My little sister and The Hobbit

[Carantalath]

My little sister has always been into reading and stuff like that. Well, recently she's been telling me that she wants to read The Hobbit. So, I found the book on a bookshelf and gave it to her to read. But then she asks me to read it to her. So I've started reading it to her but I don't know if she understands it or not. She says that she does but she might just be saying that because I love the book and she wants to be like me. My question is: Do you think that a gifted, eight year old girl would understand The Hobbit? I want to know so that I'm not wasting my time and so that when she reads it, she'll really understand it and like it. Thanks!

[Ancalagon]

Don't worry, it's not so much the content of the book, rather how you convey the story to her. If you read aloud with passion you will bring the words of Tolkiens Hobbit to life and that she will not forget.

No pressure on you now, you just have to put on a wonderful performance:) Yes, that means dancing round the room when running out the door of Bag-End, putting on the voices of 3 hungry trolls, stabbing big old Spiders in the butt, pretending to breath fire like Smaug and generally enjoying reading it aloud like it came alive in your own mind when you first read it.

[Chymaera]

The hobbit was read to me at about the same age, thirty years ago:( your efforts will be rewarded:)

[ReadWryt]

One of the tenants in the house I reside in read The Hobbit, and The Lord of the Rings to each and every one of his four children as they were growing up. He started them off by reading aloud when they were 7 to 10 years old and then letting them read the Hobbit themselves for a few years, and then he would read The Lord of the Rings aloud to them when they reached 11 or 12. By the third child it became a right of passage and a family event, with the elder kids joining in and reading certain characters along with him, like a Radio Play. By the fourth and last kid, the whole family was involved as they read the epic on a road trip to several National Parks, sitting amongst great trees and vast forrests as they read the story of the end of the third age together...Reading aloud is a gift that should not be discounted, and if you really have fears of missunderstanding, then ask about what you have just read when you finish each section and fill in the gaps. I can think of no greater gift that you could bestow then to not only help in the understanding of literary concepts and for your sibling to forever associate this understanding not only with Tolkien's writings, but with the close and intimate time spent with a family member who devoted so much time and effort, not only sharing such a fun and grand tale, but the keys to unlocking the doors to enjoying good literature...

[DGoeij]

Amen to that RW.

But aside from that, the Hobbit was firstly created as a bedtime story for Tolkiens children wasn't it?
And a story about a dragon having a big treasure, gathered in an old dwarven home, if you explain it now and then, how hard can it be for an eight year-old?I mean, stupid mean trolls, nasty spiders in the wood, friendly Eagles, arrogant dragons, saving the day Wizard... That's basic fairy-tale stuff isn't it?:D

My mother was a librarian for some time and she always says that reading aloud is the best thing that can happen to a child, and every story usually has various levels of understanding. Off course she won't pick up every detail, but in my opinion a story like the Hobbit contains more than enough entertainment for an eight year old who likes to read.

[Carantalath]

Thanks for replying! I'll keep reading to her (with enthusiasm) and I think that she likes it.

[Legolam]

Yeah, keep at it. My school teacher read the first chapter of the Hobbit to us when I was 7, so I read it myself when I was 8. And I'm 19 now and still reading it, so it's definitely worth it!

[Theoden]

Even if she doesn't understand, I think it is cool that you would spen so much time with her. That is cool! Keep it up! She will love you for it. :)

(wish I had done that with me little sis when she was little)

[Khamul]

I read the Hobbit to myself when I was about 8 or so. I read LOTR for the first time when I was about 9 or so. I was able to understand the basis of it, but the details were kinda blurred to me. I didnt understand all of the words etc. I would have probably been much easier for me if it was read(past tense, its hard to convey that typing) to me. My parents arent the biggest LOTR fans, though my Dad enjoyed the movie and wanted to start reading the books. My little brother might enjoy the Hobbit, and I guess I will get him started. Congratulations Carantalath, a very noble thing to do.

[Carantalath]

Thanks again for replying and for the compliments! She says she likes the book, in case anyone was wondering.

[My_Precious]

I read it myself when I was 7.:)

[Elu Thingol]

I have a cousin who is 10 years old, and he has read the hobbit, LOTR, and the Sil.

I find this amazing and I know he understands it all because we often have debates about the books. I think he must be a genius or something.:)

[cavilleri]

I agree, I was in 1st grade so that would make me what 7 or 8 and I understood it well enough. I am a literacy coordinator for an elementary school and we teach our tutors to make sure they do not read too much aloud to the students without stopping and asking questions to make sure they are understanding what you are reading. For example when you are reading the part where Gollum is trying to find his ring ask her if she has anything that she would be really sad if she lost or if it is issues like immortality ask if she knows what it is and explain it to her, ask what would be good and bad about being immortal. Never pass up a teachable moment. :)

[Rangerdave]

You know, I don't rightly care if you read the phone book aloud to a child. the important thing is that you are interacting and steering hear towards a lifetime of loving the majesty of the written word. I have read The Hobbit,Ivanhoe, The Chronicles of Narnia and many of the Arthurian Legands to my nieces and nephews. So I say to you Good Job.

Plus, reading to children not only helps the child, it helps the reader form better expression and communication skills. I only wish it would have helped me to spell.

Keep up the good work
RD

[ReadWryt]

Anyone who knows the evolution of Tolkien's work on The Silmarillion and The Lord of the Rings realizes that the author himself meant, in his way, for these stories to be read aloud. In the Books of lost Tales we have characters sitting around the "Lore Fire" telling aloud the tales that later were refined into The Silmarillion, and the original ending of The Lord of the Rings had Sam sitting by the fire with the Red Book Frodo had passed on to him reading from it to his children, implying that what we had just experienced as readers was Sam reading us the story.

Tolkien himself would most likely be the greatest proponent of the Oral Tradition and reading to children...

[Carantalath]

Thanks everyone again! My sister and I are in Chapter 12 right now. She says she likes it and she even reads it herself sometimes. I always stop often when we're reading and explain things or ask her to make predictions or ask her if she has any questions. Thanks again for the compliments!

[Carantalath]

Yay! We finished the Hobbit now. She said she loved it. Her favorite character was Gollum (I still haven't figured that one out. She's usually obsessed with Disney princesses and stuff like that! LOL!). Well, thank you for all of the replies of encouragement and suggestions for my reading.

[ReadWryt]

Congratulations!! That is SOOOO cool, I really envy you in many ways...partly for having a little sister, I being the youngest of three myself...and mostly for grasping the chance to do that. If you are interested in another great book for reading aloud I would suggest the classic "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory". It's bunches of fun to read because so much of it is written to amuse the adult reading it to the youngster...

[Carantalath]

Thanks for the suggestion! I'll see if she can stand reading a book with me again and then I'll see if she wants to read that one.