I hadn't even heard of this charming little book until earlier this year. So if you hadn't heard of it before either, don't fret! It was first published in 1998, though Tolkien had actually hoped to publish it after The Hobbit. But his publishers didn't want more funny and whimsical fantasy stories for kids in general, they wanted more of The Hobbit in particular. So Tolkien shelved Roverandom even though he had revised it repeatedly and made lovely illustrations for it, and wrote The Lord of the Rings instead.
This story began, like The Hobbit, as something Tolkien made up for his children. His second son, Michael, lost a little toy dog that he loved dearly while they were at the beach, and Tolkien made up a whole series of adventures for the dog to help his son process the loss. His sons all enjoyed them so very much, he told them over and over, and expanded on them, and eventually wrote them down.
I learned all of that in the extensive introduction in the hardcover volume I have, as pictured here. The introduction and end notes make up about half of the book, as Roverandom only has 5 chapters. In it, a real dog falls afoul of a wizard, gets turned into a toy dog, is bought for a little boy who then loses him on the beach, is rescued by another enchanter and sent to the moon to have adventures, then has more adventures under the sea before everything winding up very happily.
A lot of this book reminded me of The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery. That same exuberant make-believe feel about fantastical realms coexisting with our own, you know? But it lacks the melancholy of The Little Prince, which suits me just fine. I like dog books that end happily, and I'm very glad this one did.
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| (From my Instagram) |
Particularly Good Bits:
"You never know what will happen next, when once you get mixed up with wizards and their friends" (p. 67).
If This was a Movie, I Would Rate It: G. Nothing potentially objectionable here whatsoever.
This is my third book read and reviewed for my third Classics Club list and my 36th for #TheUnreadShelfProject2020. And it is also a contribution to this year's Tolkien Blog Party :-)
Publishers seem like they'd be such a headache -- though in this case if we got LOTR I'm not complaining.
ReplyDeleteAnd fun! I'll have to add Roverandom to my book list. By 'illustrations' is it more of a long picture book or an illustrated chapter book like Farmer Giles?
Heidi, lol! Um, yes.
DeleteIt's more of an illustrated chapter book like Farmer Giles, not a picture book like Mr. Bliss.
I had recently learned of this charming little story too! And I love The Little Prince so I will probably add it to my list :) Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteFawnabell, nice! I hope you get a chance to read it :-)
DeleteThis book sounds so sweet and fun. :)
ReplyDeleteKendra, it definitely is!
DeleteI loved this book so much that I have reread it a couple years ago!! Such a sweet story. I remember finding the man on the moon to be an interesting character.
ReplyDeletePagesToRemember, I can definitely see myself rereading this one! The man in the moon was quite quirky :-)
DeleteI still need to read this, it sounds very charming. As much as I enjoy melancholy books and "deep/dark" stories, I do miss these kinds of cozy stories, which seem to have fallen out of style completely.
ReplyDeleteMarian, yes! Cozy stories are delightful, and I embrace them whenever I meet them :-)
DeleteI love this book. <3 Back when my sisters were still young enough to ask for such things, I read them one chapter a night as a bedtime story, and they were devastated that it was only five chapters long!
ReplyDeleteIt is kind of like The Little Prince, you're right. I like it just a wee smidge better, I think. Dogs should never die in dog books.
Sarah, that's the sweetest story about bedtime stories!
DeleteI really very much prefer dog books where the dogs don't die, as a whole. This is one reason I love Jim Kjielgaard's books.
Jim Kjelgaard!!! Ahh, that's so cool you love his books. I used to eat them up! Nobody else seems to have heard of him, though, and the library has gone on a modernizing kick and got rid of all his books. Very sad.
DeleteSarah, yes! His books are awesome! I have like 8 or 10 of them still, and I need to get my kids into them. Our library also does foolish things like that, grrrrrrr. So vexing.
DeleteThis sounds so cute! I love dog stories, so I'll have to try this sometime!
ReplyDeleteMC, it is cute and whimsical and loveable. Definitely give it a try!
DeleteI have never heard of this one before, but it sounds so sweet and lovable!
ReplyDeleteBethi, it is definitely both of those :-)
DeleteAww, the back story for him writing this is SO sweet!! <3 <3
ReplyDeleteGabby, I knoooooow. He was such a kind, loving father.
DeleteThis sounds wonderful with the illustrations and the dog theme. I'll have to look this up!
ReplyDeleteJohn Smith, it's very engaging. Hope you can find it!
DeleteI hadn't heard of this one! I love that it also started as a story for his kids!
ReplyDeleteStephanie, I first heard of it back in March, so you are not alone there! And yes, the reason why he invented it is the sweetest thing ever <3
DeleteI loved Roverandom. 😁
ReplyDeleteIt’s such a lovely story.
Evelyn, it really is :-)
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