Originally published in The Baum Bugle, vol. 62, no. 3 (Winter 2018), pg. 52
Citations
Chicago 17th ed.:
Albright, Jane. Review of The Magic Belt, by Paul Miles Schneider, Baum Bugle 62, no. 3 (2018): 52.
MLA 9th ed.:
Albright, Jane. Review of The Magic Belt, by Paul Miles Schneider, The Baum Bugle, vol. 62, no. 3, 2018, p. 52.
(Note: typographical errors have been left in place to accurately reflect the printed version.)
THE MAGIC BELT by Paul Miles Schneider. CreateSpace, 2018. 272 pages. Paperback, $15.00. ISBN: 9781724902559.
When shaken by an earthquake, who thinks it’s a sign that the Nome King is coming, burrowing his way into our world to wreak the kind of havoc he famously incites in Oz? That would be author Paul Miles Schneider. In this, the third of his Oz-themed novels, Schneider takes that idea and leads his readers on another fantastic adventure. The Magic Belt has found its way outside Oz, the Nome King wants it back, and—based on Donald’s previous adventures—the Nome King is heading straight for him.
Since Silver Shoes (2009), which was recognized with a Kansas Notable Book Award, Schneider has continued to intrigue readers of all ages by allowing Oz magic to operate outside of Oz itself. His main character, young Donald Gardner, steps into the world of adventure when Dorothy’s Silver Shoes, the Powder of Life, and now the Magic Belt entangle him in the supernatural forces that power these magical devices. And Oz isn’t singled out: Donald occasionally encounters forces, characters, and famous magical instruments from other fantastic worlds in his efforts to do the right thing and protect those he loves from harm.
Schneider grew up reading his grandfather’s Oz books and is well versed in Baum’s Oz. Rather than follow those same plot formulas, however, Schneider’s stories generally take place in the Great Outside World. In this series, powerful authorities who know that Oz is real work to conceal that truth from the public. The Baum Oz books are explained as fantasies with some factual deviations and names changed to protect the innocent. Members of a secret society will stop at nothing to cross the Deadly Desert and find their way to the Emerald City. These are stories of quests, kidnapping, pursuit, escape, and Flying Monkeys. In this latest title, Schneider adds mysterious notes discovered in the margins of an antique copy of The Wizard of Oz, penned in a secret language no one outside Oz should know.
Previous adventures have left sixth-grader Donald wise beyond his years. He’s been to Oz and knows its primary characters on sight. Seeing those friends in his world? That’s startling. On Halloween, it’s especially hard to know if his eyes deceive him in confusing night of cosplay. From being captured by a wicked witch to learning his grandmother’s family secret, all while dodging a ruthless bullies Duane and Tommy Wheeler, Donald must race against the clock to save his hometown from an approaching Nome invasion.
As Oz fans would expect, The Magic Belt uses transformations and transportation through time and space. Schneider’s own readers will be pleased to see Donald’s friend Katie take on a more prominent role, as well as brief appearances by the agents Donald met in previous books. While Schneider could end his series here, he didn’t write so tight an ending that it wouldn’t allow for another trip. The Magic Picture? The Magnet of Love? I can’t help hoping for more.
Authors of articles from The Baum Bugle that are reprinted on the Oz Club’s website retain all rights. All other website contents Copyright © 2026 The International Wizard of Oz Club, Inc. All Rights Reserved.