The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum #Audiobook Review

Title: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

Author: L. Brank Baum

Narrator: Anne Hathaway

Length: 3 hrs. and 52 mins.

Audiobook Publisher: Audible Studios

One of the best-known stories in American culture, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz has stirred the imagination of young and old alike for over 100 years. Best Actress nominee Anne Hathaway lends her voice to this uniquely American fairy tale.

Follow the adventures of young Dorothy Gale and her dog Toto as they get swept away into the magical land of Oz , where they encounter characters and places you may remember from the movie - and several more that never made it to the big screen - on an unforgettable journey to the Emerald City.

"It's such a wonderful book and I was so happy to be a part of bringing it to life", Ms. Hathaway said. "There are a lot of great voices in it. The more fun you have with it, the sillier and the more free you get with it, the better it is because it's a story that can handle it. It's amazing to be able to discover something new about something you feel you know so well."

Source: Purchased

This is my honest review.

Rating: 5 Stars ~ Excellent

The journey to Emerald City never gets old!

I recently rediscovered this great American classic tale with my daughter, and the journey to Emerald City never gets old. If you’ve seen the movie, then you’re already familiar with the adventure of Dorothy and Toto. While there are slight differences between book and movie, I’d say the movie, which was originally released in 1939, was a pretty good adaptation. Without spoiling anything, the book does have a splash of dark tones, but still very engaging.

Two things made reading The Wonderful Wizard of Oz very special to me. First, the audiobook, narrated by actress Anne Hathaway, was an absolutely delightful listening experience! L. Frank Baum’s characters in this story are so magical, vivid, and lively. I thought Anne Hathaway flawlessly brought life with these familiar characters in her narration. The cast in the book is large, and there are some minor characters that weren’t portrayed in the movie. She had a different voice for everyone, and her ability to easily change her voice to the character of the moment showcased her excellent acting talents!

The other thing that was special to me was listening to this story with my daughter. The audiobook falls just slightly under four hours, so it’s definitely doable for young minds, especially since the story moves along at a nice pace. While I had read the book before, it was my daughter’s first journey to Oz, so to speak. We found ourselves quickly absorbed in the adventure and giggling at certain moments. Ms. Hathaway’s voices for the mice and stork were pretty funny! It was a lovely bookish, bonding experience for both of us, indeed. Whether you’ve seen the movie or read this book before, I still recommend the audiobook. It’s a very entertaining version of a timeless classic!