Toto

By: A. J. Hackwith

Narrated by: André Santana

The true hero of The Wizard of Oz takes center stage in this brilliant, delightfully snarky reimagining from the author of The Library of the Unwritten.

“Heartfelt and often hilarious. . . . Toto takes his place among the pantheon of Very Good literary canines.”—The Washington Post

I was mostly a Good Dog until they sold me out to animal control, okay?

But if it’s a choice between Oz, with its creepy little singing dudes, and being behind bars in gray old Kansas, I’ll choose the place where animals talk and run the show for now, thanks.

It’s not my fault that the kid is stuck here too, or that she stumbled into a tug-of-war over a pair of slippers that don’t even taste good. Now one witch in good eyeliner calls her pretty and we’re off on a quest? Teenagers.

I try to tell her she’s falling in with the wrong crowd when she befriends a freaking hedge wizard made of straw, that blue jay with revolutionary aspirations, and the walking tin can. Still, I’m not one to judge when there’s the small matter of a coup in the Forest Kingdom....

Look, something really stinks in Oz, and this Wizard guy and the witches positively reek of it. As usual, it’s going to be up to a sensible little dog to do a big dog’s job and get to the bottom of it.

And trust me: Little dogs can get away with anything.

©2024 A.J. Hackwith (P)2024 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"Full of energy, wit, and no shortage of snark, Toto made me grin from start to finish. This is my headcanon for Oz now—the version of Oz we all need!"—Jo Miles, author of Ravenous State

“A nostalgic yet innovative dive back into Oz that fans won’t want to miss.”—She Reads

“Toto's witty voice and the intricate layers of scheming elevate this adventure beyond mere fan fiction. It's a treat.”—Publishers Weekly

YA Story

Interesting variation on a classic. Not very sophisticated characters. I might recommend it to my necessary and nephews.

Toto finally has his moment!

If you know anything about me, you know I love a book with a sassy dog narrator! This one definitely fits the bill. Toto is the smart, snarky little terrier we all expect him to be and so much more. I love his descriptions of Oz and the other characters. His determination to become a bad dog despite his good nature is admirable though ineffective.
The other familiar characters from the original story are all there along with a few new additions, all of whom are quite entertaining.
Overall this was a very satisfying retelling of the Wizard of Oz. 4 stars.

Lots of fun & heartwarming too

Don’t take this story too seriously and you’ll have an amazing time. Narrator is fantastic. It’s very funny, tongue in cheek, but there’s also a lot of very sweet moments that make the characters shine!

Fantastic Oz retelling!

Not gonna lie, it was the cover that drew me in ... and I'm so glad it did! "Toto" is an utterly amazing retelling of the classic Oz story with a wise yet snarky terrier leading the way. I laughed out loud -- like, literally, out loud! -- more times than I care to admit, all of those moments listening to this story while out in public. And you know what? I have zero regrets! "Toto" is such a captivating story that I happily went along on this sometimes chaotic, occasionally heartfelt, and always colorful whirlwind of a ride. In addition to the loads of giggles, I legit teared up numerous times. True friendship will do that to you! "Toto" the book is highly recommended. And Toto the dog is, in the end, one very good boy.

PS - Great narration with such distinctive voices for each character!

A good laugh will be had

If you need an excellent gut-busting laugh, try this retelling of the Wizard of Oz story
. Told by Toto, the dog.

Keep an open mind and enjoy the ride

Toto, the snarky narrator of this tale, is great! I wish I’d been warned, however, that it is a “modern” take on the classic Oz tale, replete with cell phones (“pocket screens”) and current pop culture references, which at times feel anachronistic. My sole criticism of this is that it was used as a device to explain away how Toto knew so many things, but at other times Toto was ignorant of common knowledge items. If you are looking for fun rather than a tale that sticks to “canon”, keep an open mind and enjoy the tale.