. Department of the Interior, the Free Library of Philadelphia, and in many private collections. He lives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.