Hobbiting

The trailer for the new Hobbit film appeared yesterday, tempting and teasing us over a movie with a release date that is still a year away. It looks wonderful!

While you're waiting, you may want to do the Charlotte Mason thing and read the book.

These two are my favourites:

This gorgeous edition is sumptuously illustrated by Michael Hague, one of my favourite illustrators of children's books. I like the fairytale non-scary element that characterises his works for kids, and besides, this is the edition I read as a child, which will always make it a sure favourite. I am such a nostalgic girl. Each year my Mum and Dad would give us one of Michael's books for Christmas. This one was in my brother's stocking, but it didn't stop all three of us reading it and poring over the pictures. Delightful.

This edition illustrated by Allan Lee is a bit more frightening and otherworldly, but equally lavish. I didn't get my hands on this edition until much later.

Either is beautiful. Of course, you could always go the unillustrated route and let your imagination go wild, but in my very humble opinion these two editions are too good to miss.

While you're waiting for your book order to arrive, here's something fun to get you in the mood: Type 'The Shire to Mordor' into Google Maps (click the pedestrian option first) and see what happens. Go on - you'll be glad you did. Or at least, I thought it was funny. (Thanks Nathan for this piece of frivolous Middle Earth fun.)