The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

Dorothy is a young girl who lives on a small, gray Kansas farm with her Aunt Em, her Uncle Henry, and her little dog. She is cheerful, honest, and quick to care for others. She loves her home dearly even though the prairie around it is plain and quiet.

Toto is Dorothy's small black dog and her constant companion on the farm. He is playful, lively, and never far from Dorothy's side. His cheerful barking is one of the few happy sounds on the quiet gray prairie.

Aunt Em is the hardworking woman who raised Dorothy on a lonely Kansas farm. Years of prairie wind and endless chores have worn the color out of her, and she is not given to hugs or idle talk. She loves Dorothy in a quiet, worried way and keeps the little house running through drought and dust.

Uncle Henry works the grey Kansas prairie from dawn to dark and says very little. He is kind in a slow, silent way and treats Dorothy as one more creature on the farm who needs looking after. When the sky turns ugly he is the first to watch the horizon.

The Scarecrow is a cheerful figure made of straw who was set up in a Munchkin cornfield to frighten away crows. He is gentle, curious, and eager to see the world beyond his pole. He worries that he is not clever, yet he is thoughtful and kind.

The Tin Woodman is a woodcutter whose whole body is made of tin, found standing still in the forest. He is gentle, caring, and easily moved by the troubles of others, and he takes great care never to harm any living thing. He longs to feel love and hopes the great Wizard can help him.

The Cowardly Lion is a huge lion who lives in the forests of Oz and roars to seem fierce, even though he is frightened inside. He is honest about his fears and has a warm, loyal heart underneath his booming voice. He hopes the great Wizard can give him real courage.

The Good Witch of the North is a small, kind old woman who rules the northern part of Oz and is a friend to the Munchkins. She is cheerful, plain-spoken, and fond of giving useful gifts rather than long speeches. She is the first person of Oz Dorothy meets after the cyclone.

Glinda is the Good Witch of the South, known in Oz as a powerful witch who rules the Quadling Country. She is famous among her people for wisdom and kindness. Travelers hear her name as a ruler who is both beautiful and good.

The Wicked Witch of the West rules the yellow Winkie Country and is feared throughout Oz. She is greedy, suspicious, and determined to keep her power. People speak of her as a danger to anyone who travels west.

The Wizard of Oz is the great and terrible ruler of the Emerald City, known throughout the land for wonders no one has seen clearly. People speak of him with awe and hope that he can grant any wish. Dorothy and her friends travel the yellow brick road to ask him for help.

Boq is a well-to-do Munchkin who lives near the place where Dorothy first arrives in Oz. He is hospitable, talkative, and proud of his blue-clad country. He is among the first Munchkins to treat Dorothy as an honored guest.

The Queen of the Field Mice rules a vast nation of tiny grey mice who live in the meadows of Oz. She is brave, grateful, and very sure of her own dignity despite her size. She speaks with the manners of a real queen.

The King of the Winged Monkeys leads a tribe of flying monkeys who live in the forests of Oz. He is proud, old, and bound by an ancient charm to serve whoever owns a certain golden cap. He speaks with dignity about that bargain.

The Guardian of the Gate is the soldier who opens and locks the great gate of the Emerald City. He is careful, polite, and very particular about the rules of the city. No one enters Oz's capital without first meeting him and putting on the green spectacles.