I know that our professor said it was a child's book, but I am wondering if he lived now and say worked with children and there was not a personal war he had been involved in , I wonder then how he would classify The Hobbit. Having worked with battered, abused and at risk children, having been an au pair, and registered nanny and having written for children I do not think that the Hobbit is truly a 'child's book, unless it is kept in the part of the school library that is for older children, and in my province even early teens to say fourteen or fifteen are considered children.

Chidren ,no matter what we adults like to tell ourselves, and depending on the family dynamic, are often not able , truly, to separate fiction and faerie talefrom reality. That is why many early teen girls for instance end up pregnant and emotionally wounded for years or life, because they truly believe the faerie stories about the prince that is good, kind, understanding and will take her away from all that hurts her. That is why the boy that might have had a harsh birth or autistic or emotionally stunted from trauma might read say Peter Pan and think it is a good thing to go to never land where there are no rules and you can fight and stab and do all sorts of wondrous fun things and as long as Peter is there(gang leader) nothing and no one can harm you and you are not bad, well just lost. In other generations there were stern rules or no rules and no one thought about what is really in the heart and psyche of a child, how easily they are harmed or wounded. By peer pressure or other measures a child somehow fit in. And then we wondered why down the road Johnny or Suzie murdered someone or committed suicide or became alcholic(quietly, no one knew). Now the Hobbit could have been read to a child by mummy or daddy, the terrifying bits like the ponies being eaten left out, children care deeply about them and some children I found cried for months over a story, though mostly alone and hiding their feelings which then came forth as an eating disorder or social problem. I worked with so many children from every sort of background including loving ones. So I suggest it is a child's book IF an adult reads it with them and skillfully avoids the bits that hurt and wound and terrify. We read The Hobbit a while back with our family, our little one being seven. She has anxiety disorder so we carefully read 'around the terrifying bits with still the flavour being there. She understood everything and our doing it this way did not take away her sense of security. 'Because in any tale a child must see that the hero or heroine has hope, something or someone who will come to their aid. Real life can be depressing and scarey and books should never add to that , but be a great adventure where help always comes. Like in the Narnia movies. You just know, well Lucy did, that Aslan will come. He will truly come. I think our professor , having seen all his pals save on or two killed in the war, he might have thought in this life it is just really rather hopeless.

On page 297 of Tolkien's The Letters.. he tells Mr. Allen, of Allen and Unwin, that he had published The Hobbit quickly and without due consideration ecause he said he was still influenced by the convention that a faerie story was quite naturally directed to children. Then he goes on to say that he had no desire to address children as it had nothing to do with the actual story itself or as he says 'the urge to write it"

On page 311 after expressing his loathing of The Pied Piper Tolkien tells Jane Neave, that may be his maiden aunt who had a degree, that ,he explains that to his experience children have a lack of experience in which to actually talk about their perceptions. He said they are outwardly "aquiescent' in an outward way of the 'food' given to them by we adults, and will say how much they really enjoyed what was given them. Then he says after that they may mentally or for real throw what given them over the wall and he tells a funny story of how his own children did that very same thing , tossing their jam sandwhiches over the garden wall through the entire summer one year. And he noted that he would listen himself when very young to Hans Christian Andersen , even one time appearing as if he were in a rapture , but the reality was he dislike him with a passion  and the clarity of that stayed with him throughout all his years.

That is the point I make, while working with little children who liked to read or be read to, even the much older children I found it worth while to find ways to talk to them privately, and if i happened to gain their trust was usually surprised to find out what seemed 'the norm' really disturbed them and they only 'pretended' to like the material, especially more alarming or 'adventurous' material to be the same as others in their peer groups. In fact I have found that to be quite true talking to adults that now no longer could care less what others think, now they have matured. So, for that reason I hesitate to call The Hobbit a child's story in the face of modern thinking on the problems children face emotionally with our single parent world, or instant communications or the nightly ghastly news. But it is only my opinion .

Those who have seen the various making of specials on the Extended DVD's will be familiar with the JRRT section which features various interviews with Tolkien specialist as well as family members.

The finished manuscript of The Hobbit was reviewed by the child of one of the owners of Allen & Unwin (publishing house).  From memory the child was around 7 and gave a positive review in that it would be suitable for children from 4 to 8!  Yes 4 to 8, hard to believe, however it shows how modern children's reading abilities have diminished.  I believe it is most certainly meant for children and as with quality modern day animation, adults get a lot out of them as well.

Isnt it a shame that kids these day have to have everything laid out or given, rather than having to use their imagination as in days gone by.  Kids back then would have had very little idea of what to base the various fabulous visions conjured by JRRT on.  These days we are flooded with imagery of the fantasy genre and have solid visuals to base most things on as we have almost certainly already scene them on TV or film.....

Too true Gamalial, and even more true of the Silmarillion.

well, first of all, I´m sorry for my bad English writing  

I'm a harry potter´s fan and I recently started to read tolkien´s books.

I must  tell that I can only partly agree with you.

I read the hobbit and I have  to say that I enjoyed  very much the story. I don't think, as you, that the hobbit is for children. despite the very simple and clear tolkien´s language, that allows a very quick reading, the story tells us a very beautiful message, that not all kids are able to understand such values that inspires us to fight the obstacles in our paths, show us the several ways we can live our life and which we can control.

the part in which I disagree with you is when you consider that harry potter is for children. As tolkien, j.k.rowling uses a very simple and clear language, that allows us to comprehend the magic and the beautiful story. at the same time, the characters are very rich in terms of personality and we can testify their evolution as human beings as  well. they also transmit to the reader very important values,such  as the importance of friendship to help us to face the life´s obstacles, the courage we must have, the importance of family and love in our life as well.  at the same time, the women´s role in the story shows us that we ( women ) are strong and we are able to do anything as good as a man can do. The story teaches us to be strong and fight against the every days ´ prejudice.

as a conclusion, harry potter is a very amazing story rich in important values, that are hidden behind the all potions and spells which are almost impossible for children to comprehend all of them.

bye and greetings from Portugal