Trouble Under Oz - Hardcover

Smith, Sherwood

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0060296097 ISBN 13: 9780060296094

Publisher: HarperCollins, 2006

Synopsis

Big trouble is brewing in Oz! Sinister clouds boil ominously over the Emerald City, Dorothy has gone missing, and there are rumblings of rebellion in the Nome Kingdom. So a desperate plea for help goes out from Princess Ozma to two resourceful sisters from Kansas through the magic snow globe that helped bring them to Oz once before.

But the girls face troubles of their own at home, and only one of them can answer Ozma's call. It's up to Dori to prevent a war deep in the caverns of the Nomes, while Em tries to do the same between their parents. It's hard to say who has the tougher job.

Written by acclaimed fantasy author Sherwood Smith and adorned with marvelous full-page black-and-white illustrations by William Stout, Trouble Under Oz is the second adventure featuring Dori and Em, two modern-day descendants of Dorothy Gale. The girls find themselves drawn even deeper into the affairs of the magical land they first visited in The Emerald Wand of Oz.

About this title

About the Author:

Sherwood Smith began making books out of taped paper towels when she was five years old, and at eight began writing stories about another world full of magic and adventure -- and hasn't stopped yet. She has published more than two dozen books, ranging from space opera to children's fantasy. Her children's fantasies have shown up on many library Best Books lists. One, Wren's War, was a finalist for the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award and was an Anne Spencer Lindbergh Honor Book. She has run writing workshops for nearly twenty years and has been active in organizing and participating in online workshops for more than ten. Her other young-adult books include Crown Duel, Wren to the Rescue, and Wren's Quest. Married more than twenty years (two kids, two dogs, and a house full of books), Ms. Smith is currently a part-time teacher as well as a writer. She lives in Southern California.

From School Library Journal:

Grade 4-6–Having defeated the new Wicked Witch of the West in The Emerald Wand of Oz (HarperCollins, 2005), Dorothy Gale's modern-day descendants are back for an entirely new adventure. This time, only Dori is free to return to Oz, while her sister Em must stay in our world to handle the girls' divorced parents. Once back, Ozma asks Dori to accompany Prince Inga to the world of the Nomes. It seems that Rik, the displaced Nome Prince, is hoping to usurp the Nomish throne. Together, Dori and Inga must aid Rik and try to avoid war both within the Nome community and with their underground neighbors as well. Along the way, they befriend invisible children and mermaids, defeat an Iron Giant, and face vicious monsters. As with the first book, Smith introduces favorite characters from the original series alongside new friends. The book's tone and content are faithful to L. Frank Baum's vision. Stout's pen-and-ink illustrations reference Art Deco artists and brilliantly evoke one of the original Oz illustrators, John R. Neill. As for the story itself, Oz purists will find great comfort in Smith's attention to detail and faithful incorporation of already existing lore. Newcomers will discover an engaging new series and may even be convinced to give Baum's stories a try.–Elizabeth Bird, New York Public Library
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About this edition

• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Publication date: 2006
• ISBN 10: 0060296097
• ISBN 13: 9780060296094
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 256
• Illustrator: Stout William