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John Ronald's Dragons: The Story of J. R. R. Tolkien Hardcover – Picture Book, March 21, 2017

4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 266 ratings

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A captivating picture book biography of a boy who imagined a world full of dragons and grew up to be beloved author J. R. R. Tolkien.

John Ronald loved dragons. He liked to imagine dragons when he was alone, and with his friends, and especially when life got hard or sad. After his mother died and he had to live with a cold-hearted aunt, he looked for dragons. He searched for them at his boarding school. And when he fought in a Great War, he felt as if terrible, destructive dragons were everywhere. But he never actually found one, until one day, when he was a grown man but still very much a boy at heart, when he decided to create one of his own.
John Ronald's Dragons, a picture book biography by Caroline McAlister and illustrated by Eliza Wheeler, introduces the beloved creator of Middle Earth and author of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings to a new generation of children who see magic in the world around them.

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Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Gr 1–4—McAlister's picture book introduction to the life of J.R.R. Tolkien (whom she calls John Ronald) is written in simple, descriptive language—a fragment to six short sentences per page or spread. ("John Ronald was a boy who loved horses. And trees. And strange sounding words.") Critical to John Ronald's life were the "stillness, beauty, and peace" of the Catholic Church; his love of English (coming up with new languages and using them to write stories); his lifelong school friends who shared his love of literature; and his dreams of dragons and other fantastical creatures that inhabited the books read to him and his brother by their mother, who died when John Ronald was 12. After marrying, then fighting in the trenches during World War I, Tolkien taught at Oxford University, where he gave lectures, went to meetings, tutored students, and "graded many, many, exams." The world of the Hobbit and his adventures, created for Tolkien's own children, became a book in 1937. Wheeler's pencil-detailed paintings in subdued greens and yellows effectively portray Tolkien's quiet life and his ability to imagine magical creatures and places (Misty Mountains, Mirkwood Forest) in the countryside around his home. The appended illustrator's note points out elements in the pictures not mentioned in the text. An author's note offers more sophisticated facts; a bibliography lists Tolkien biographies for adults. VERDICT This beautifully illustrated introduction to Tolkien's life for younger readers fails to provide sufficient information to satisfy those old enough to appreciate the lengthy, in-depth storytelling style of his novels.—Susan Scheps, formerly at Shaker Public Library, OH

Review

"The story of a boy who dreamed of dragons and found a way to bring them to life. Tolkien grows from dapper lad to dapper young man in Wheeler's cleanly drawn scenes..." ―Kirkus Reviews

"An imaginative and informative look at this beloved author." ―Booklist

"...beautifully illustrated introduction to Tolkien’s life for younger readers..." ―School Library Journal

"This picture-book biography of J. R. R. Tolkien shows the roots of many themes later found in The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings trilogy." ―Horn Book

"It’s an ideal lead-in to family readings of The Hobbit." ―Publisher's Weekly

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Roaring Brook Press (March 21, 2017)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 48 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1626720924
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1626720923
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 4 - 8 years
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 13.6 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 9.45 x 0.35 x 11.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 266 ratings

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Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
267 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers praise the book's illustrations as beautiful and colorful. They find the story engaging and well-told, describing it as magical. Many readers find it suitable for children and adults alike, providing an excellent introduction to Tolkien through his love of dragons. However, opinions differ on readability - some find it easy to follow and simple to understand, while others feel the story lacks cohesion and contains unrelated sentences.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

26 customers mention "Visual quality"26 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's visual quality. They find the illustrations colorful and intricate, a beautiful tribute to the author. The biography is described as well-written and thought-provoking.

"...This is a stunning, well-written, gorgeously illustrated, biography of J.R.R. Tolkien...." Read more

"It’s such a good story and the illustrations are great. A must for raising another generation of Tolkien fans!!" Read more

"...She enjoyed the book, said the illustrations were lovely." Read more

"Cute book and artwork. It tells the story of JRR Tolkien. Enjoyable book and suitable for children (and adults)." Read more

13 customers mention "Story quality"11 positive2 negative

Customers find the story engaging and well-told. They appreciate the beautiful illustrations and vivid imagination of Tolkien. The book is described as magical and fascinating, capturing his lifelong vivid imagination.

"It’s such a good story and the illustrations are great. A must for raising another generation of Tolkien fans!!" Read more

"...The story is sweet and the pictures are beautiful." Read more

"...I look forward to reading this wonderful story with it colorful and intricate illustrations by Eliza Wheeler to my cousins again and again...." Read more

"...It is an interesting story that captivates all ages and makes you want to read more about the world John Ronald created...." Read more

6 customers mention "Book for kids"6 positive0 negative

Customers find the book enjoyable for kids and adults alike. They say it introduces children to Tolkien's works like The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings.

"...It tells the story of JRR Tolkien. Enjoyable book and suitable for children (and adults)." Read more

"...Plus, we love to read it to her! Just as enjoyable for adults or any dragon, fantasy, Tolkien enthusiast!" Read more

"Perfect for my 3 year old. He loves the pictures and has already asked for it to be read to him over a dozen times...." Read more

"...It is the perfect way to introduce your children to Tolkien - The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings...." Read more

6 customers mention "Introduction to tolkien"6 positive0 negative

Customers find the book a good introduction to Tolkien. They say it charts his life through dragons, making it a perfect introduction.

"...It creatively charts Tolkien’s life through his love of dragons. This is a must-have for Tolkien and Hobbit fans...." Read more

"Cute book and artwork. It tells the story of JRR Tolkien. Enjoyable book and suitable for children (and adults)." Read more

"...but it is a good childs introduction to Tolkien and his fantasy." Read more

"The story is a perfect introduction to Tolkien. The art is beautiful." Read more

3 customers mention "Enjoyment"3 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book. They find it suitable for children and adults.

"Cute book and artwork. It tells the story of JRR Tolkien. Enjoyable book and suitable for children (and adults)." Read more

"...This book was doubly fun to read because it also brought back a flood of memories from when I read The Hobbit as a young girl...." Read more

"Beautiful and satisfying!..." Read more

4 customers mention "Readability"2 positive2 negative

Customers have different views on the book's readability. Some find it easy to read with simple illustrations and a simple storyline for young children. Others mention that the story is not completely coherent and contains some random sentences unrelated to the message of the book.

"...in Tolkien's life and weave them into an elegant yet easy-to-read picture book that my kids love almost as much as I do." Read more

"...The story, however, is not completely coherent and seems to contain some random sentences unaffiliated with the message of the book...." Read more

"Gorgeous illustrations and a perfectly easy to follow storyline for small children...." Read more

"...It doesn't have a natural progression, being quite a bit disjointed, and frankly has parts which I don't think are appropriate for all children...." Read more

Cute book with great illustrations
5 out of 5 stars
Cute book with great illustrations
I got this as a gift for my husband who is a LotR lover so he can read it with our young son. The story is sweet and the pictures are beautiful.
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on January 14, 2024
    “John Ronald was a boy who loved horses. And trees. And strange sounding words. But most of all, John Ronald loved dragons.” John Ronald’s Dragons: The Story of J.R.R. Tolkien by Caroline McAlister with illustrations by Eliza Wheeler follows the beloved author of The Hobbit, as the boy who loved dragons, created ones of his own.

    John Ronald looked for dragons everywhere, but in the safe small town of Sarehole, he never actually saw a dragon fly through the sky. At school, he made friends, had secret parties in the library, and played rugby, but no dragons. During vacations he would visit his cousin Mary and create secret languages, but still no dragons. With the death of his mother, he often found comfort in dreaming of exploring a dragon’s den, and he found “stillness, beauty, and peace,” at church. There was boarding school, marriage, war, and a position at Oxford, but he never outgrew his need for the scaly creature guarding treasure.

    “Then one day when John Ronald was grading exams, he came to a blank page. He wrote on the page: In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit.” And he followed this hobbit over the Misty Mountains, through the Mirkwood Forest, to the base of the Lonely Mountain, where “at last, John Ronald found his dragon.”

    This is a stunning, well-written, gorgeously illustrated, biography of J.R.R. Tolkien. It creatively charts Tolkien’s life through his love of dragons. This is a must-have for Tolkien and Hobbit fans. You will enjoy learning about who Tolkien was before The Hobbit. The author and illustrator notes include more fascinating information about Tolkien, as well as some quotes and a catalog of dragons. Prior to this story, I knew nothing about Tolkien, and now I want to know more! Tolkien lived a quiet life, but his imagination never ceased dreaming about dragons. He needed dragons. And now, children of all ages have gone on many adventures, possibly with a dragon named Smaug, thanks to John Ronald and his love of dragons.
  • Reviewed in the United States on July 7, 2024
    It’s such a good story and the illustrations are great. A must for raising another generation of Tolkien fans!!
  • Reviewed in the United States on July 24, 2024
    Purchased as a gift for my adult daughter who is a huge Tolkien fan. She enjoyed the book, said the illustrations were lovely.
  • Reviewed in the United States on February 26, 2024
    Cute book and artwork. It tells the story of JRR Tolkien. Enjoyable book and suitable for children (and adults).
  • Reviewed in the United States on May 9, 2024
    I got this as a gift for my husband who is a LotR lover so he can read it with our young son. The story is sweet and the pictures are beautiful.
    Customer image
    Mia
    5.0 out of 5 stars Cute book with great illustrations
    Reviewed in the United States on May 9, 2024
    I got this as a gift for my husband who is a LotR lover so he can read it with our young son. The story is sweet and the pictures are beautiful.
    Images in this review
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    Customer imageCustomer image
  • Reviewed in the United States on January 10, 2023
    This book, in both its storytelling and illustrations, are a simple, beautiful tribute to the famous author. It is impressive how the author and illustrator were able to capture the various influences in Tolkien's life and weave them into an elegant yet easy-to-read picture book that my kids love almost as much as I do.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on March 22, 2017
    I bought this book for my young son in order to introduce him to Tolkien and the world of Middle Earth. He is a few years away from reading The Hobbit, but my husband and I love LOTR and Tolkien, so why not start him early? The book is mostly accurate, and has beautiful illustrations. The story, however, is not completely coherent and seems to contain some random sentences unaffiliated with the message of the book. I would not rank the story among the most well written childrens classics (e.g. Ox-Cart Man, Blueberries for Sal, Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel, etc) but it is a good childs introduction to Tolkien and his fantasy.
    9 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on January 19, 2021
    Gorgeous illustrations and a perfectly easy to follow storyline for small children. Paired it with a Jellycat dragon stuffie for my four year old’s birthday. Both were a big hit with her and she even keeps the book under her pillow like treasure so she can look through it when we she likes. Plus, we love to read it to her! Just as enjoyable for adults or any dragon, fantasy, Tolkien enthusiast!
    7 people found this helpful
    Report

Top reviews from other countries

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  • Kristen
    5.0 out of 5 stars Love it
    Reviewed in Canada on June 11, 2024
    I got this for my daughter (and Tolkien obsessed husband). Our daughter loves books, so I thought this would be a special one for my husband to enjoy reading to her. It's well written; a fun read. The illustrations are lovely!
  • G Benítez
    4.0 out of 5 stars Un viaje por la imaginación de J.R.R. Tolkien
    Reviewed in Mexico on November 19, 2018
    Una pequeña biografía de Tolkien a la par de una "biografía" de su imaginación y su amor por los dragones y la creación de su historia de El Hobbit. Muy bonito libro, con ilustraciones muy bonitas.
  • Alexandre Le Roux
    5.0 out of 5 stars Magnifique
    Reviewed in France on June 13, 2018
    Un livre très sympathique qui retrace, pour les enfants, l'histoire de Tolkien. On espère un jour voir une version française :)
  • Brent T.
    5.0 out of 5 stars The kids (and adults) LOVE this book.
    Reviewed in Canada on May 10, 2024
    Our boys love LOTR and I bought this picture book to introduce them to the idea that someone actually wrote all that… worked wonderfully. They love the book, now talk about it and JRR a lot. The illustrations are gorgeous.
  • Deckard
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great Informative Read
    Reviewed in Canada on August 12, 2019
    If you enjoy Lord of the Rings/The Hobbit you and your little one are bound to enjoy this beautifully illustrated storybook about the life of one of literature's most imaginative authors.