June Children's book of the month - The Hobbit

[RachelMumsnet]

We're joining Bilbo Baggins on his journey through Middle-Earth for our June children's book of the month. The Hobbit was first published in 1937 and has been cited as a classic children's book for generations ever since.

We're offering 50 Mumsnetters copies of The Hobbit, which has been reissued ahead of Peter Jackson's film release at the end of the year. We want you to share your memories of The Hobbit and let us know what your children think on this thread.

At the end of June all those who join in this discussion thread will be entered into a prize draw to win a fab trip to Warner's special screening cinema to see The Hobbit along with an overnight stay at the swish Athenaeum Hotel in Mayfair.

Complying with our new giveaway guidelines, we're allowing four days to apply for the free copy of The Hobbit. The form will be closed on Tuesday at midnight and on Wednesday we will randomly choose 50 winners who will be notified within 48 hours. For more information click here

[LaVitaBellissima]

I love The Hobbit, my dad used to read it to me as a bedtime story, half a chapter, every day

[Spirael]

I love The Hobbit too!

I remember reading it (and Lord of the Rings) as a child, listening to it on tape and even playing the very old text based adventure computer game with my Dad!

Say To Thorin "Open Window".
Kill Gandalf


Is 23 months too young for DD to start being read it as a bedtime story? We've already read her Star Wars...

Looking forward to the film later in the year!

[zippey]

The Hobbit is a great book, though Ive always thought it more appropriate for older children, mainly due to it being reasonably complex etc. I read it for the first time last year, and loved the whole story from Bilbo meeting Gandalkf and all the dwarves, to the various scrapes with the goblins, wolves, eagles, trolls and the dragon.

[SofaKing]

I've just finished reading my 4 year old son and 3 year old daughter The Hobbit. It is a brilliant book, they especially loved the bit with the trolls (a burrahobbit? What's a burrahobbit?).

Even though I suppose they are too young to understand it all, they had great fun and so did I! Its one of the best kids books ever, and I don't think it will ever grow old.

[alana39]

DS1 (9) is reading it to himself from a lovely illustrated edition he was given St Christmas.

I read it to him when he was 7 from my old copy which has seen better days. I read it over and over as a child (minus the songs, still don't like those!) but didn't get through LORR until I was 20.

[alana39]

At Christmas not St Christmas obviously

[ThisisaSignofthetimes]

Have a very old battered copy of the Hobbit from when I was young, going to read it with DD in anticipation of the film.

[BartletForAmerica]

I never read it as a child, I thought it would be boring. Later on I thought it was the sort of book One Should Read, so took it with me on holiday and loved it. The pictures Tolkien paints are so vivid. I can't wait until DS is old enough to start reading it and LOTR to him.

[PrematurelyAirconditioned]

Oh soooo looking forward to the film. I read it to DD last year, but may prompt her to try it herself, or at least refresh her memory so we can post on the thread - sounds like an ace prize.

[herethereeverywhere]

I love The Hobbit and I cannot wait until my son is old enough so I can read it with him. I actually enjoyed it more than the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

[Tranquilidade]

I love this book. When DS was very young I would read him extracts of it and as soon as he was old enough we got him a strip cartoon book of it which he followed up with the full book as soon as able. Sadly DD was not so easily swayed.

I got into this myself as, back in the olden days, when I was about 9 I was an advanced reader and my mum struggled to find books to encourage my reading that had suitable subject matter and a librarian recommended this and book 2 of the Lord of the Rings.

[Mediumred]

My dad read the Hobbit to me when I was about six (I think, many years ago). We don't really get on that well but this is a really nice memory for me. I went on to read Lord of the Rings by myself a little later.

Can't wait until dd is a little bigger so I can revisit these magical books. (and maybe the films too! mmm Viggo Mortensen)

[justaminutemum]

I have just started reading this with my 10 year old son. He is fascinated by the idea of a hobbit, and loves the name Bilbo Baggins!

[PuffPants]

Oh god, my dad read The Hobbit to me as a child too - we both hated it and I used to quietly pretend to have fallen asleep just so he would stop reading it, he willingly played along. I was an avid reader too but just found it beyond tedious.

Oh well, you can't like them all - I am sure most people will love it!

[TheOneWithTheCrown]

The Hobbit is next on our bed time story list with dd who is 8. This is just her kind of thing. :)

[DeWe]

Dm read it to us when I was about 4yo and dsis was 7yo. She went onto the Lord of the Rings afterwards. I ended up reading the last book in the trilogy myself when I was 6yo because it was taking so long.

[fallingandlaughing]

I'm embarrassed to admit I've never read it! I don't know why, I was a pretty voracious reader as a child. DD isn't quite 1 yet so maybe a little young (though I have a feeling a "That's not my Hobbit") book would be a winner

Think I'll try to read it this month.

[cutegorilla]

I love The Hobbit as does my 8 yr old daughter now, after reading it last year. I didn't get into the LOTR until I was an adult though.

[DukeHumfrey]

We had the Hobbit read to us at school when I was 8 - loved it. I read it again immediately after, myself.

Then I don't think I read it again until last week, when I picked it up from the bookshelf in the room I was staying in at my parents'. It's wonderful - so much going on, enough adventures for anyone, and poor Mr Baggins thinking of his tummy all the time. And I could half-remember the songs the dwarves sang.

I've never got on with Lord of the Rings (too hard going) but The Hobbit has a freshness of telling which draws you in and has you rooting for Bilbo from the first time you meet him until the last page.

[northernmonkey]

I love the hobbit too!! Can't wait to watch the film. I never thought of reading it to the dcs, think I might have to start that this week

[fatasbutter]

This was my absolute favourite book as a child and is still one of my favourites - I had a beautiful illustrated hardback copy and it came everywhere with me! I remember reading it in the back of the car as we drove through France on holiday and being told off for not looking at the lovely scenery! I was so engrossed. And I had the tapes too - I founds the songs a bit strange then, but now I quite like them.
It's such a different book to LOTR as DukeHumfrey says - so innocent and with no hint really that the dark happenings in LOTR are on the horizon!
DS only 23 months and is quite hyper so Cars is a bit more his thing, and Going on a Bear Hunt (so he can jump up and down and shout at the bear!) but I hope one day he finds it as magical as I did, even if that's not for years yet...

[GrouchingTiggerHiddenSomething]

I love the Hobbit and have been holding myself back from reading it to my children thinking they are too young and I was afraid they wouldn't like it (don't want to put them off!) I really loved it as a child and tried starting the Lord of the Rings several times but never got very far until I was about 16!

Am now thinking that DS will (hopefully) be old enough to see the film in December (he'll be 7 by then) so I'm wondering about taking it on our summer holiday and reading it as a bedtime story there (we are going to Austria so will be surrounded by mountains) :)

[TimrousBeastie]

It was part of my standard grade english course work when I was at school. I loved it then but not read it since.

Was thinking about reading it along with dd (8) and ds(6) but thought it might be too old for them, but after seeing the posts here I think I will.

[DisorderlyNights]

I started reading the Hobbit to DD1 when she was eight, but she couldn't wait to hear a bit each night, and read the whole thing the next day!

It's such a magical book, which works as well for children now, as for my as a child, and for my Mother as a child; not many books you can say that about. It is also great for both girls and boys.

[kellykateneedsaholiday]

I loved the hobbit when I was wee, I havent read it for years. I used to imagine I was a hobbit when I was younger.