The Wonderful Wizard of Oz has been translated into more than forty languages, and of course, served as the basis for one of history's most popular films, The Wizard of Oz, first released in 1939. The Marvelous Land of Oz is the first sequel to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, originally published in 1904. Baum writes that he wrote the sequel in response to thousands of letters from schoolchildren and to one little girl who journeyed all the way to Baum's home to ask that he write more stories about the Tin Woodsman and the Scarecrow and the Cowardly Lion. The Marvelous Land of Oz introduces new characters like Jack Pumpkinhead and the Gump, as well as the original favorites.