First published in 1905, author L. Frank Baum considered ‘Queen Zixi of Ix or The Story of the Magic Cloak’ to be one of his greatest works. Closer in style to a traditional fairy tale than many of his other children’s stories, the plot centres around a magic wishing cloak created by Queen Lulea and her fairy subjects. The cloak will grant a single wish to each wearer of the cloak – unless they have come into possession of it by dishonest means. A captivating story, full of magic, morals, mystery, and wonder. A must-read for all Oz fans.
Lyman Frank Baum (1856 – 1919) was a prolific and well-known American writer. He is best known for his famous series of modern fairy tales set in the imaginary land of Oz. The first of the books, ‘The Wonderful Wizard of Oz’ is widely considered to be the first true American fairy tale and was the basis for the hugely popular 1939 classic musical ‘The Wizard of Oz’ starring Judy Garland. Born and raised in New York, Baum held a range of jobs including as a poultry farmer, clerk, and storekeeper before pursuing his talent for writing at the age of 41. He wrote 14 novels in the Oz series, as well as over 40 other novels and over 80 short stories. He died in California in 1919.
