Name: Thrive! NCHE Homeschool Conference
Start: 2025-05-22T00:00:00-05:00
End: 2025-05-24T23:59:59-05:00
Location: Winston-Salem, NC

This topic has 11 replies, 11 voices, and was last updated 12 years, 6 months ago by Jennifer WI.

Viewing 12 posts - 1 through 12 (of 12 total)

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October 17, 2012 at 11:33 am
simple home
Member
I’ve begun The Hobbit as a family read aloud, but I just saw on the SCM literature list that it is recommended for upper grades 9-12. Yikes, should I wait? I’ve never read it before, so I don’t truly know if it will be too much for my kids. I know my oldest will be fine, but not sure of the younger. So far it seems fine though.
October 17, 2012 at 11:53 am
knechtslodge
Participant
My daughter read it independently last year in 7th grade. With that being said, she did have a little trouble in some spots so by the end of the book we finished it off as a read aloud.
Blessings
Diane
October 17, 2012 at 12:01 pm
pslively
Participant
My 10 year old read it on his own last year, and then begged for LOTR. In contrast, my 11 year old was truly bothered by the Hobbit and didn’t make it past the first chapter. She just wasn’t comfortable with Gandalf. We respected that and dropped the book. Like everything, it just depends on the kids.
Are you asking about the reading level or about the maturity level? For the reading level, it’s probably fine, especially as a read aloud. But there are some tense moments in the book, there is a wizard that needs some explaining, a fight with a dragon, etc. Then, of course, there’s Gollum, but he’s not really creepy until the LOTR books.
October 17, 2012 at 12:01 pm
Rachel White
Participant
My son read it when he was 8 and reread it 6x since; he’s twelve now.My dd at 9.
It depends on the child’s reading ability and it also makes for great conversation. Tolkein wrote it for children. Albeit, he wrote when children had higher reading capabilities than they do now.
I recommend the larger, illustrated version by Alan Lee – http://www.amazon.com/Hobbit-Illustrated-Edition-J-R-R-Tolkien/dp/0395873460
My son then read the LOTR at 10 and then The Silmarillion earlier this year.
October 17, 2012 at 12:55 pm
Bookworm
Participant
I read it aloud when my youngest was 7. He loved it. He’s 12 now and has read it twice on his own. FWIW, we then proceeded to read aloud all the LOTR books, probably getting done when the youngest was maybe 9? It’s hard to remember. My kids all loved these books.
October 17, 2012 at 1:12 pm
simple home
Member
Pslively, I’m asking mainly for maturity level. I think my kids can handle it but just wanted to ask about it to get a clear idea. I am hoping to like it myself and enjoy understanding why this book and also LOTR is so praised. 🙂
My youngest listener is 6 and she tends to be a bit scared. But she is already intrigued with the first chapter and asking questions about the content so I will proceed for now.
Thanks for offering your opinions everyone!
October 17, 2012 at 1:39 pm
missceegee
Participant
We read The Hobbitt aloud to dd11, ds8, dd5 and they all loved it and are begging daddy to start LOTR. Dd5 had no trouble following and wasn’t bothered by any of it.
October 17, 2012 at 1:58 pm
4myboys
Participant
My ds and I read it together last spring — so he was 11? He’s not read LOTR yet, and neither have I though I’ve owned them for about 15-20 years… I don’t get much personal reading done when I’m trying to keep up with what both my boys are reading.
October 17, 2012 at 2:56 pm
my3boys
Participant
I really want to read this to my dc, as well, or have them read it (the whole series) someday. Glad to know that we can as a family, since that may work out to my benefit (I want to read it, too, but don’t have time).
October 24, 2012 at 3:12 am
MariAnKenobi
Participant
I find it hilarious that the publisher’s son read it at age 5 and wrote a review that convinced his father to publish it. I remember watching the animated movie about that age, but I don’t think I could have really understood it in book form.
October 26, 2012 at 2:42 am
Samkirby
Participant
I’m coming late to this discussion, but I just wanted to add a slightly different opinion, just in case. Since you have a younger child who scares easily I thought I should chime in. We are currently reading The Hobbit to our older kids (8 and 10), and I read it when I was in 5th grade, but I would not read it aloud to our younger children. They would certainly be scared. There are definately dark creatures in the book (goblins, trolls, Gollum, a dragon, etc.). If you have a child that is sensitive to these types of things, I just wanted to give you a heads up to be cautious. I agree we previous poster, it really depends on the child.
October 26, 2012 at 5:52 am
Jennifer WI
Member
My son read it at age 11. He did enjoy the book, but after he put it away Gollum images came out to play. Gollum creeped him out.
I’ll wait until my next son is bit older. There’s no hurry.