Gillis has found a wealth of instruction material within the beloved classic novel (and its many subsequent permutations) The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and demonstrates how teachers can "take advantage of the inherent appeal of this classic film and its easy accessibility . . . to introduce and reinforce literary techniques to middle level students." He offers ideas around the concepts of alliteration, similes, puns, idioms, symbolism, foreshadowing, irony, and paradox.