The Road to Oz: Twists, Turns, Bumps, and Triumphs in the Life of L Frank Baum by Kathleen Krull, illustrated by Kevin Hawkes

From chapters.ca:
Kathleen Krull's lively text traces the life of L. Frank Baum from his dreamy privileged childhood in mid- 19th- century upstate New York through the many detours on his road to Oz. A failure as an actor, a breeder of prize chickens, a merchant in a wild west town, among other occupations, he finally made a success doing exactly what he had always loved to do: tell stories for children. Along the way, we see the antecedents of the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, green glasses, and other characters and attributes of the famous fantasy land. This is the first biography of L. Frank Baum that children can enjoy.