3 Beautiful Books for National Tolkien Reading Day

As the title of my blog may have suggested, I love me some Tolkien. March 25 is Tolkien Reading Day, the memorial of the day the One Ring was destroyed (it’s also the Feast of the Annunciation).

So, in honor of Tolkien Reading Day, I’ve put together a little list of some of my family’s favorite books, either written or inspired by John Ronald Reuel Tolkien.

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The Hobbit

My first-ever copy of this book was actually gifted to me by my husband on our first Christmas together. It was a paperback edition with a cheesy photo from one of the newly-released Hobbit films on the cover that made my artist’s heart die a little inside. So I was over the moon with excitement when I won this absolutely gorgeous collectors edition in a giveaway hosted by the amazing Kaitlyn from Tea With Tolkien. This book is full of beautiful details like high-quality paper, lovely and durable binding with a matching slipcover, and most notably, full-color, glossy illustrations by Tolkien himself. Definitely a must-have for anyone looking to add a touch of elegance to their Tolkien collection.

The Lord of the Rings

This was the first copy of The Lord of the Rings that I ever bought for myself. Pre-kids, my husband and I loved going to book stores and just picking out whatever struck our fancy, and this book practically called out my name as I perused the aisles of Barnes and Noble one fine summer day in Asheville.
This 50th-anniversary edition contains all six books of LOTR, plus the appendices within its pages. It’s on the larger side, but it is not cumbersome to handle, and the cover is delightfully soft to the touch. I personally enjoy having the entire story all in one handy volume, rather than having to reemerge from Middle Earth to go and grab another book.

John Ronald’s Dragons: The Story of J. R. R. Tolkien by Caroline McAlister and illustrated by Eliza Wheeler

I honestly do not have enough words to describe how much I love John Ronald’s Dragons. My three-year-old son has asked for it every night since I introduced it to him almost a year ago, and he can quote the entire book by heart. The illustrations are breathtaking, and the writing is engaging for adults and children alike.

McAlister does an excellent job of telling Tolkien’s life story in a way that is easy for little ones to understand without being juvenile or pandering. It highlights Tolkien’s Catholic faith subtly but reverently and provides ample opportunities to discuss more serious themes like death and war to young readers. The book’s final pages contain a more detailed account of Tolkien’s life and a handy guide that points out all of the amazing little details hidden within the illustrations. This is one of those rare children’s books that you could read over and over and over again (which I have), and you will keep discovering new details that endear it to you more and more with each reading.

There and Back Again

I hope you have enjoyed this little post as much as I enjoyed writing it, dear readers. May your beverage of choice be strong, your home feel as Shire-like as possible, and your Tolkien Reading Day spent enjoying the tales of Middle Earth!

To Him through Her,
JuliaMarie