Salutions, second-breakfasters! The Book of the Month for May 2025 is J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit, Or, There and Back Again. Published in 1937, it was originally a bedtime story Tolkien told his children, but he had to end up taking notes so it would stay accurate!
The books follows Bilbo Baggins, a hobbit living a comfortable life until he is dragged away to do some burgling for dwarven adventurers. Throughout the book, Bilbo encounters many new people (and animals), and learns more about the world outside Hobbiton.
“Then something Tookish woke up inside him, and he wished to go and see the great mountains, and hear the pine-trees and the waterfalls, and explore the caves, and wear a sword instead of a walking-stick.”
-J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit
Although it is a children’s novel, The Hobbit has a witty prose and some amusing conversations, like the riddles with Gollum. Not every chapter is action-packed, but they are all fun and interesting, with each chapter being split up well to be a good bedtime story for kids that are 8 and up. Tolkien’s style comes through with the rich descriptions – and no book of his would be complete without an epic battle! The fantastic worldbuilding that gave birth to The Lord Of The Rings is evident, though the book is far smaller by comparison.
Tolkien’s grasp of storytelling and words truly make for a wonderful reading experience. I loved reading not only the clever plot, but the fun quirks that come with any well-written childrens novel. However old they are, I’d never hesitate to reccomend this book to someone.
- Rating: 𝙶
- Author: J.R.R. Tolkien
- Published: 1937
- Review: ★★★★★