The hobbit is not a children's book

In the hobbit, bilbo baggins is whisked away from his comfortable, unambitious life in hobbiton by the wizard gandalf and a company of dwarves. In my opinion, the villains in the hobbit are just as scary and gruesome as the orcs in lotr. These works have been celebrated around the world as benchmarks of. The book remains popular and is recognized as a classic in childrens literature. Ive read the book with my children, but decided to watch the movie alone first before showing it to them. For seventy years, curious george has represented the adventurous spirit and curiosityof everyone who loves to learn. Would you consider lord of the rings a childrens book. Keep kids learning with daily schedules and activities. Spelling and point of view are given as from the hobbit. Like all these books, the wind in the willows grew in the writing and ended. Discover book depositorys huge selection of children s books online. The hobbit is one of my favorite books and the illustrations, whether big or small, add even more character and charm to the story.

Tolkiens hobbit a childrens book for adults denver catholic. See the hobbit reimagined as a childrens book little. Sure, there are kids who will love the movie just as there are kids who love lotr and world of warcraft. Kids younger than 8 will probably have a tough time. It doesnt come with a dust jacket, the picture on the front and back cover is expertly presseddyed onto what feels like a clothlike covering on the book. It was originally written for a child, and the language is light and spirited. In this form it was composed sometime between 1929 and 1936.

Unfortunately, this extra work has led to much criticism and disappointment, not from those who have idolized the book, but from the vast majority of viewers with 10 bucks, 3 hours, and fond memories of lotr. It was published on 21 september 1937 to wide critical acclaim, being nominated for the carnegie medal and awarded a prize from the new york herald tribune for best juvenile fiction. While it is a muchloved children s book, it is too often overlooked by adults who dont give it enough credit for its artistic. Gandalf is known for leading young hobbits off on adventures, although respectable hobbits do not do such things. One day bilbo baggins, a hobbit who lives at bag end in hobbiton, receives a visit from gandalf, the wizard. The hobbit is a tale, not an epic like lotr, but jackson tried his best to make it one. Im reminded of madeleine lengles quote you have to write the book that wants to be written. It has such an excellent feel to it and is really fun to hold. The classic trilogy, along with the hobbit, has been banned in many schools and public libraries across the nation. Its so different from other children s books that any child would want to hold this to read it.

It was unhappily really meant, as far as i was conscious, as a childrens story, and as i had not learned sense then, and my children were not. Six lessons from the lord of the rings tolkien the hobbit. The hobbit best book editions for young people thoughtco. A more important truth is that both belong to a very small class of books which have nothing in common save that each admits us to a world of its owna world that seems. The hobbit has been a favorite of children and adults alike since its publication in 1937. Tolkiens fantasy classic, the hobbit, turns 75 this week. Its fun to read as literature, and a good introduction to the fantasy genre. It is far darker and edgier, and outright scary for a child. John howe is the illustrator of a number of childrens books. The hobbit tells a fantastic story of adventure, danger, friendship, and courage, and serves as a prequel to the even more immersive and epic book series, the lord of the rings. This article describes all named characters appearing in j. Featured movies all video latest this just in prelinger archives democracy now. Tolkien intended the hobbit as a fairystory and wrote it in a tone suited to addressing children although he said later that the book was not specifically written for.

In fact, adventure finds him when he is about fifty years old or so. The hero of the hobbit, bilbo baggins, is not a young guy when he starts adventuring. Its a very simple, very beautiful edition of the hobbit that im glad to have in my library. If you care for journeys there and back, out of the comfortable western world, over the edge of the wild, and home again, and can take an interest in a humble hero blessed with a little wisdom. The viewer is also introduced to radagast the brown, a wizard, who plays a much greater part than he ever did in the book. A story that acknowledges its own nonsense is, to that degree, more true. Tolkiens the hobbit isnt just for kids speakeasy wsj. Whether or not people should dismiss children s books, they often do. Series page for the hobbit published in volumes the hobbit, part one, the hobbit, part 2 of 2, and the hobbit, or there and back again. R tolkien that takes place in the fictional world of middle earth, which is the setting of most of the authors works. The hobbit middleearth universe the timeless classic presented in the standard hardcover edition using the authors original jacket design. Should i watch the hobbit trilogy before the lotr trilogy. The wind in the willows isnt really a childrens book.

Top american libraries canadian libraries universal library community texts project gutenberg biodiversity heritage library children s library. It is yet again another situation of a childrens book being taken and turned into ya. Like other famous childrens books such as alices adventures in wonderland, the hobbit and treasure islandit started life as a story for a particular child, and this shows most in the opening chapter. I will suggest it doesnt make sense to start with the hobbit, because it is really meant to be a children s book. The hobbit is a much loved and widely respected childrens book, but the work is too often overlooked by adults who relegate it to the nursery bookshelf and leave it for younger siblings or pack. The elves of tolkiens middle earth are similar in appearance to men, but very very different creatures in a large number of ways. It retains the lack of seriousness of the book, but does not really appeal to children any more or less than rings, unlike the book hobbit which is a short, fun read and a nice introduction for those less literate or less interested.

This book would get a child interested in popups but not necessarily in the hobbit. Tolkiens epic masterworks the hobbit and the three volumes of the lord of the rings the fellowship of the ring, the two towers, and the return of the king. The hobbit is popular with middle school readers, as well as teens and adults. But if you have a child who is able to read it, go for it.

Did tolkien ever state that the hobbit was a childrens book. Spark a childs curiosity in the classroom and beyondwith these fun and exciting learning materials starring everyones favorite monkey. Part of the problem is that im not picking up books that would be my first choice im reading my way through a constantlyrenewing stack of novels that are being released this summer and fall. Vintage illustrations for tolkiens the hobbit from around.

However, i wouldnt disregard the hobbit as a book of substance, just as i would not say the lord of the rings is not for children. But while the hobbit was undeniably written as a childrens book, it is. Tolkiens story to his 10yearold daughter unexpectedly stirred this fathers soul. Why are tolkiens books so well loved and respected. The elves of tolkiens the lord of the rings hobbylark. R tolkien\\s epic masterpiece, the lord of the rings. If youve got a 912 year old thats spending too much time in front of a screen, these are the kids books. I totally need the copy of the the wonderful wizard of oz in my life. I have not seen the movie, the hobbit, but loved the book. Allen and unwin, 1937 the publishers claim that the hobbit, though very unlike alice, resembles it in being the work of a professor at play.

It used to take a backseat to the lord of the rings, but with the movie being released last summer, interest has been renewed in bilbo baggins adventure when it was originally published, it was put into the childrens category and even won prizes for best juvenile fiction that year. As mentioned, the hobbit was initially just meant to be a fairytale for tolkiens children. It is described as a fantasy novel, a story of heroic quest, and a childrens story. Tolkiens birthday on the third of january, and the release of the trailer for the first of peter jacksons two films based on the hobbit, i thought it was a good time to write about collecting tolkiens books.

This hobbit movie series is simply not for children. This is one of the reasons for the perennial argument about whether or not books about a wizard named harry potter are literature. No matter how intricate the world you build, that world still isnt the world. Rosemary travale, an artist from ontario, created a set of illustrations for an imagined childrens adaptation of the hobbit, as her professors at school encouraged her to make art she. In just under 3 minutes, we tell you pretty much all you need to know about the trilogy, without any. Top ten reasons to love holes by louis sachar childrens. I often find that when i discuss certain books with college or ap english teachers i get, that is a childrens book. The hobbit, or there and back again is a childrens fantasy novel by english author j. It makes a great readaloud for kids 8 and up and readalone for 10 or 11 and up.

Did tolkien ever state that the hobbit was a children s book. It is along the same lines of alice in wonderland and the sequels to this classic. Weve scoured the book universe to come up with the 15 best kids books for reluctant readers, ages 912. Since the book provides background for tolkiens lord of the rings trilogy the fellowship of the ring, the two towers, and the return. However, as we all know it went on to be so much more than that.

As we began to discuss the upcoming hobbit movie, the two of us began to reflect on tolkiens novels and how his christian. It is not so much a plot detail, or character choice or storytelling styleits more of a feeling that the book conveys. The 15 best kids books for reluctant readers age 912. Not too long ago, i found myself talking with a friend over coffee. I think you have to have a sense of belief in the world that youre going into, and the levels of detail are very important. This fourvolume, deluxe paperback boxed set contains j. The hobbit was written as a childrens story and should be judged first on that. The hobbit was so successful in 1937 that tolkien was asked to write a sequel and so was born the lord of the rings. The hobbit is a great readaloud for parents to share with children just as tolkien shared the book with his children. The hobbit, or, there and back again introduction shmoop. Tolkiens many excellent books, the hobbit is the better choice for tweens. Tolkiens first published novel, however, is a much more artistically and intellectually sophisticated book than it often gets credit for, and it richly. Tiny nitpick, but lord of the rings is three books. Is the hobbit for children while the lord of the rings is for adults.