 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
The Hobbit
- By J. R. R. Tolkien
- Genre: Fantasy
Common Sense Media says
Brilliantly written, inventive pre-LOTR tale.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that while the book gets off to a slow start, it eventually sweeps readers along on a wild ride to the breathtaking finish of this unrelentingly inventive tale.
What's the story?
In the mythical land called Middle-earth, distinctly unadventurous Bilbo Baggins is swept up in a quest to recover dwarves' treasure from an evil dragon. The author created this story as a read-aloud for his own children, and the progression of Bilbo's character to that of pivotal figure in an epic conflict shows how much the story grew in the telling.
Is it any good?
Heroic fantasy succeeds best when the lead character has the most room to grow into hero-hood, and Tolkien gives little Bilbo Baggins a lot of growing to do in this brilliantly written book.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about Bilbo's journey and the crucial decisions he makes along the way. What keeps Bilbo going as he faces dangers on his way to the dragon's lair? Why is his decision about the ring so difficult for him?
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AGE
I started reading this to my six year old daughter a test to see what kind of books would keep her interested and now she will not let me put her to bed without reading some of it. We have often read for well over an hour. I'm not advocating for all kids at this age, but if you stragegically omit certain parts of the book (such as the Trolls discussing how to eat the Dwarves), then it can be appropriate for most children
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Kid, 12 years old
October 22, 2009
AGE
Very good tale.
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Kid, 12 years old
January 11, 2010
AGE
I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!
Tolkien is a great author. for 6 - 7 read it aloud.
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AGE
The Hobbit
A fabulous 5 star book with an amazing plot, thats great for all J.R.R. Tolkien fans ages 10+. I've been reading his books since I was 7, and still do to this day. I cant wait till' they make this book into a movie in 2011/2012. Lets just hope it wont get cancelled. Peter Jackson is a great director, and made The Lord of the Rings books into an awesome trilogy. I know he can do the same for The Hobbit as well.
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AGE
Perfect for tweens and fantasy lovers of all ages
the best book ever. large battles, awesome characters, and a beautiful setting. some light drug reference. otherwise a great book
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AGE
Great Read-Aloud story
My son LOVES this book (and the cartoon version). We read it when he turned 6. It reads like an old-time storyteller's tale and is fantastic for reading out loud. There's some dated language, which you can either explain to your kid or update (i.e. "queer" to "strange"). There is a major battle and there are some deaths (wholesale goblin slaying and a major character dies), but nothing is graphically described. There's a lot of "peril" so if you have a sensitive kid, you may want to wait a little longer. I never thought my kid would be patient enough for it, but after reading this, we even moved on to Lord of the Rings and have almost completed it after MONTHS of reading it at bedtime. If your kid has the patience and the imagination, this is a great world to let them get lost in. Kids love the heroics, and particularly the fact that the insignificant little character is the hero of the tale.
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AGE
The best book I have ever read!
The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien is the best book I have ever read. This book is about a hobbit named Biblo. He goes on an adventure with Thorin and company (13 dwarves). On there adventure they encounter all sorts of creatures. They battle goblins and wolves, get captured by giant spiders and wood elves, they almost get eaten by trolls and go on so many other adventures! Along the way they get some help from dwarves, lake people, eagles, shape-shifters, and many other people! This is an amazing, suspensful book and I can't wait to read the Lord of the Rings!
--- Kathleen- A girl scout-------
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AGE
One of my favorite books.
Fantastic book for fantasy-loving readers.
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Kid, 12 years old
November 26, 2011
AGE
Good Boook
Some violence but not too much. Some difficult language and morals, but a great book and positive messages. Thorin and his company are very noble as well, and are good role models. However, hobbits smoke and drink quite a bit.
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Kid, 11 years old
November 24, 2011
AGE
The Hobbit book is awesome
I think this book is amazing I just started reading the SECOND chapter.I can't even put this book down! The first chapter is going to be quite boring but if you can get past the first chapter then you will be fine with the book. But please be aware that this is not a book for little kids to read as it is to complicated for even me to understand sometimes. and you will just get your little kids bored to death and frustrated ! Overall its a great book !
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| Topics: | magic and fantasy |
| Author: | J. R. R. Tolkien |
| Book type: | Fiction |
| Genre: | Fantasy |
| Publisher: | Houghton Mifflin Children's Books |
| Publication date: | September 21, 1937 |
| Number of pages: | 272 |
| Paperback price: | $12.00 |
| Publisher's recommended age(s): | 9 - 12 |
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