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Quick answer: If you loved The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, try The Marvelous Land of Oz, Ozma of Oz, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Peter Pan, Wicked and The Phantom Tollbooth. Each one is a magical journey with brave friends, strange lands and a hero searching for home.
L. Frank Baum's 1900 classic follows Dorothy, a girl from Kansas whose house is carried by a cyclone to the land of Oz. With her dog Toto, she follows the yellow brick road to the Emerald City, joined by a Scarecrow who wants a brain, a Tin Woodman who wants a heart and a Cowardly Lion who wants courage. Readers love its friendship, its adventure and its message. These books share its magical journeys.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Age | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Marvelous Land of Oz | L. Frank Baum | 7-11 | readers who want the next Oz book |
| Ozma of Oz | L. Frank Baum | 7-11 | readers who want Dorothy back |
| Alice's Adventures in Wonderland | Lewis Carroll | 7+ | readers who like strange lands |
| Peter Pan | J.M. Barrie | 7+ | readers who like Neverland |
| Wicked | Gregory Maguire | Adult | older readers |
| The Phantom Tollbooth | Norton Juster | 8-12 | readers who like quests |
| The Hobbit | J.R.R. Tolkien | 9+ | readers who like journeys |
| Coraline | Neil Gaiman | 9-12 | readers who like other worlds |
| Mary Poppins | P.L. Travers | 7-11 | readers who like magical classics |
| Dorothy Must Die | Danielle Paige | 14+ | teens who want a dark retelling |
| Charlotte's Web | E.B. White | 7-10 | readers who like friendship |
| The Wind in the Willows | Kenneth Grahame | 8+ | readers who like animal friends |
| Nevermoor | Jessica Townsend | 9-13 | readers who like magical cities |
| Finding Dorothy | Elizabeth Letts | Adult | readers who want the story behind Oz |
| The Little Prince | Antoine de Saint-Exupéry | 8+ | readers who like gentle wisdom |
1. The Marvelous Land of Oz by L. Frank Baum
A boy named Tip travels through Oz.
Best for: readers who want the next Oz book.
2. Ozma of Oz by L. Frank Baum
Dorothy returns to Oz.
Best for: readers who want Dorothy back.
3. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
A girl falls into Wonderland.
Best for: readers who like strange lands.
4. Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie
Children fly to Neverland.
Best for: readers who like Neverland.
5. Wicked by Gregory Maguire
The Wicked Witch's side of the story.
Best for: older readers.
6. The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
A boy drives into a land of words.
Best for: readers who like quests.
7. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
A hobbit joins a quest.
Best for: readers who like journeys.
8. Coraline by Neil Gaiman
A girl finds a sinister other mother.
Best for: readers who like other worlds.
9. Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers
A magical nanny comes to stay.
Best for: readers who like magical classics.
10. Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige
A Kansas girl finds Oz ruled by a tyrant Dorothy.
Best for: teens who want a dark retelling.
11. Charlotte's Web by E.B. White
A spider saves her pig friend.
Best for: readers who like friendship.
12. The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
Mole, Rat, Badger and Toad.
Best for: readers who like animal friends.
13. Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend
A cursed girl joins a secret society.
Best for: readers who like magical cities.
14. Finding Dorothy by Elizabeth Letts
Baum's widow watches the 1939 film being made.
Best for: readers who want the story behind Oz.
15. The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
A pilot meets a boy from a tiny planet.
Best for: readers who like gentle wisdom.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: its tone, its themes, its pace or the kind of characters it puts at the center. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious titles, and we noted who each book suits best so you can match it to the reader. Where a book belongs to a series, we list the first volume so you can start at the beginning.
If you are not sure where to begin, start with the first three picks in the table: they are the closest match to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The rest of the list moves further out, so it works well once you know which part of the original you liked most. If a pick is part of a longer series, read the first book before you commit, and check the age or content notes in the table before passing a book to a younger reader.
How to Choose
Continue with The Marvelous Land of Oz and Ozma of Oz. For other classic fantasy journeys, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Peter Pan are perfect. Older readers should try Wicked, while teens might enjoy Dorothy Must Die.
Related: Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie: Summary and Key Takeaways
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Wonderful Wizard of Oz about?
A Kansas girl travels to Oz and seeks the Wizard's help to get home.
How many Oz books did Baum write?
Fourteen.
Are the slippers silver or ruby?
Silver in the book; the 1939 film made them ruby.
What age is it for?
It suits readers about 7 to 11.
Who is the Wizard?
An ordinary man from Omaha posing as a great wizard.
Is Wicked based on it?
Yes. Wicked reimagines the Wicked Witch's story.
What should I read next?
Ozma of Oz.