Look, most 120-year-old books are a total slog, but this one actually holds up. It’s got a chaotic energy that feels weirdly modern—like a proto-Adventure Time.

The ending reveal where the boy protagonist, Tip, is transformed back into Princess Ozma is a fantastic, low-pressure way to talk about gender and identity without it feeling like a 'Lesson.'

It’s not as iconic as the first book, but in many ways, it’s more imaginative. If your kid is bored of the standard hero's journey, give them the one with the sentient sofa.