A young Kansas girl is swept by a cyclone to a vivid, fantastical land and sets out to find a mysterious ruler who can send her home. Traveling the yellow brick road, she befriends a straw man wanting brains, a rusted tin man longing for a heart, and a timid lion seeking courage; together they reach a glittering capital, confront enchanted dangers such as a deadly poppy field and malevolent spells, and endure trickery by a wicked sorceress. Encounters with peculiar regions, talking creatures, and benevolent magic test their loyalty and self-knowledge, and ultimately practical cleverness and kindness produce a way for her to return.