Just reread Ozma of Oz after 15 years, and wow—it’s still magic. Dorothy getting yeeted into a storm in a chicken coop? Iconic. Baum’s chaos never gets old.

Billina the sassy hen is my spirit animal. Her debates with Dorothy about ‘ethical eating’ had me cackling. Also, Princess Langwidere’s 30-head wardrobe? Peak absurdity. I want that problem.

The Nome King’s ornament trap is lowkey terrifying. Imagine being a decorative vase because you guessed wrong in a game. Dark.

Tiktok the robot is adorable but high-maintenance (‘Wind me or I stop functioning’—relatable). Fun fact: This might be literature’s first robot! Take that, Asimov.

PS: If you’ve seen ‘Return to Oz,’ this book explains the Wheelers’ origin. They’re somehow creepier in text.