Happy Birthday to a man who has given delight to young readers and movie viewers of all ages for over 100 years. 
Lyman Frank Baum was born in Chittenango, New York on May 15, 1856, and died in Glendale, California on May 6, 1919. He is best known for writing The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, published in 1900, and thirteen Oz sequels. He wrote a number of other books, both for children and adult readers.
Baum had a checkered career as a raiser of fancy poultry, a storekeeper, a newspaperman, an actor and theatrical manager, and a door-to-door salesman before becoming a successful author in his forties. His first book for children, Mother Goose in Prose, was a modest success. Then he teamed up with illustrator W. W. Denslow to produce The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and the rest is history. 
Baum’s popular children’s book was first made into a successful stage musical in 1902. It also appeared on the screen as a silent film three times, before becoming one of the most popular and innovative movies ever in 1939. A beloved classic, The Wizard of Oz continues to bring happiness to its many viewers.
Frank Baum, who said:
“I believe that dreams — day dreams, you know, with your eyes wide open and your brain machinery whizzing — are likely to lead to the betterment of the world. The imaginative child will become the imaginative man or woman most apt to create, to invent, and therefore to foster civilization.”
Posted by Nancy, who wants to take a trip to Oz.
