Introducing Children to Tolkien

[Lalaith_Elf]

I first read the Hobbit when I was 7 or 8. Though I wish I had read it at an earlier age.
My parents would have probably wanted me to read it at an earlier age. They always go on about how young the kids read it in Tolkien's day. But they never forced me to read it, they just told me about it when I was young and let me come to it when I wanted too. I then started to read LotR's when I was 9. And I couldn't put either of them down.

[Valandil]

I tried starting in on The Hobbit with my oldest one night last week. He's 5 now... 6 in two months. Only read for about 15 minutes, and only got through most of Gandalf and Bilbo's first conversation. I think it was mostly beyond him, but he DID seem to enjoy it a bit. He was a bit disappointed to see that it had no pictures... and I hesitate to get an illustrated (comic-book type) version, because I'd rather he eventually imagine the pictures, than have them planted in his mind that way.

Anyway... one trouble I realized was all the talk about 'smoking'... I read the first one, but started to get hit by a bunch of them, and edited them out, just talking my way around them. We've taught him that some people smoke, but that it isn't good for us. I guess when he's a bit older I can read it to him, just explaining that people didn't know smoking was bad back then...

[Count Comfect]

My father read the Hobbit to me when I was about 4 or 5. I loved it... He then gave me the Big Three when I was about 7 or 8, but I don't think I really understood them until 10 or 11. I strongly suggest reading the Hobbit to kids!

[Valandil]

Eighteen months later:

I started reading 'The Hobbit' to my oldest (now 7) several days ago - and he just loves it! We missed a couple nights, but we're generally doing one chapter each night and we just read Chapter 4 last night. The last three times he has wanted me to keep going after I finish the chapter! (the first night he didn't, but we were up very late waiting for out-of-state company to arrive)

The 4 and 2 year olds gathered around for a couple of the times, but I don't think they're absorbing much.

[The Gaffer]

Gaun yersel Valandil. A chapter a night is a lot of reading!

Are you doing voices for the characters?

[Valandil]

Actually, a lot of chapters in "The Hobbit" are just 10 pages or a little more - so it's not so bad. The first chapter is kind of long - but I saw that one of it ones still to come is a bit longer.

I'm differentiating with voices a little bit, but not really 'going all out' - maybe partly inhibited since we're usually doing it late at night.

Well, fortunately for me, my parents were huge Tolkien fans. My father read LOTR in college (philosophy major ) and introduced my mother when they were going out. My mom took my dad's copy (The original red and black edition) on their honeymoon 'cause she wanted to finish it. They used to hang out in a bar called "The Hobbit-Hole" and they had a cat named Mr. Baggins
I didn't even read The Hobbit until I was a teenager (or Chronicles of Narnia for that matter.)
However, I have a vague memory of my father telling me about hobbits. He knew the first paragraph of the Hobbit by heart and when I finally did read it, I had some serious Deja vu'
As to introducing kids to it, the way you go about it really depends on your relationship with them. If they're of the opinion that everything that you like is lame and boring, you're going to have difficulties .

[Valandil]

Three years more...

This summer I had a little challenge with my oldest - now 10. I read the 'Chronicles of Narnia' books that I hadn't read, and he read 'The Hobbit'.

He LOVED it, and wanted to go on to LOTR. I wasn't sure if he would be able to stick with it, but he has. He's now in about the middle of Book VI! I've read a little bit with him, but not a lot. I read some of 'Window in the West', then I read about half of Book V with him (partly because I love that stuff so much) - and last night I read the last several pages of 'The Steward and the King'.

Anyway - he's really impressing me. And he talks like he wants to keep going on afterwards, and reading MORE Tolkien stuff. So - I'll first take him through Appendix A and the Forward, then see if he can handle the start of Silmarillion.

I think he even wants to read some of my fanfic.

Lots of fun!

[Amanda]

I really wish that my sister would have gotten me into Lord of the Rings much earlier. I read that when I was 12. I read the Hobbit a couple of years before that. Now I have 2 little kids to read to, my niece and nephew, just a few days over a month old both of them. When my sister gets them into bed, I read them a couple of pages of The Hobbit. By the end of the first page they're always already sleeping. I know they don't understand what I'm reading to them, but I know one day they will. "Aunt Mandy! Please tell us more about Bilbo and the Dwarves! Tell us more of the wizard Gandalf, what did Bilbo end up doing with the strange Ring he found in the cave?! I want to live in Hobbiton when I grow up!!!" I can't wait for that! Oh I am going to be such a bad aunt, keeping them up late reading them stories!!

[Valandil]

Wondering if it's about time to start reading The Hobbit to my two younger ones - now 9 and 7.

[Alcuin]

I first read The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings to my son when he was not quite 5. He loved it, but the attack on Weathertop terrified him: he identified with Frodo, and imagined the Witch-king was attacking him. My daughter was about 5 when I read them to her, too, but she always acted up when the Fellowship reached the Doors of Moria that Narvi and Celebrimbor made: she was frightened by the Watcher in the Water: we never were able to read that portion. They much older now, and they do not appear to have been scarred by the experience.

I have spoken to friends around the world, and they relate that their parents read the stories to them when they were very young, too.

[Valandil]

Well - I'm starting to do it. Early last week I read chapter 1 to my two younger sons (now 9 & 7). Over the weekend we did chapter 2. I'm hoping to read chapter 3 with them today. I wanted to try for every day, but that didn't always work out.

So far, so good. The 7 year old was a little concerned once William the Troll caught Bilbo - and maybe again when the Trolls had their discussion about how to cook the Dwarves. But I gave him some little reassurances and he was fine.

[Alcuin]

Be sure to read the scary stuff during the daylight, and always follow a scary part with the relief passages that come afterward. In Fellowship of the Ring, “Knife in the Dark” and “Flight to the Ford” should be read together beginning on a sunny morning, and you mustn’t stop until Frodo awakes safe with Gandalf in Rivendell. Otherwise you risk nightmares and your little ones awake all night in bed with you.

In that regard reading The Hobbit aloud, “Riddles in the Dark” and “Out of the Frying Pan…” should be read straight through during the day until Thorin & Co. arrive safely at Beorn’s house.

[Valandil]

We went really slow for awhile, but we've really picked it up lately. We did 3 or so chapters last week and the last 8 chapters within the past week or so, including tonight when we just finished the last two chapters. They were sad about Thorin - but overall they've really liked it, and didn't get very alarmed with the scary situations anymore.

Wow - I see it's nearly five years since I read it to my oldest.

[Valandil]

My 11-year old just finished LOTR today. He read over 100 pages today - had some time off between standardized tests, and went from the Destruction of the Ring to the end of Grey Havens.

Last spring or summer, I started reading it to him and the 13-year old. We trailed off around Moria or Lorien, as I had to stay later at work for a period. So... this guy picked it up himself and set to work finishing it. I'm so proud of him!

I can't quite convince him to read Appendix A though. I DID get his interest when I read him the part from Appendix B that tells who had the Elven Rings...

[Earniel]

The Appendices are an acquired taste, I think. That may be asking too much.

Still, marvellous of your son to pick the story up and finish by himself!

[Valandil]

I also told him after he finished that I had written some fan-fiction on it. At first, he was not interested at all in what I had written. But last night I got him to listen while I read the first chapter of "Visitors..." (boy - does THAT need a re-write... just some cleanup to take down the wordiness). Anyway - he liked it!

[Rían]

Yay for your son! 11 is a good age, IMO.

Reading aloud really helps, too.

[Earniel]

And did he like your story, Val?

I hear you on things that need a re-write.