The Hobbit

In the 1960s I read The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings Trilogy by JRR Tolkien. These joined my list of favourite books. I read The Hobbit to my three sons when they were young and they all later read The Lord of the Rings. When the films were released in the cinema we went to see them as a family group. This year my twelve year old grandson and I read and enjoyed the story of The Hobbit together.

Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit and like other hobbits he enjoys the quiet life living in his hobbit hole in the hill. Then the wizard Gandalf visits Bilbo and Bilbo's life dramatically changes.A few days later there is a knock on Bilbo's door and a dwarf enters. Bilbo hurriedly organises afternoon tea. Before long his house is filled with dwarves and then Gandalf returns and tells Bilbo about the adventure they are to undertake together.

During the book Bilbo and the dwarves encounter elves, Gollum, spiders and many other characters including Smaug the dragon as they endeavour to retrieve the treasure that once belonged to the dwarves. This is a great magical adventure which can be enjoyed by adults as well as children.