The Hobbit

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
Teaser: A Hobbit named Bilbo Baggins goes on a journey that will change his life in Middle Earth forever.
Plot Summary: Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit and he has lived a peaceful quiet life in the town of Hobbiton.  He spends most of his days smoking a pipe, drinking beer, and looking for food.  He is fond of gardening and does not like to stir up trouble, but one day the wizard Gandalf comes because he wants someone to join him and his group of 13 dwarves on their quest to reclaim treasure stolen by Smaug, the meanest dragon in Middle-earth.  Bilbo is shy and timid, and the dwarves are skeptical of Gandalf's choice. As the group journeys toward the Misty Mountains they encounter many obstacles, including trolls, snowstorms, elves, and goblins.  During the part that the goblins capture the group, Bilbo is left behind and he eventually finds a golden ring that has been left by the creature Gollum.  Biblo outsmarts Gollum in a game of riddles and he uses the ring to disappear and run away.  As the group continues their journey Bilbo utilizes the ring to help him out of hairy situations.  They make it to the Lonely Mountain and relinquish the treasure.
Critical Evaluation: The Hobbit is a wonderful prequel to the Lord of the Rings trilogy.  It tells the story of Bilbo Baggins. In the beginning Bilbo is timid and does not like to confront others.  Throughout the book, the reader sees Bilbo grow in many ways.  Bilbo overcomes his fears and contributes to the group as they reclaim their stolen treasure.  Bilbo becomes a hero with a resilient character.  Once you have dived into the world of Middle-earth, you won't want to come out and you will be delighted to continue the story of the ring.
Author Information: John Ronald Reuel Tolkien was born on January 3, 1892, in Bloemfontein South Africa.  In 1896, his father died and his family moved back to England. He was a major scholar of the English language focusing in Middle and Old English.  He married his sweetheart in 1916 before setting off for active duty on the Western Front in WWI.  While there he came down with "trench fever" and was sent home.  Most of his close friends were killed in the war.  He began writing about his reactions to his war experience.
After the war he found work as a Professor of Anglo-Saxon at the University of Oxford.  That is where he wrote his famous The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings trilogy.  He created his own mythology and languages.  He died in 1973.

Genre: Fantasy/Classic
Curriculum Ties: May be read and studied in English class.
Booktalking Ideas: Read the part where Bilbo leaves his home in the Shire and talk about facing fears and doing something that is outside of your comfort zone.
Reading Level/Interest Age: 13+
Challenge Issues: If the book was challenged I would go to, ALA's Strategies and Tips for Dealing with Challenges to Library Materials.
Why included?  This is the prequel to the immensely popular Lord of the Rings trilogy.  I have included this book because it is a timeless classic and was written in 1937 and earned immense success from the start and has been on children's recommended reading lists ever since.