John Ronald's Dragons

John Ronald's Dragons: The Story of J.R.R. Tolkien
by Caroline McAlister (Author) & Eliza Wheeler (Illustrator)
48 pages
Biography - Children’s Literature (Picture Book)

We recently started reading biography picture books to the girls. I love that they are substantive and meaningful, rather than just fluffy childish nonsense books. They include age-appropriate doses of reality and hardship. Life is not whitewashed. This prompted several good conversations with the kids. If your child has an especially sensitive mind, note that this book contains references to a parent's death and war.

My 4-year old daughter needed me to hold her hand for the dragon pages, but stared at each picture for several minutes in fascination. Exploring this book with her became a beautiful shared memory for us! My husband (a big Tolkien fan) said that reading this book to our children was the highlight of his week.

This wonderful picture book is a gentle introduction for children (ages 4 - 8) to JRR Tolkien and the world of hobbits. The pictures were beautifully rendered and provoked fond memories of my time at Oxford. I also loved that the book showed the role of the church in JRR Tolkien's life. It was so much fun to share this book with my children!

RECOMMENDED FOR: This is a great book for children ages 4 - 8, especially for children of Tolkien fans. I also urge my old Oxford friends with kids to check it out! This book would be a great gift for the budding young reader or writer in your life.