A Lori Mitchell design for ESC. The Wizard of Oz is a children's novel written by American author Frank L. Baum, in 1900. The story starts with the main character, Dorothy, who sets upon a journey when a tornado rips through her home in Kansas. She and Toto land in the magical land of OZ. They travel the yellow brick road toward the Emerald City where they intend to meet the Wizard, hoping he will show them the way home to Kansas. In Lori Mitchell's depiction, you see the green head of the Wizard perched upon a golden throne, which we come to find out in the story is actually an illusion meant to scare away the travelers. Dorothy didn't give up though and saw behind the curtain!