J. R. R. Tolkien

Gr 1—3—Joining the slim ranks of juvenile biographies about Tolkien, this picture book traces the writer's life from his childhood to old age, highlighting moments that inspired his books. The author presents him as a man with an extraordinary imagination who led a fairly ordinary life. His love of languages and codes is noted, with small coded messages embedded in the illustrations. Tolkien's early life was filled with loss, including the deaths of both parents and fighting in the trenches of World War I. These difficult times are acknowledged at a level appropriate for the audience. The dramatic events of his childhood allow for a fairly lively text; a time line provides dates and makes the book suitable for simple reports and pleasure reading. Soft illustrations in watercolor and colored pencil organize Tolkien's life as a path along a game board, with spaces like "To England. Move Forward 1 Space." While this format allows the artist to work in additional details, the concept does not relate to the text or Tolkien's work, and feels arbitrary. Occasionally the illustrations show events out of sequence or do not reflect the narrative, but for the most part they add visual interest and enrich the story with references to the writer's books, such as golden rings, elves, and Bilbo Baggins's home. Libraries with high demand for juvenile biographies will want to add this to their collections.—Suzanne Myers Harold, Multnomah County Library System, Portland, OR