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CHARACTER COUNTS: John Ronald’s Dragons: The Story of J.R.R. Tolkien

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John Ronald’s Dragons: The Story of J.R.R. Tolkien
By Caroline McAlister
Illustrated by Eliza Wheeler
Roaring Brook Press, 2017. J Biography.

This picture book biography of J.R.R. Tolkien gives basic details of his life in simple language and chronicles how his love of invented languages and yearning for dragons led him to eventually write “The Hobbit.” The lovely illustrations depict realistic scenes in England and Oxford (including a rendition of the pub “The Eagle and Child” with a C.S. Lewis lookalike inside), as well as images of the dragons and fantasy scenes of John Ronald’s imagination. There are some nice added biographical details in the back of the book. A great introduction for current (or future) Tolkien fans.
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