John R. Neill (1877–1943) was an American illustrator and author best known for his beloved contributions to L. Frank Baum's Oz series. Often called the "Royal Illustrator of Oz," Neill brought the magical land to life with his distinctive, whimsical artwork across more than thirty books. Born in Philadelphia, he honed his craft as a newspaper illustrator before becoming synonymous with the Oz universe. Following Baum's death, Neill stepped beyond the drawing board to author three original Oz novels of his own: "The Wonder City of Oz," "The Scalawagons of Oz," and "Lucky Bucky in Oz."