The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien Date of Publication: 1990 ISBN:0-345-44560-0 Number of Pages: 137

REQUIRED READING ABILITY: Junior: Average Intermediate: Low
GENRES: Graphic Novel
THEMES :  Good versus Evil - Life versus Death - Sacrifice and Redemption - Family
Prejudice - Loyalty - Appearance versus Reality

SUMMARY:
Bilbo Baggins has no idea he is about to be whisked away on an adventure -- indeed, he tells Gandalf he wants nothing to do with one. Still, when the wizard arrives and sets things in motion, Bilbo suddenly finds himself in the company of Dwarves on a journey to steal a dragon's treasure. On the way, Bilbo discovers new friendships, great dangers, and a ring that makes him invisible. Can the poor hobbit from the Shire, masquerading as a master thief, survive the adventure -- and will his life ever be the same if he does?

WHO WOULD LOVE THIS BOOK? A kid who...
- loves J.R.R. Tolkien's work
- loves fantasy, dragons, magic and adventure
- likes a good quest story
- needs pictures in order to understand the text
- likes having the dual modalities of pictures and text (e.g. gifted kids)
- enjoys comics and/or graphic novels

WHAT ELSE?
This is a very good adaptation of The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien, and has quite a bit more text than some graphic novels, all true to the story. It's a neat choice for ESL kids who are ready for some harder plots and storylines, but not a great deal of text, as well as LD and gifted kids (for whom graphic novels are excellent choices).