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

Great to see so many of you are reading The Hobbit with your dcs and also to hear your childhood memories of reading it - wonder if we all have the same battered editions from our childhood? See if your edition is listed here.

A reminder that everyone who joins in this discussion will be entered into a draw to win family tickets for a screening of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey on Wednesday 19th December at Warner Brothers private screening rooms with luxurious, leather sofa chairs, PLUS an overnight stay at Mayfair's Athenaeum Hotel. We'll be announcing the winner on Monday 2 July. As well as a trailer of the film, we've added more pics up of the film on the Children's book of the month page.

I only have vague memories of reading the hobbit so it would be great to discover it again with my children. I still read to mine at bedtime despite the fact they are 9 and 12. We like a book we can enjoy together and they still enjoy me reading which is lovely.

well this book was read to me when i was 10 at school my a brilliant teacher.
by reading that to us he treated us like growns up and switch me on to reading grown up type books

When i met my husband we when to see to theatre. Like the above the poster cant remember much about the show.
My boys have grown up to love reading and have read the hobbit many times.

I didn't get to read the Hobbit as a child I was a 20-odd year old student before I got to borrow a copy to read.

I was thrilled when I got an MN copy

Unfortunately, 5 year old DS seems to be a bit young yet and spent most of the time I was reading to him wriggling. It just didn't seem to engage him yet. I'm going to put it away and try again in a few months as I'd love to read it with him and create lots of wonderful memories. I love books and I'm sure that's because I had such lovely stories read to me as a child.

I remember reading the hobbit when I was about 14 and not being able to put it down, I introduced the hobbit to my 8yr ds via the graphic novel because he has dyslexia and he loved it, Tolkien is a wonderful writer and the products of his vivid and incredible imagination will be delighting many more generations to come

The hobbit was my first proper fantasy read at about 12 and I never looked back!

The Hobbit, which I first read as a teenager, introduced me to Bilbo Baggins and the Hobbit world, which I loved . Dd read it when she was about 9 or 10 and found it fascinating. I think its a novel for children and adults.

The Hobbit, which I first read as a teenager, introduced me to Bilbo Baggins and the Hobbit world, which I loved . Dd read it when she was about 9 or 10 and found it fascinating. I think its a novel for children and adults.

Sadly, like you Blatherskite, we've given up. DD just didn't like it :( However, I'm continuing to read it myself (for the first time). I like it :)

Well my DS absolutely loved it and read it in a few days He likes Gollum and Bilbo and found the whole story amazing. Tolkien was such a talented writer that no wonder this is a 'classic'.

I am a book-lover myself and can easily remember that I also read it as a teenager and was amazed (and still am) that it was published in 1937

I expect it will be LOTR next here and we will definitely be going to see the Hobbit film/s. Thank you so much for reminding me how good Tolkien is.

I loved reading The Hobbit, I read it before reading the LoTR and found it really useful for understanding what was happening. Quick question though...what's the difference between the adult and children's versions?

I first picked up the book at my grandparents house when I was 6, got my Grandad to read it to me and instantly fell in love with it. I've read it a thousand times since then and am unbelievably excited that my favourite actor will be playing my favourite book character :)

The Hobbit is my favourite book of all time, I have a wonderful limited edition deluxe copy which I received from my husband one xmas.
My son is now 6 years old and this is the perfect chance to introduce him to the wonderful world of Tolkien, he can have his own copy of the Hobbit and keep his sticky little mits off mine..... Lol

I remember when I first read the Hobbit I was about 8 or 9 years old and I enjoyed it so much that I went on to read Lord Of The Rings books, and I have ever since loved Tolkien's work. It's a great book to read to your children for it provokes the imagination, my dad always use to recite the first line to me. My favourite parts are probably meeting the dragon and Golum's riddles. I hope one day to read it to my children, and to get them hooked onto it too and make them see that even if their small like a Hobbit you can still achieve great things.

The Hobbit has always been one of my favourite books. I remember my Mum reading it onto cassette so I could listen to it whenever I wanted.

Not quite got my 2 year old into it yet. Although we asked if people wanted to buy a present for her dedication to get a book and so she does have her own copy thanks to my cousin.

The Hobbit was one of my favourite books as a young teenager. I chose it from the library for the beautiful picture of the golden dragon on the front and mislaid it, racking up fines which as I was 11, my poor dad had to pay! I eventually read it a couple of years later followed by the lord of the rings. Whereas the lord of the rings is sometimes heavy and serious, the Hobbit has always struck me as being much more light hearted with a pacy story and plenty of action to keep me interested. I love it and am so happy itsbeing made into a film - cant wait to see it :D

I also cant wait to introduce my partners little boy to it, but as he is 4 I might have to wait a couple of years!

my DD got her copy (thank you), and we are now reading it both together, and her on her own. Never read it myself as a child but really enjoying it now and she and DD2(7) loving it.

Didn't read it until I was in my early teens. Loved it and have tried to read it or Lord of the Rings at once a year since. My husband can't wait to be able to read it to our two boys.

My daughter first read a library copy of The Hobbit as a little girl and really loved it. She was delighted to hear they were re-publishing the book and making a film of it. She is a huge fan of Tolkein's Hobbit and Lord of the Rings series so reading the Hobbit book I won brought back many happy memories for her. Such a great book with a brilliant plot and good characters.

Thank you for our copy, I started reading it with DS but he lost interest a bit as the chapters are a bit longer than he is used to. Then I showed him the trailer for the movie and now he wants to find out what happens in the rest of the story! Am enjoying reading it to him though it is testing my range of accents :)

We're bringing our Hobbit discussion to a close now. Thanks to everyone who has shared their thoughts and memories of reading The Hobbit either to themselves or to their children. It's interesting to see how it has been enjoyed in so many different formats and at such different stages of people's lives; BBC CDs, cassettes, audio books, graphic novels, cartoon strips, vague memories of theatre productions, read by parents, school teachers, as children, teenagers and adults.

We loved the memory of fatasbutter driving through France captivated by Middle-Earth instead of enjoying the french scenery and Puffpants' admittance that she used to pretend to be asleep so that her dad would stop reading it each night, (as she says, 'you can't like them all' ). Whatever the memory, as Gazzalw says, The Hobbit changed children's literature massively and we hope you agree this has been a great choice for June's children's book of the month.

Congratulations to HerRoyalGoddess, who has won family tickets to see The Hobbit movie in December at Warner's special screening cinema along with an overnight stay at the family friendly Athenaeum Hotel in Mayfair. We will pm you with more details.