
There is so much that is different from the film versions that I am familiar with. This is the original version by L. Frank Baum and the famous film versions would be better classified as “inspired by” or “based on”. However, the basic story is still the same and is quite enjoyable.
The journey through Oz brings together three friends, a young girl from Kansas, a newly made scarecrow, a tin woodsman, and a lion. Each are on a journey to find what they desire: a home, brains, a heart, and courage. Through this journey they each show attributes of what they desire, but they do not see that they have these attributes.
The scarecrow wants brains, but he is the smart one in the journey. He is constantly putting forth ideas on how to help the companions out of dire situations. The tin man wants a heart, but he shows compassion when he harms other creatures or when his companions come to harm. The lion says he is cowardly, but he shows great courage is many incidents when the companions are in trouble. They do not see that they already have what they desire to get from the wizard. The wizard does not really give them anything of value, he just tricks them into thinking that he has. They still use their talents that in reality they have always had.
The differences I see right away: there are only three people at the opening of the story in Kansas (Dorothy, Aunt Em, Uncle Henry); The Good Witch of the North, is an old woman, not the young glamorous woman we are familiar with. Glinda is the Good Witch of the South in L. Frank Baum’s original version. There are also incidents as the companions are traveling that are described differently or are left out of the film versions entirely. Be this as it may, the story is still very good. It is nice to see the differences and read the original story to compare how the telling has changed over the years.
There is so much that is different from the film versions that I am familiar with. This is the original version by L. Frank Baum and the famous film versions would be better classified as “inspired by” or “based on”. However, the basic story is still the same and is quite enjoyable.
The journey through Oz brings together three friends, a young girl from Kansas, a newly made scarecrow, a tin woodsman, and a lion. Each are on a journey to find what they desire: a home, brains, a heart, and courage. Through this journey they each show attributes of what they desire, but they do not see that they have these attributes.
The scarecrow wants brains, but he is the smart one in the journey. He is constantly putting forth ideas on how to help the companions out of dire situations. The tin man wants a heart, but he shows compassion when he harms other creatures or when his companions come to harm. The lion says he is cowardly, but he shows great courage is many incidents when the companions are in trouble. They do not see that they already have what they desire to get from the wizard. The wizard does not really give them anything of value, he just tricks them into thinking that he has. They still use their talents that in reality they have always had.
The differences I see right away: there are only three people at the opening of the story in Kansas (Dorothy, Aunt Em, Uncle Henry); The Good Witch of the North, is an old woman, not the young glamorous woman we are familiar with. Glinda is the Good Witch of the South in L. Frank Baum’s original version. There are also incidents as the companions are traveling that are described differently or are left out of the film versions entirely. Be this as it may, the story is still very good. It is nice to see the differences and read the original story to compare how the telling has changed over the years.

A kingdom of rabbits that has been overthrown in a previous generation now seeks to restore the kingdom. This book gives shades of Redwall, Watership Down, and The Wind in the Willows story lines. (I need to read those again.)
Two young rabbits are driven from there home into the wider world that is filled with intrigue, betrayal, and war. They are looked down on and mistrusted because they are related to the one who helped betray the kingdom and helped it fall to their enemies, predator animals. They grow a bit and take on responsibilities while they are in a safe harbor. They find their callings and their duties to bringing back justice and the true ruler to the people.
I found the first story, The Green Ember, to be quite good. I will be looking for the rest of the series. I recommend this book for children who need a good adventure story and for adults who need a break from adulting.
This is the first story in a four book series by S. D. Smith that follows the adventures of Heather and Picket Longtreader as they join the fight to restore good in the kingdom. There are also prequel books (Green Ember: Old Natalia) as well as other series of books (Green Ember: Archer; Lost Tales; and Helmer) that are set in the same world as the original series (The Green Ember series).
Apparently there are many ways one can read all the series of these books. You can visit the series’ webpage to get a recommended reading list (https://thegreenember.fandom.com/wiki/The_Green_Ember_series) or read them how you want. Enjoy and have some fun.
A kingdom of rabbits that has been overthrown in a previous generation now seeks to restore the kingdom. This book gives shades of Redwall, Watership Down, and The Wind in the Willows story lines. (I need to read those again.)
Two young rabbits are driven from there home into the wider world that is filled with intrigue, betrayal, and war. They are looked down on and mistrusted because they are related to the one who helped betray the kingdom and helped it fall to their enemies, predator animals. They grow a bit and take on responsibilities while they are in a safe harbor. They find their callings and their duties to bringing back justice and the true ruler to the people.
I found the first story, The Green Ember, to be quite good. I will be looking for the rest of the series. I recommend this book for children who need a good adventure story and for adults who need a break from adulting.
This is the first story in a four book series by S. D. Smith that follows the adventures of Heather and Picket Longtreader as they join the fight to restore good in the kingdom. There are also prequel books (Green Ember: Old Natalia) as well as other series of books (Green Ember: Archer; Lost Tales; and Helmer) that are set in the same world as the original series (The Green Ember series).
Apparently there are many ways one can read all the series of these books. You can visit the series’ webpage to get a recommended reading list (https://thegreenember.fandom.com/wiki/The_Green_Ember_series) or read them how you want. Enjoy and have some fun.

Added to listFrom the Librarywith 6 books.

The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt is a nonfiction book that discusses the impact of the use of smart phones on teenagers. He discusses why children now have many mental disorders such as anxiety and depression. The author links these current disorders to the use of smart phones and other digital devices that are so prevalent in our current society. Later on in the book he gives some methods and action that could possibly solve the problem he sees.
The author discusses the history of the use of digital devices, especially smart phone. He also discusses the rise of the over protection of parents that keeps children closer to home than previous generations. He sites the lack of a “play based childhood” and the rise of a “digital based childhood” as the beginning of the problem he sees. He states in one section of his book that beginning with Generation Z, children were unable to form a permanent community of their peers, or “put roots into real world situations” as they are continually in the digital world. The author considers the rapid transformation of group dynamics he sees as “the great rewiring of childhood” and gives information on how and why today’s children are exploited by social media companies and their apps causing them to be addicted to them.
The author later on gives some methods and actions on how to solve this problem, how to have a more “play based” childhood and not spend so much time on in the digital world. He goes over what governments and technology companies, schools, and parents can do to lessen their children’s use of smart phones and other devices and decrease the over protection of children in the “real world” letting them explore and more experience.
The Anxious Generation is a must read for any adult who is concerned about children who are stuck in the digital world being influenced by people they have not and will not meet. This book is for any adult that wants a child to have more real world experience and just be a child and play.
The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt is a nonfiction book that discusses the impact of the use of smart phones on teenagers. He discusses why children now have many mental disorders such as anxiety and depression. The author links these current disorders to the use of smart phones and other digital devices that are so prevalent in our current society. Later on in the book he gives some methods and action that could possibly solve the problem he sees.
The author discusses the history of the use of digital devices, especially smart phone. He also discusses the rise of the over protection of parents that keeps children closer to home than previous generations. He sites the lack of a “play based childhood” and the rise of a “digital based childhood” as the beginning of the problem he sees. He states in one section of his book that beginning with Generation Z, children were unable to form a permanent community of their peers, or “put roots into real world situations” as they are continually in the digital world. The author considers the rapid transformation of group dynamics he sees as “the great rewiring of childhood” and gives information on how and why today’s children are exploited by social media companies and their apps causing them to be addicted to them.
The author later on gives some methods and actions on how to solve this problem, how to have a more “play based” childhood and not spend so much time on in the digital world. He goes over what governments and technology companies, schools, and parents can do to lessen their children’s use of smart phones and other devices and decrease the over protection of children in the “real world” letting them explore and more experience.
The Anxious Generation is a must read for any adult who is concerned about children who are stuck in the digital world being influenced by people they have not and will not meet. This book is for any adult that wants a child to have more real world experience and just be a child and play.

Added to listOwnedwith 23 books.