Before Dorothy

By: Hazel Gaynor

Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld

THE USA TODAY BESTSELLER ∙ Long before Dorothy visits Oz, her aunt, Emily Gale, sets off on her own grand adventure, leaving gritty Chicago behind for Kansas and a life that will utterly change her, in this transporting novel from New York Times bestselling author Hazel Gaynor.

As featured in People ∙ Us Weekly ∙ Woman's World ∙ and more!

Chicago, 1924: Emily and her new husband, Henry, yearn to leave the bustle of Chicago for the promise of their own American dream among the harsh beauty of the prairie. But leaving the city means leaving Emily’s beloved sister, Annie, who was once closer to her than anyone in the world.

Kansas, 1932: Emily and Henry have established their new home among the warmth of the farming community in Kansas. Aligned to the fickle fortunes of nature, their lives hold a precarious and hopeful purpose, until tragedy strikes and their orphaned niece, Dorothy, lands on their doorstep.

The wide-eyed child isn’t the only thing to disrupt Emily’s world. Drought and devastating dust storms threaten to destroy everything, and her much-loved home becomes a place of uncertainty and danger. When the past catches up with the present and old secrets are exposed, Emily fears she will lose the most cherished thing of all: Dorothy.

Bursting with courage and heart, Before Dorothy tells the story of the woman who raised a beloved heroine, and ponders the question: what is the true meaning of home?

Critic reviews

"Gaynor's prequel offers a fresh take on the world of Oz, shifting the focus to Auntie Em and Uncle Henry before Dorothy is dropped on their doorstep."—Us Weekly

"Bestselling author Hazel Gaynor does for Dorothy and her family what Wicked did for The Wicked Witch of the West in this Depression-era origin story that peels back the intriguing layers of Auntie Em, the woman who raised Dorothy. Even casual fans of The Wizard of Oz will find their eyes widening in recognition as elements of the land of the Yellow Brick Road—the rainbow itself, the Tin Man, a stuffed lion with the power to comfort, wicked witches, and even fraudster wizards—come alive in the real world of Kansas's Dust Bowl and become the threads that will eventually weave themselves into Dorothy's future. A story as glimmering as the Emerald City and as hopeful as Dorothy herself, Hazel Gaynor's latest is an important and enchanting addition to the canon of Oz."—Kristin Harmel, New York Times bestselling author of The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau

“In Technicolor prose, Hazel Gaynor gives new meaning to the familiar phrase 'there’s no place like home' in this stunning novel that imagines the real lives of Auntie Em, Uncle Henry, Dorothy, and Toto in the dust bowl of the Depression. Readers will love collecting Easter eggs from the 1939 movie scattered throughout this moving story about family secrets and the enduring power of love. Ingeniously done.”—Kerri Maher, USA Today bestselling author of All You Have To Do Is Call

“Like Dorothy stepping into Oz, Hazel Gaynor’s new novel pulls Auntie Em out of a black and white background and into a full-color world all her own.”—Sarah Miller, USA Today bestselling author of Marmee and Caroline: Little House, Revisited

“Detailed descriptions capture each of the senses as this novel explores the cost of going after our dreams and what it means to truly be a family. Rife with allusions to the original source material, this is an engaging backstory with depth that will give book clubs much to discuss.”—Booklist

“Gaynor’s (The Last Lifeboat) writing incorporates elegant touches echoing Baum’s timeless characters, symbols, and themes. Readers will be touched by Em’s story and respect the strong woman who raised such an unforgettable literary heroine.”—Library Journal

The Rest of the Story

I really enjoyed listening to her version of the rest of the story! Auntie Em would be proud 🤗☀️🌾

story telling

Before Dorothy added to the beloved story The Wizard of Oz Wonderfully written, quickly captured my attention

Something different

I enjoyed the perspective of Aunty Em and the backstory. Also , I found learning more of the dust bowl era very interesting

Interesting

It was fun to pick up on all the innuendo’s to the Wizard of Oz and interesting to learn how Dorothy ended up in Kansas with Auntie Em and Henry. Also, learning about Auntie Em’s life and of course all the connections to Ireland. It was a book club book this round and I really enjoyed it and already recommended it to multiple people.

Love love

Before Dorthy : historical fiction - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ an absolute FIVE STAR read!!!!Dorthy’s aunt Gale’s own adventure long before Dorthy went to OZ…. How did 7yr old Dorthy end up in Kansas and how was auntie Em chosen to care for Dorthy …. Cute nodes or maybe for shadow to the Wizard of Oz

Loved it

Loved it
Highly recommend. Easy flowing story and the way the Wizard of Oz flows is genius

Beautiful Retelling!

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this, but it read like a beautiful historical fiction account of the Dust Bowl Era in Kansas— with Wizard of Oz Easter eggs woven in. In this version, we learn how Dorothy came to live in Kansas with Aunt Em and Uncle Henry. I loved it, and I learned a bit about the Dust Bowl, too.

Auntie Em origin story

I really enjoyed this book. It had so many familiar nuggets yet was a very different story. A fictional book with some historic elements. I definitely would recommend to read, especially in November because they usually rerun the Wizard of Oz around Thanksgiving.

This was a 6 star read for me!!!!

I am absolutely speechless… this book gave me all the emotions! Before Dorothy is a stunning prequel to the story we all know and love—The Wizard of Oz. Hazel Gaynor takes us on a beautiful, heartbreaking journey into the lives of Emily Gayle (Auntie Em) and Henry, showing us who Auntie Em truly is, how she became the woman we remember, and how Dorothy came to live with her aunt and uncle.

The amount of Easter eggs scattered throughout the story is unreal—every little nod to The Wizard of Oz made me smile and fall in love with it even more. As a HUGE Oz fan, this was pure perfection for me.

What surprised me most was how deeply rooted this story is in historical fiction. Set against the backdrop of the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl, the author weaves the fictional lives of Auntie Em and Dorothy seamlessly into real historical events. It gave the book so much depth and made the world feel alive and authentic.

This was truly a “wow” read for me—emotional, magical, and unforgettable. Hazel Gaynor completely reimagined the origins of a beloved classic while giving us something new and meaningful.

I was bored to tears

It was so bland I stoped listening . Repetitive and just stuck in a loop hole . I finally stoped . I got tired of forcing my self to read books that never changed for the good