The Hobbit is arguably the best book I have ever read. It serves equally well as a children’s and adult book, is jam-packed with adventures, and is the perfect introduction to fantasy literature. It’s a great read-aloud for children as young as six or seven, but I wouldn’t recommend it for kids younger than 11 or 12 to read by themselves.

The Hobbit is a wonderful story because it has almost the perfect dose of every story element. The overall plot is straightforward but filled with many sub-adventures. Although the beginning is a bit slow, especially for younger readers, as soon as the adventure truly begins (about 40 pages in) the story moves quickly. The characters are certainly different from those in the average modern children’s book. However, despite the cast being only adults and rarely humans, they still manage to be relatable, admirable, and intimidating by turns. Bilbo especially is an effective protagonist, with varying motivations and an approachable personality. And while Tolkien has a reputation for over-the-top worldbuilding, the worldbuilding in The Hobbit is notably easy to digest. Various fantastical creatures and settings are introduced, but they are so well integrated into the story that it’s simple to keep track of.

The Hobbit is a classic in fantasy literature and has been popular since it was first published in 1937. I’ve never heard of anyone truly disliking it. So don’t hesitate to give it a read, and definitely share it with the children in your life.  

Content Analysis:

Profanity/Language: None

Violence/Gore: Trolls scuffle with each other; report of trolls having eaten a village of people; report of dragon killing many people and eating people; trolls discuss the best way to cook dwarfs with the intention of doing so; trolls are turned to stone; a few goblins are killed with magic; characters are whipped; a goblin is stabbed and killed; goblin threatens to lock characters away in the dark; a number of goblins are killed; goblins chase characters through the dark; report of a character eating goblins; a character is chased by others; wolves discuss killing people, no detail; goblins try to burn characters trapped in trees; a character reports killing a goblin and wolf displays the goblin’s head and the wolf’s skin; spiders discuss killing and eating characters; 8-page scene where characters fight and kill massive spiders; characters are imprisoned; dragon attacks part of countryside, causing major damage; dragon reports eating animals; dragon reports eating people; dragon attacks a town causing major property damage, report of some deaths; dragon is killed with an arrow; report of people dying of exposure; about 10-page battle scene, description of events and report of many deaths.

Sex/Nudity: None

Mature Subject Matter:

Death; theft; war; imprisonment; destruction of property; greed; politics.

Alcohol/Drug Use:

Characters drink alcohol; two characters get drunk.