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The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
by MonaA read-along series that turns readers into literary detectives. Lesson by lesson, learners read a section of the book, then dig into what Baum hid in plain sight — learning to track evidence, spot patterns, question characters' claims, and build real interpretations. Written for readers 8 and up, but the questions go all the way down.
Library
Reading Along the Yellow Brick Road
Lesson 1
Baum's Peculiar Promise
Before the story even starts, Baum makes a bold promise about his own book — and a literary detective never lets a promise like that slip by unexamined.
StartLesson 2
Fifty Shades of Gray Kansas
Chapters 1–2: Count a certain word Baum uses again and again. Why would the author of the most colorful story ever written begin in black and white?
Locked till you take the prior lessonLesson 3
The Scarecrow's Case File
Chapters 3–4: A new friend insists he has no brain. Open a case file — because the evidence may not agree with him.
Locked till you take the prior lessonLesson 4
The Man Who Lost His Heart on Purpose
Chapter 5: The Tin Woodman has an extraordinary backstory. Listen carefully — his own story reveals something he hasn't noticed about himself.
Locked till you take the prior lessonLesson 5
The Lion Who Called Himself a Coward
Chapter 6: A terrifying beast admits he is frightened of everything. Does his behavior match his confession?
Locked till you take the prior lessonLesson 6
Who Actually Saves the Day?
Chapters 7–9: Danger after danger on the road. Track who solves each crisis — the pattern that emerges will surprise you.
Locked till you take the prior lessonLesson 7
The City of Green Glasses
Chapters 10–11: Everyone in the Emerald City must wear spectacles. What is Baum really saying about what we see and what we believe?
Locked till you take the prior lessonLesson 8
How to Melt a Witch
Chapters 12–13: The travelers face the Wicked Witch. Look closely at what her power is actually made of — and how thin it turns out to be.
Locked till you take the prior lessonLesson 9
The Man Behind the Curtain
Chapters 14–15: The great reveal. Why did an entire city believe? And why did you?
Locked till you take the prior lessonLesson 10
Gifts That Aren't What They Seem
Chapters 16–17: The Wizard grants three wishes with very strange gifts. Do they actually work — and what does that tell you?
Locked till you take the prior lessonLesson 11
The Long Road South
Chapters 18–22: One last journey, new obstacles, no Wizard to ask. Watch what each companion does now that they're on their own.
Locked till you take the prior lessonLesson 12
The Power She Had All Along
Chapters 23–24: The ending raises the biggest question in the book. Why would anyone choose gray Kansas over magical Oz?
Locked till you take the prior lessonStepping Back: The Whole Book
Lesson 13
Was Baum Telling the Truth?
Return to that promise from the introduction. With the whole book as your evidence, build your verdict like a literary lawyer.
Locked till you take the prior lessonLesson 14
The Secret Meanings People Find in Oz
Whole book: Some readers say Oz is really about farmers, money, and political power. Learn how to judge a big claim — with evidence from the text.
Locked till you take the prior lesson