hedwards: You should read the Wizard of Oz series. Baum was trying to create children's books that weren't so bloody, but the first book had the story about how the tin man became the tin man and it's every bit as gruesome as the Grimm fairy tales.
Lin545: Yes, that book too. And then special one, hardly available outside of ex-ussr block, but phantastic for children. Masterpiece, comparable to Oz. "Незнайка в Солнечном городе" by Nosov - "Ignorantkid in the city of sun". There is even part two - "Незнайка на луне", "Ignorantkid on the moon". Its still untranslated, a hidden gem. One needs to look at scans of illustrations from that book.
I read the Wizard of Oz when I was about 12 years old and I was excited by this Baum novel. Dorothy, Scarecrow, cowardly Lion and other are typical types of human nature. Regardless this novel was written for children, I think that it special philosophy and will be useful for adults.. The scarecrow which has no brains but want to get them, the coward lion which want to become brave..They pass through the terrible and dangerous experiences to get their dream..and at the end they found that they already have all they want..
Love it so much that even asked to my boyfriend to develop a game
http://www.slotozilla.com/free-slots/wizard-oz which is connected to this novel .. love ot for the unusual design regardless i don`t like to play such games.