W. W. (William Wallace) Denslow

W. W. (William Wallace) Denslow
William Wallace Denslow was an American illustrator and writer, best known for his collaboration with author L. Frank Baum on "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz." Born in 1856, Denslow contributed iconic illustrations that helped shape the visual identity of the book. He also illustrated Baum’s earlier works like "Father Goose: His Book," which was a major success. Later in his career, Denslow created his own series of illustrated children's books, including "Denslow’s Mother Goose," but his fame never quite matched his earlier Oz-related success.

Author's Books:


I was born near Ottawa, Illinois, January 6th, 1852, of Scotch-Irish descent. My great-great-grandfather Johnston was a Presbyterian clergyman, who graduated from the University of Edinburg, Scotland. My mother's name was Finch. The family originally came from New England and were typical Yankees as far as I have been able to trace them. My father, whose full name I bear, died six months previous... more...

long time ago in a cottage on the edge of a great forest there dwelt a little girl by the name of Golden Hair; she was an orphan and lived with her grandmother who loved her dearly. The grandmother was very old and so most of the house work was done by Golden Hair; but she was so young and strong she did not mind that a bit, for she had plenty of time to play and was merry the whole day long. Although... more...