L. Frank Baum

L. Frank Baum was an American author, best known for his children's book, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. He was born on May 15, 1856, in Chittenango, New York, to a wealthy family. Baum was the seventh of nine children and spent most of his childhood in upstate New York. He was a sickly child and often stayed home from school, which allowed him to develop a vivid imagination.
Baum's father was a successful businessman, and the family moved frequently during Baum's childhood. Baum attended several different schools, including Peekskill Military Academy and Syracuse University, but he never graduated from college. Instead, he pursued a career in theater, working as an actor, playwright, and producer.
In 1899, Baum published The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, which became an instant classic. The book tells the story of a young girl named Dorothy who is swept away to a magical land called Oz. The book was an immediate success, and Baum went on to write 13 more Oz books.