When L. Frank Baum published The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in 1900, children's books were usually serious lessons about good behavior. Baum wanted something different. He wanted to write a story that was simply fun. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz follows Dorothy, a girl from Kansas who is swept to a magical land by a cyclone. She meets a Scarecrow who wants a brain, a Tin Woodman who wants a heart, and a Cowardly Lion who wants courage. Together, they travel the Yellow Brick Road to find the Wizard of Oz. Baum was born in New York in 1860. Before becoming a writer, he tried many jobs. He was a chicken farmer, a store owner, and a newspaper editor. He also loved the theater and once toured the country performing in plays. When he finally sat down to write, he drew on all those experiences. The Oz books were an instant success, and Baum wrote thirteen more sequels before his death on May 6, 1919. The story became even more famous in 1939 when it was made into a movie starring Judy Garland. Today, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz remains one of the most adapted stories in American literature.