Amazon Cover
I would be remiss if I didn’t bring the spotlight on L. Frank Baum and his incredible Wizard of Oz series.
A female protagonist – strong and my age at the time I read them. Changed my world … changed a lot of women’s worlds. Dorothy went on the adventure and the others supported her. She killed the witches. She stood up to those in power.
Then the next book, The Marvelous Land of Oz, continued the story – but now the main character was a boy (Tip). EXCEPT, he becomes a she – Ozma of Oz – the rightful ruler of the land!
Mr. Baum supported the suffrage movement of his day, to the point of being the secretary for the local suffrage club. I can’t go all gooey over him, because he was still a product of his day and his views on PoC are definitely not 2017 approved.
But he did many things which have helped create the 2017 we live in. His strong female characters. His transgender character. His asexual leanings, removing nearly all romance from his books.
Reading his books is always a good day.