My goodness I loved this idea! D’Auleries Greek Myths was one of my most beloved children’s books, and I was so excited as an adult to discover his Norse Myths. Another series that formed me to love Tolkien I think was the Redwall Series-big meaty books for a kid, medieval aesthetic, clear lines of good vs evil
I love this!!! Have you read Holly Ordway's book, Tolkien's Modern Reading? I loved learning about Tolkien's influences (William Morris! H. Rider Haggard! Beatrix Potter!). I grew up on the d'Aulaires. Their work is incredible. I would also humbly submit the work of Ruth Sanderson, who really should publish a book of her LOTR illustrations.
I haven't read Ordway's book yet but I've been meaning to! Also, I didn't know Ruth Sanderson had done LOTR illustrations! I love her. Going to go look them up!
It all started when I was trying to get a copy of her book about her art, Golden Dreams, for less than $400 (what it was going for on Ebay), and then I found what felt like fairyland! :)
As a family we read Susan Cooper's The Dark Is Rising. Five book series weaving English history, mystery, adventure, magic, through the eyes of a wise 11 year old boy. Seventh son of a seventh son and let the adventure begin. We couldn't wait 'till bedtime.
This is wonderful! These are books I read as a child and read to my children! With the exception of some new ones to me that I'm so happy to learn about! I can't wait to get a copy of the Astrid Lindgren novel.
This is wonderful! And so helpful because I would have no idea where to start with preparing children for Lord of the Rings. Actually, I need to do my own remedial reading! I've never heard of Mio, My Son, even though I loved Pippi Longstocking as a child. The Little Grey Men and The Princess and the Goblin are some of my recent reads that it was so fun to see on this list!
Elizabeth, I think I found The Little Grey Men through you! That one and Mio, My Son and the D'aulaires are all NYRB Kids reprints. You always know you're in for a good time with their books! And I did debate whether to add an addendum stating that this list doesn't just have to be for kids. It was inspired by a conversation with my adult brother about stories that ought to be read before Tolkien, and he told me to send him a list if I ever came up with one 😄
I love how this came about! Totally agree about NYRB. I’ve got these down on my list to look for at my local bookstore. 😍 I think I learned about Little Grey Men from Slightly Foxed! I also loved your paragraph early in about the conversations books have when we pick them up and read. 👏🏻
Well, I astonishingly haven't read Lloyd Alexander yet ;) But I'm looking forward to reading his books soon with my kids, especially since I love the Mabinogion.
He was a treasured pen pal as a child. I still have one of his incredibly gracious hand typed (old manual) letters to me, almost fifty years later. Kindness radiates from it.
Oh that's amazing. What a gift. My son was just asking if he can write to some of his favorite authors, and I realized that we need to find some works from more living authors for him to read!
Lovely suggestions! I’m going to come back to add them bit by bit to my “soon to read” and “read next” lists. Did you know Tolkien also translated Beowulf? I really enjoyed reading his translation. I’m slowly working my way through the Penguin Classics Beowulf translation as an audiobook. It is a beautiful story! And is in constant conversation with the other books I read. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks so much for your lovely comment! Yes, I have Tolkien's transation of Beowulf on my shelves (alongside Heaney's and Raffel's and at least one more...I live in a house of nerds haha). Beowulf read aloud is the way it's meant to be experienced!
Interesting list - I don't think my journey included any of these. I read the Hobbit in elementary school and didn't take to it (my reading leaned heavily into Little House on the Prairie and Anne of Green Gables). Then in middle school (not long after 9/11) I discovered Lord of the Rings and have never looked back
Just saying there's more than one road to Tolkien!
Yes! Like I mentioned in the article, my journey didn't include any of these either, and my first introduction to Tolkien was the LOTR films. I was speaking a bit tongue in cheek when I called them prerequisites, but they are fun and enriching to read before, alongside, or after encountering Middle Earth :)
So many great suggestions here! My mum read most of these to me when I was a child and I was obsessed with Tolkien from the moment I started reading him.
Re George MacDonald, The Princess and Curdie is also excellent 😊
That's wonderful! I discovered most of these long past childhood, so I'm excited to share them with my kids now.
And for all the George MacDonald I've read, I still haven't got around to The Princess and Curdie 🤦🏻♀️ but my kids just ate up The Princess and the Goblin, so I need to bump it up higher on our read aloud list!
So I'm pretty much of the mind that you can introduce your kids to classics whenever they show interest (barring graphic content of course). My seven year old regularly listens to LOTR as a bedtime audiobook. As a family read aloud where we're discussing the themes and characters, I probably won't do it until I have older middle-schoolers (probably around 12/13), just because they need a certain level of intellectual maturity to really grasp those things. But if they show interest earlier, there's no reason not to read it to them if you want to. You can always reread it later to have those deeper discussions.
I read Shakespeare to my elementary aged kids (in the original language but abridged) but all they grasp is the storyline. Eventually, we'll read the plays again with much more complexity to our discussions.
My goodness I loved this idea! D’Auleries Greek Myths was one of my most beloved children’s books, and I was so excited as an adult to discover his Norse Myths. Another series that formed me to love Tolkien I think was the Redwall Series-big meaty books for a kid, medieval aesthetic, clear lines of good vs evil
Redwall! I can't believe I didn't think to put that in here. I feel like it must have primed countless kids for LOTR.
I love this!!! Have you read Holly Ordway's book, Tolkien's Modern Reading? I loved learning about Tolkien's influences (William Morris! H. Rider Haggard! Beatrix Potter!). I grew up on the d'Aulaires. Their work is incredible. I would also humbly submit the work of Ruth Sanderson, who really should publish a book of her LOTR illustrations.
I haven't read Ordway's book yet but I've been meaning to! Also, I didn't know Ruth Sanderson had done LOTR illustrations! I love her. Going to go look them up!
They're on her website (Golden Wood Studio). I think the map is my favorite!
Oh my goodness her whole website is a treasure trove. Thank you for knowing about these things! 😂
It all started when I was trying to get a copy of her book about her art, Golden Dreams, for less than $400 (what it was going for on Ebay), and then I found what felt like fairyland! :)
Came here to say this exactly. Excellent book right in this vein.
As a family we read Susan Cooper's The Dark Is Rising. Five book series weaving English history, mystery, adventure, magic, through the eyes of a wise 11 year old boy. Seventh son of a seventh son and let the adventure begin. We couldn't wait 'till bedtime.
Oh lovely! I read those in late elementary and remember being utterly enthralled. I've been meaning to revisit them again as an adult!
Add to your list The Dragon of Og by Rumer Godden. It's a delightful fairy tale about a Scottish dragon.
Oh yes!! We read the Dragon of Og last year and loved it. The illustrations by Pauline Baynes were a bonus!
Yes! Pauline Baynes is brilliant.
How about The Black Cauldron series? Lloyd Alexander.
I actually haven't read Lloyd Alexander, but I'm looking forward to reading them alongside my kids :)
This is wonderful! These are books I read as a child and read to my children! With the exception of some new ones to me that I'm so happy to learn about! I can't wait to get a copy of the Astrid Lindgren novel.
Thank you for this list -- I will be sharing it!
Leila, I feel honored that you commented here and shared my post! I own and love your book, The Little Oratory!
I hope you enjoy Mio, My Son! I found it hauntingly beautiful.
This is wonderful! And so helpful because I would have no idea where to start with preparing children for Lord of the Rings. Actually, I need to do my own remedial reading! I've never heard of Mio, My Son, even though I loved Pippi Longstocking as a child. The Little Grey Men and The Princess and the Goblin are some of my recent reads that it was so fun to see on this list!
Elizabeth, I think I found The Little Grey Men through you! That one and Mio, My Son and the D'aulaires are all NYRB Kids reprints. You always know you're in for a good time with their books! And I did debate whether to add an addendum stating that this list doesn't just have to be for kids. It was inspired by a conversation with my adult brother about stories that ought to be read before Tolkien, and he told me to send him a list if I ever came up with one 😄
I love how this came about! Totally agree about NYRB. I’ve got these down on my list to look for at my local bookstore. 😍 I think I learned about Little Grey Men from Slightly Foxed! I also loved your paragraph early in about the conversations books have when we pick them up and read. 👏🏻
Ahh Slightly Foxed--always full of treasures! And yes, once you start reading the Great Books, the joys of reading multiply unto themselves!
I haven't read the comments, but you astonishingly left out Lloyd Alexander and his Chronicles of Prydain.
Beyond marvelous.
Well, I astonishingly haven't read Lloyd Alexander yet ;) But I'm looking forward to reading his books soon with my kids, especially since I love the Mabinogion.
He was a treasured pen pal as a child. I still have one of his incredibly gracious hand typed (old manual) letters to me, almost fifty years later. Kindness radiates from it.
Oh that's amazing. What a gift. My son was just asking if he can write to some of his favorite authors, and I realized that we need to find some works from more living authors for him to read!
Worth the research.
I can only imagine an author receiving a handwritten letter from a child today.
Suggestion?
Perfect reason to teach cursive as proper respectful manner of literary address.
Lovely suggestions! I’m going to come back to add them bit by bit to my “soon to read” and “read next” lists. Did you know Tolkien also translated Beowulf? I really enjoyed reading his translation. I’m slowly working my way through the Penguin Classics Beowulf translation as an audiobook. It is a beautiful story! And is in constant conversation with the other books I read. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks so much for your lovely comment! Yes, I have Tolkien's transation of Beowulf on my shelves (alongside Heaney's and Raffel's and at least one more...I live in a house of nerds haha). Beowulf read aloud is the way it's meant to be experienced!
Also - Farmer Giles Of Ham is a great bedtime book!
Yes, a joy! Thanks for adding that here!
Interesting list - I don't think my journey included any of these. I read the Hobbit in elementary school and didn't take to it (my reading leaned heavily into Little House on the Prairie and Anne of Green Gables). Then in middle school (not long after 9/11) I discovered Lord of the Rings and have never looked back
Just saying there's more than one road to Tolkien!
Yes! Like I mentioned in the article, my journey didn't include any of these either, and my first introduction to Tolkien was the LOTR films. I was speaking a bit tongue in cheek when I called them prerequisites, but they are fun and enriching to read before, alongside, or after encountering Middle Earth :)
So many great suggestions here! My mum read most of these to me when I was a child and I was obsessed with Tolkien from the moment I started reading him.
Re George MacDonald, The Princess and Curdie is also excellent 😊
That's wonderful! I discovered most of these long past childhood, so I'm excited to share them with my kids now.
And for all the George MacDonald I've read, I still haven't got around to The Princess and Curdie 🤦🏻♀️ but my kids just ate up The Princess and the Goblin, so I need to bump it up higher on our read aloud list!
You might want to add Zach Weinersmith's Bea Wolf to your list ... like a gateway drug for alliterative verse. :)
Oh man! I just checked it out and it looks amazing! Thank you for the recommendation. I love alliterative verse--so powerful!
You might also want to check out my website alliteration.net ... if its modern English alliterative verse, I probably have it or have linked to it.
Ah I'll definitely check it out!
I love this ! Thanks for all the suggestions, excited to add them to our read aloud list! What is the earliest age for reading aloud LOTR?
So I'm pretty much of the mind that you can introduce your kids to classics whenever they show interest (barring graphic content of course). My seven year old regularly listens to LOTR as a bedtime audiobook. As a family read aloud where we're discussing the themes and characters, I probably won't do it until I have older middle-schoolers (probably around 12/13), just because they need a certain level of intellectual maturity to really grasp those things. But if they show interest earlier, there's no reason not to read it to them if you want to. You can always reread it later to have those deeper discussions.
I read Shakespeare to my elementary aged kids (in the original language but abridged) but all they grasp is the storyline. Eventually, we'll read the plays again with much more complexity to our discussions.
I’d add Grimm’s Fairy Tales and The Wonder Clock.
For really little ones, The Tomten and the Fox.
Absolutely adored this article! Thank you for writing it :)
You’re welcome! Thanks so much for your kind comment!