This is my second favorite of the Oz series, right after Ozma of Oz. I love the new characters, the Shaggy Man and Polly especially. I really like that, while there are some challenges in the book, the main goal is a happy one. They're not on the run from anyone, they're all on their way to Ozma's birthday party, where they meet the greatest assortment of colorful individuals. Unlike some of the other books in the series, this one really stays true to the spirit of Oz, with unique but awesome characters like Johnny Dooit and Baum's version of Santa Claus, who is of course close friends with Ozma :) I suppose the only complaint I have is that the chapter titles give away way too much of what's going to happen, but that's the same in all of the Oz books. Again, loved seeing the reunions between many of the characters, even though they have been reuinted in the series already, it's always awesome seeing the original cast of Oz characters together and having fun.