To My Readers

           It’snouse;nouseatall.Thechildrenwon’tletmestoptellingtalesoftheLandofOz.Iknowlotsofotherstories,andIhopetotellthem,sometimeoranother;butjustnowmylovingtyrantswon’tallowme.Theycry:"Oz—Oz!moreaboutOz,Mr.Baum!"andwhatcanIdobutobeytheircommands?

           ThisisOurBook—mineandthechildren’s.Fortheyhavefloodedmewiththousandsofsuggestionsinregardtoit,andIhavehonestlytriedtoadoptasmanyofthesesuggestionsascouldbefittedintoonestory.

           Afterthewonderfulsuccessof"OzmaofOz"itisevidentthatDorothyhasbecomeafirmfixtureintheseOzstories.ThelittleonesallloveDorothy,andasoneofmysmallfriendsaptlystates:"Itisn’tarealOzstorywithouther."Soheresheisagain,assweetandgentleandinnocentasever,Ihope,andtheheroineofanotherstrangeadventure.

           Thereweremanyrequestsfrommylittlecorrespondentsfor"moreabouttheWizard."ItseemsthejollyoldfellowmadehostsoffriendsinthefirstOzbook,inspiteofthefactthathefranklyacknowledgedhimself"ahumbug."Thechildrenhadheardhowhemountedintotheskyinaballoonandtheywereallwaitingforhimtocomedownagain.SowhatcouldIdobuttell"whathappenedtotheWizardafterward"?Youwillfindhiminthesepages,justthesamehumbugWizardasbefore.

           TherewasonethingthechildrendemandedwhichIfounditimpossibletodointhispresentbook:theybademeintroduceToto,Dorothy’slittleblackdog,whohasmanyfriendsamongmyreaders.