John Ronald’s Dragon’s by Caroline McAlister

This is a brief picture book biography of John Ronald, or J. R. R. Tolkien, author of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings series.

This imaginatively illustrated picture book is a fascinating peek inside Tolkien’s life as a young man and beyond. It is comprised of a few major life events and culminates in the writing of his classic books.

Do be aware that there is a small mention of Tolkien helping “Father Francis” at mass because Tolkien was Catholic.

There are also some interesting notes in the back of the book to highlight how the illustrator added many additional details to the pictures that are true to Tolkien’s life. If you have or are going to be reading The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings series, this could be an interesting book for your family.

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclaimer for more info.

1. Have you ever made up your own words or language before?
2. What were some of the hard things in John’s life?
3. Why does God allow hard things to happen to people?