The Junior Book Club is underway with its latest novel – J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit.

We are taking part in Oxford University’s Oxplore Book Club this spring/summer, which aims to “introduce you to stories and poems that you might not have come across in school and encourage critical thinking and debate around each text.” Each month they will set us a new text and provide us with information from their archives to inspire our discussions; like this YouTube video ‘Finding the real Tolkien’ or the Bodleian’s online exhibition.

Not only will we be able to have a discussion here at FHS about the intricacies of world-making, but the girls will have the opportunity to join in with an online event on Thursday 25th March between 4-4:40pm. The event will be hosted by students from the University of Oxford and they will be joined by the Bodleian Libraries Tolkien archivist, Catherine McIlwaine, who will answer readers’ questions. To take part, they must sign up in advance by following the link. There is also a chance to win a prize by submitting an online review to oxplore.org