Buy new:
-36% $13.99
FREE delivery Saturday, May 18 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Ships from: Amazon.com
Sold by: Amazon.com
$13.99 with 36 percent savings
List Price: $21.99

The List Price is the suggested retail price of a new product as provided by a manufacturer, supplier, or seller. Except for books, Amazon will display a List Price if the product was purchased by customers on Amazon or offered by other retailers at or above the List Price in at least the past 90 days. List prices may not necessarily reflect the product's prevailing market price.
Learn more
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
FREE delivery Saturday, May 18 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Or fastest delivery Thursday, May 16. Order within 12 hrs 12 mins
In Stock
$$13.99 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$13.99
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Ships from
Amazon.com
Ships from
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Returns
30-day easy returns
30-day easy returns
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Returns
30-day easy returns
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Payment
Secure transaction
Your transaction is secure
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Payment
Secure transaction
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
$6.70
This is a hard cover book: Used - Acceptable: All pages and the cover are intact, but shrink wrap, dust covers, or boxed set case may be missing. Pages may include limited notes, highlighting, or minor water damage but the text is readable. Item may be missing bundled media. This is a hard cover book: Used - Acceptable: All pages and the cover are intact, but shrink wrap, dust covers, or boxed set case may be missing. Pages may include limited notes, highlighting, or minor water damage but the text is readable. Item may be missing bundled media. See less
$3.99 delivery Monday, May 20. Details
Or fastest delivery May 14 - 17. Details
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
$$13.99 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$13.99
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.
Ships from and sold by Clickgoodwill.
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the authors

Caroline McAlister
+ Follow
Eliza Wheeler
+ Follow
See all
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

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

by Caroline McAlister (Author), Eliza Wheeler (Illustrator)
4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 257 ratings
See all formats and editions
{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$13.99","priceAmount":13.99,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"13","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"99","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"1DV8rdRCzUb6bR9%2FQ%2F9lqA8z7oiuSj8hxb6PvH4Vz3%2FQdXFA11%2Fl5B8Z6bA4OhBL1Dm19AeNhVD1BBAAv4Rx6tf5o6iv8VhwDSAm%2FewT%2Fw4nsUDDVkx0GK64QKS66tmdPpnvQWTp2PEJ9XjhFy7Ayw%3D%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}, {"displayPrice":"$6.70","priceAmount":6.70,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"6","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"70","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"1DV8rdRCzUb6bR9%2FQ%2F9lqA8z7oiuSj8hTmF0vWfTdy0482oPiz1ou5VzkCULUjldXT%2FO5F13RGVQpeUQ4LzU0Sa99gM1KHbcekafDmAr825gHsO%2FTIiUfGDdlr9DT8brkF7cyFDAmEteLr7OTAFlQdRCRBsg3S78lslCzcWC8eJ5pt1wJ4N1vw%3D%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"USED","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":1}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

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.

Read more Read less
Previous page
  1. Reading age
    4 - 8 years
  2. Print length
    48 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Dimensions
    9.45 x 0.35 x 11.25 inches
  5. Publisher
    Roaring Brook Press
  6. Publication date
    March 21, 2017
  7. ISBN-10
    1626720924
  8. ISBN-13
    978-1626720923
  9. See all details
Next page
The Amazon Book Review
The Amazon Book Review
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.

Frequently bought together

John Ronald's Dragons: The Story of J. R. R. Tolkien
$13.99
Get it as soon as Saturday, May 18
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
The Hobbit: Illustrated Edition
$22.49
Get it as soon as Saturday, May 18
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
Goodnight Hobbiton
$9.49
Get it as soon as Saturday, May 18
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
Total price:
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Details
Added to Cart
Choose items to buy together.

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 ‏ : ‎ 1.04 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 9.45 x 0.35 x 11.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 257 ratings

About the authors

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Previous page
  1. Caroline McAlister

    Caroline McAlister

    Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    Caroline McAlister has published three picture books for children, Holy Mole!, Brave Donatella and the Jasmine Thief, and John Ronald's Dragons: The Story of JRR Tolkien. She teaches writing at Guilford College in Greensboro, North Carolina. In addition to teaching writing, she has taught tennis and worked as a paralegal. She has also raised two fierce, smart, kind daughters. She likes to make things--meals, pies, quilts, scarves, protest posters, and books. She does not like cleaning, driving, chairing committees, or doing higher math. You can find out more about her at www.carolinemcalisterauthor.com.

    See more on the author's page
  2. Eliza Wheeler

    Eliza Wheeler

    Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    Eliza Wheeler is the illustrator-author of Home in the Woods and the NYT bestselling picture book Miss Maple’s Seeds. She was a recipient of the Sendak Fellowship Award, and has illustrated numerous books for children, including Newbery Honor book Doll Bones (Holly Black), When I'm With You and Wherever You Go (Pat Zietlow Miller), and John Ronald’s Dragons: Story of J.R.R. Tolkien (Caroline McAlister). She grew up in the northwoods of Wisconsin, and now lives with her husband in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

    See more on the author's page
Next page

Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
4.8 out of 5
257 global ratings
Cute book with great illustrations
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.
Hide
Thank you for your feedback
Sorry, there was an error
Sorry we couldn't load the review

Top reviews from the United States

Mia
5.0 out of 5 stars Cute book with great illustrations
Reviewed in the United States on May 9, 2024
Verified Purchase
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
Customer image Customer image
Customer imageCustomer image
Helpful
 Report
Rachel C.
5.0 out of 5 stars Follow J.R.R. Tolkien find his dragon!
Reviewed in the United States on January 14, 2024
Verified Purchase
“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.
Helpful
 Report
Bill
5.0 out of 5 stars Cute
Reviewed in the United States on February 26, 2024
Verified Purchase
Cute book and artwork. It tells the story of JRR Tolkien. Enjoyable book and suitable for children (and adults).
Helpful
 Report
Daniel
5.0 out of 5 stars A Beautiful Tribute to Tolkien
Reviewed in the United States on January 10, 2023
Verified Purchase
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
Helpful
 Report
Natalya
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Book That Captures Tolkien's Lifelong Imagination That Can Be Read Again and Again
Reviewed in the United States on December 15, 2017
Verified Purchase
I absolutely loved reading this biography of J. R. R. Tolkien written by Caroline McAlister with my young cousins. She captures Tolkien’s lifelong vivid and amazing imagination which so many children have but sometimes sadly lose as adults. 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. I look forward to reading this wonderful story with it colorful and intricate illustrations by Eliza Wheeler to my cousins again and again. Each time, I am sure that we will hear or see something new to chat about from this delightful and fascinating biography.
2 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
hillcountrywoman
5.0 out of 5 stars Simply beautiful
Reviewed in the United States on January 19, 2021
Verified Purchase
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
Helpful
 Report
Ed
4.0 out of 5 stars Beautifup illustrations, okay story
Reviewed in the United States on March 22, 2017
Verified Purchase
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.
8 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
KYmom
5.0 out of 5 stars lovely
Reviewed in the United States on January 19, 2021
Verified Purchase
Bought for the young dragon lover in my life, who has also been read Tolkein's The Hobbit and Farmer Giles of Ham. The artwork in this book is wonderful and we especially enjoyed looking for all the little details the artist included, that are mentioned at the end of the book. The end papers are also a special treat! A volume that will be cherished.
7 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
Brent T.
5.0 out of 5 stars The kids (and adults) LOVE this book.
Reviewed in Canada on May 10, 2024
Verified Purchase
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.
Report
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
Verified Purchase
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.
Report
Alexandre Le Roux
5.0 out of 5 stars Magnifique
Reviewed in France on June 13, 2018
Verified Purchase
Un livre très sympathique qui retrace, pour les enfants, l'histoire de Tolkien. On espère un jour voir une version française :)
Report
Deckard
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Informative Read
Reviewed in Canada on August 12, 2019
Verified Purchase
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.
Report