He wrote 69 books beloved by children, including The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, which became a classic movie.
Lyman Frank Baum was born on May 15, 1856, near Syracuse, New York. Because he had a weak heart, Frank led a quiet life as a child and was educated largely by tutors. A brief stay at a military academy was not successful, and Frank returned home to indulge his taste for reading, writing, stamp collecting, and chicken breeding. He also published two different monthly newspapers during his teenage years.