For much of my life, when people have asked my about my favourite author, I have responded, “Do you mean other than J.R.R. Tolkien?” In my mind, I have set him apart. How can I compare him with my other favourites? So radically different, how can I juxtapose the Shire with Davies’ Salterton
Bilbo Baggins was a childhood friend to me after my uncle Owen introduced us in the summer of 1984. It has been a friendship that I have been happy to share, encouraging my sisters and friends to pick up copies of The Hobbit
However, since becoming a high school English teacher, I have balked at all opportunities to bring Tolkien into the classroom. I didn’t want to spoil Middle Earth by marching 30 teenagers through it. I have been protecting Bilbo from snide remarks and criticism the teens may express.
Until now. I finally relented and brought the two sides together. And I can’t believe I’ve waited so long! My Grade 9 / 10 split class is enthralled with The Hobbit. We are reading it aloud together and they do not want to stop.
It is rare that I hear students in the last class of a Friday afternoon say, “Awwwww, can we read some more?”
“Oh, all right. We’ll read until the bell.”
It was a perfect ending to the week. And, I’m just that much more inspired to return to school on Monday, because the last period of the day will be spent retracing the familiar paths of Middle Earth with an old friend.
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Photo courtesy of dino_olivieri
