Description

Landmark new 90th anniversary edition featuring a wealth of charming illustrations from Tove Jansson, creator of the Moomins, published in English for the first time.

Smaug certainly looked fast asleep, almost dead and dark, with scarcely a snore more than a whiff of unseen steam, when Bilbo peeped once more from the entrance. He was just about to step out on to the floor when he caught a sudden thin and piercing ray of red from under the drooping lid of Smaug’s left eye. He was only pretending to sleep! He was watching the tunnel entrance!

Whisked away from his comfortable, unambitious life in his hobbit-hole in Bag End by Gandalf the wizard and a band of dwarves, Bilbo Baggins finds himself caught up in a plot to raid the treasure hoard of Smaug the Magnificent, a large and very dangerous dragon. Although quite reluctant to take part in this quest, Bilbo surprises even himself by his resourcefulness and his skill as a burglar!

This landmark new edition of The Hobbit presents J.R.R. Tolkien’s full text with illustrations by Tove Jansson, creator of the Moomins, from a rare Swedish-language edition never before published in English. Jansson’s tender, whimsical drawings illuminate Bilbo’s journey – from the comfort of Bag End to the riddled dark under the mountain – adding fresh enchantment and quiet humour to every page.

Publisher Review

‘This will be the children’s book of the century’ Astrid Lindgren [author of the Pippi Longstocking books] ‘A finely written saga of dwarves and elves, fearsome goblins and trolls… an exciting epic of travel, magical adventure, all working up to a devastating climax.’ The Observer ‘A flawless masterpiece.’ The Times