April 28, 2008

Gratuitous Domestic Posting (TM) - "Book at Bedtime" Division

Last week the eldest Llama-ette and I finished reading The Hobbit. The gel enjoyed it so much that she insisted we immediately plunge on into The Lord of the Rings.

I was a bit apprehensive about this, thinking that the gel might be just a bit too young for it (she's ten for those of you not scoring at home). And I warned her several times that LOTR was not a children's book like The Hobbit, being a good deal more complicated and more scary. Nonetheless, she finally persuaded me to at least give it a try.

Well, so far, so good. We got through the first chapter of Fellowship of the Ring this weekend. The gel thoroughly enjoyed the account of Bilbo's birthday party. But more importantly, as I dramatically hardened my voice at the point where Bilbo is struggling with Gandalf over giving up the Ring, she suddenly burst out with, "Hey! Maybe that's why Gollum was so rotten - because he had the Ring for so long!"

Smart kid. I begin to think she may be able to handle it after all.

Posted by Robert at April 28, 2008 08:49 AM | TrackBack
Comments

I think you'll be fine up to the Barrow Downs. That's scary stuff.

Posted by: The Abbot at April 28, 2008 10:29 AM

I can't wait until Jesse is old enough for The Hobbit. I love that book tons.

Posted by: jen at April 28, 2008 10:50 AM

I read The Hobbit to my kids when they were 5 & 10 years old ... they both wept real tears over the casualties at the Battle of Five Armies. Then we went right into LotR. They loved all of it. Kept right on going into Scarlet Pimpernel, Count of Monte Cristo, Huck Finn, ten books by David Eddings in the Belgariad Series, Tale of two Cities, etc. Can't remember them all. Best thing I ever did for my kids. (I couldn't get them hooked on the Foundation Trilogy no matter how hard I tried. Damn)

Before we had kiddies I read the Tolkien oeuvre to the wifely person, too - well not The Silmarillion, I guess.

It was great family time. Every evening we'd do a recap of the previous evening and often the younger one (who appeared to be minding her own business in the corner with her dolls) had the best handle on the story.

Good times.

Posted by: quasimodo at April 28, 2008 01:30 PM

My advice: Forge right into the barrow Downs. At 3, The Lad already likes a little scare. He'll have a fit if I try to turn off Scooby Doo.

Posted by: Boy Named Sous at April 28, 2008 07:18 PM