Such a fan of the Little People, Big Dreams series by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara. It is such a treat when you are reading about someone to a child but you also learn something during that process. I had seen the movies, I knew it was based on a book, I knew the author of the books, but I had no idea about J. R. R. Tolkien's life, and in these series, you are always learning something new. My personal favorite is the timeline at the end because it shows the adult being read about and the children could see how from a child with a passion or a special interest you can carry it on to make something really special into their adulthood or profession, that's the best lesson ever.

The “Little People, BIG DREAMS” series is something special. It teaches kids about important people to know! It continues on with this brand new edition featuring J.R.R. Tolkien!

🧙🏻‍♂️🧝🏻‍♂️ Tolkien was such an interesting person to learn about in this book! After so much tragedy in his life, he found such comfort in writing these amazing tales of imaginary worlds!

🧙🏻‍♂️🧝🏻‍♂️ Not only this book, but all books in this series show inspirational messages to kids with showing them that the impossible is possible if you try hard enough and dream BIG!

@missbaileysbookworms

This was an absolutely delightful children's picture book. If you love Tolkien and want to start your littles young, this is a great place to start. It gives a brief biography of his life [I learned several things that I didn't know] and his love of Middle Earth and will lead into more discussions about this amazing man and his fantastic fantasy world. The illustrations are just delightful and will add to the discussion for sure.

Overall, this was as close to perfect as a children's biography can get; the Little People - BIG DREAMS series is just delightful overall and this edition just makes it shine that much more.

VERY well done.

Thank you to NetGalley, Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara, Aaron Cushley - Illustrator, and Quarto Publishing Group/Frances Lincoln Children's Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The ‘My First Little People, Big Dreams’ series provides informative and inspirational biographies about people who left a mark on this earth, no matter what difficulties they have encountered.
These stories are very short, but that’s because they’re books for children, so it’s totally understandable.
I think they are a very smart and wonderful way to introduce little children to such important figures.
This little book tells the story of J. R. R. Tolkien, the great writer, and forefather of the fantasy genre. He's an incredibly fascinating person and author, I'm happy children have the opportunity to find out about his life and creations.

Following the format of others in the Little People Big Dreams series, this simple picture book biography for children ages 4-7 presents an overview of Tolkien's life in an age appropriate way. (For example, the book says that most of Ronald's friends did not return from WWI, without giving details of their deaths. I'm just not sure there will be much of an audience for this particular entry in the series. Tolkien's life was not overly dramatic and many readers in the target group won't have heard of The Lord of the Rings. For those kids who are familiar with either the books or the movies, (or for the adults in their lives who want them to be), this is a good introduction to the writer's life.

Thank you, Quarto Publishing Books Frances Lincoln Children's, for the advance reading copy.

I feel this book in the Little People, BIG DREAMS series is a huge improvement from the previous productions from the team. The books are awesome, perfect and precious but this one has set a higher level which I feel would be really difficult for the upcoming releases to surpass.

The illustrations are dreamy perfect. Kudos to the artist! You deserve all the love and praise from all over the world. Your work needs to be appreciated more. Hope your efforts are recognised far and wide.

Regarding the personality described, it is so well done focusing on the most important stages of the well loved writer's life.

You will love this book. I am so happy I got the ARC.

I enjoy this series of beginner biographies. They offer enough information to arouse the curosity of young readers without overwhelming them. In this title we are told the story of Tolkien's life from his birth in South Africa to his work on The Silmarillion during his final years. More details are included in the back matter along with archival photos. The illustrations capture the imagination of young Tolkien, beginning with the cover art showing him peering through a golden ring. Other images include a scene of Tolkien sitting beneath a tree as Bilbo runs up the hill behind him to catch up to Gandalf and the dwarves, and there is also a spread that shows him catching sight of children acting out his stories as he walks past the library door. Readers who are familiar with the recent Lord of the Rings films may be surprised to see how long ago the stories were written, or to learn of Tolkien's own experiences in World War I and II.

As a reader of fantasy and a huge fan of J.R.R. Tolkien's writing, I've loved sharing his biography with my children via this new title in the hugely popular Little People Big Dreams series.

The book takes the reader on a journey through Tolkien's life. His passion for creating worlds and inventing languages are at the centre, but we also read about his family, and the friendships and losses in his life.
For me, Aaron Cushley's illustrations were the element that made this title stand out: the idyllic landscapes were reminiscent of the Shire, the big city gave off vibes of Mordor, and I was absolutely delighted that the fellowship made an appearance in the background of one of the spreads.

Thanks to Quarto Publishing Group, Frances Lincoln Children's Books and NetGalley for providing me with an electronic copy of this amazing title for review.

Really interesting to learn about J R R Tolkien. I’ve never looked into his life, and alongside such beautiful illustrations it’s perfect for all the family!

Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group for granting me this terrific kid's biography on one of the most beloved authors of all time. Easy to understand with beautiful illustrations accompanying the text, the book adequately covers JRR Tolkien's life. Would definitely recommend for young readers.

This has to be the cutest book ever! I am a huge fan of J. R. R. Tolkien because of The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings, but also a fan of him as a person and as a professor! He was so intelligent and it must have been such an honor to have him in class.

This book is intended for children and so it is very short and does not go into huge detail, but I loved it nonetheless and I am thinking about who I can buy this to as a present. (maybe my future kids? hahah)

All in all, congrats to the author and illustrator because wow!

I have always wanted to read one of the Little People Big Dreams books since it is such an interesting manner to teach kids about famous people. Something I wish I could have gotten in my childhood.

Reading this book about J. R. R Tolkien's life in a very, very simple manner was insightful and cute. Having read a bit about his life, I knew most of it but I would definitely recommend this for younger readers so they can know the person that Tolkien was. More than the text of the book, the illustrations really worked for me. The colours, the portrayal of light in almost every panel was wonderfully done.

Thanks to NetGalley and Frances Lincoln Children's Books for the ARC.

I received an electronic ARC from Quarto Publishing Group – Frances Lincoln Children's Books through NetGalley.
This biography lives up to Sanchez Vegara's high standards. Readers see John Ronald Reuel's life from infancy through creating his fantasy masterpieces. The author writes at a level for elementary students and brings them in to be part of the narrative. They walk with Tolkien as he loses first his father, then his mother; they sit with him as he explores his love for writing and see him create his own languages and worlds. Cushley's illustrations support the text and assist in bringing Tolkien to life for younger readers.
The timeline included at the end offers further information.
Sanchez Vegara has a gift for bringing historical figures to life for elementary level readers. She chooses language they will connect with and offers just enough information to capture her subject's life.

Thank you NetGalley and publishers for this ARC.
J.R.R. Tolkien is one of my favorite authors, so when I saw that there was an ARC for this book, I had to read it. This book gives a short summary of Tolkien’s life with some really nice illustrations and some interesting facts that I hadn’t heard before. It’s definitely a great introduction to J.R.R. Tolkien and his work, so I'd recommend it to anyone interested in that. (Or anyone wanting to get their kids/siblings/... to read his books :) )

I received an ARC of, J.R.R. Tolkien, by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara. I have always been fascinated with J.R.R. Tolkien. J.R.R. Tolkien was a religious man with the gift of language. He was an amazing writer, he loved language.

A short, colourful biography of J.R.R Tolkien, one of the founding fathers of modern fantasy literature. I knew very little about Tolkien going into this and enjoyed learning a little about his life and his lifelong passion for writing. I also really liked the illustrations by Aaron Cushley.

These biographies are age appropriate; inspiring and interesting, but not overwhelming. They have bright, beautiful illustrations, striking covers, and look great on a shelf together. I love the diversity of the people featured in this series. Artists, athletes, authors, activists, actors, explorers, entertainers, musicians and scientists.

Thank you NetGalley and Frances Lincoln Children's Books for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thankyou to Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara, Quarto Publishing Group, Frances Lincoln Children’s Books and NetGalley for my ARC.

John Ronald Reuel or what most of us know him by J. R. R. Tolkien, the writer and creator of Middle Earth and The Lord Of The Rings
Tolkien is considered the founding father of modern fantasy literature.

His life was filled with sadness and loneliness, which included losing both his parents, fighting in WW1 and more, but his daydreams saved him helped him create a beautiful world that he would eventually share with the world.

He turned his passion of creating a different world and language into stories which children today can use to launch themselves into another world, perhaps the catalyst for big dreams!
The beautiful illustrations by Aaron Cushley and simplistically written by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara, this is one of the Little People, BIG DREAMS books you’ll want to add to your collection.

100% recommend for everyone not just children.

A great primary introduction to the life and works of Tolkien. Suitable for young children with simple and concise text, this biography is just enough to begin a research project or spark a child’s interest. I would recommend this for kindergarten- 2nd graders. For research purposes supplemental materials would be required but there are some great ones provided in the back of this book.

A perfect short biography of J.R.R Tolkien. The illustrations match wonderfully and the story offers just enough facts to keep it interesting. As a lover of Tolkien, I didn’t know some of what was included which made the read enjoyable for me as well

What a great book - even for big kids!

A trip to visit his grandparents in England changed the direction of his life when he was only 3 years old. He was never to return to his birthplace of South Africa. After leaving the countryside for life in a busy country, John Ronald Reuel’s dreams focused on nature and the tiny people he dreamed of living there. He even invented his own language to deal with loneliness. When he and his brother became wards of a Catholic priest, Father Francis, he was given a wonderful education and went to Oxford University to study English Literature. He never stopped writing stories about his imaginary world.

His childhood definitely shaped his life; it’s here he learned the power of imagination, the beauty of language and the strength of friendship.

John Ronald Reuel (J. R. R. Tolkien) is considered the founding father of modern fantasy literature. His life was filled with sadness and loneliness, but his daydreams saved him until he could make friends and share his stories. He turned his passion of creating a different world and language into stories which children today can use to launch themselves into another world, perhaps the catalyst for big dreams!

Beautifully illustrated by Aaron Cushley and simplistically written by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara, this is one of the Little People, BIG DREAMS books you’ll want to add to your collection.

I was gifted this advance copy by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara, Quarto Publishing Group, Frances Lincoln Children’s Books and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.