First Prize
Among the books I have read, The Hobbit is one of my favourites. It is written by J.R.R. Tolkien and was first published in 1937 by George Allen and Unwin and later by Harper Collins. This is a prequel to The Lord of the Rings which is the best known work of the author. The main character in this story is Bilbo Baggins who is whisked away from his comfortable, unambitious life in his hobbit hole in Bag End by Gandalf the Wizard and a company of dwarves. Bilbo finds himself caught 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.
In this story, the narrative moves through countless changes of scenes and characters in an imaginary world which is totally convincing in detail. I like this book because it is an exciting epic of travel and magical adventure. Also, this book shows Tolkien’s genius in creating an imaginary world which both reflects and deepens a sense of our own mythic past.
Liyen Dinal Gunawardane,
Grade 11,
Central College,
Bandarawela.