(2) K-3 Illustrated by Eliza Wheeler. Showing the roots of many themes later found in The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings trilogy, McAlister introduces John as a boy who loves horses, trees, words, and especially dragons. Despite Tolkien's sometimes-difficult young life, the prevailing tone is one of warmth and security. In Wheeler's illustrations, swirling shapes and trees silhouetted against pearly skies are reminiscent of Arthur Rackham. Bib.

Reviewer: Lolly Robinson | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2017

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Brad Weinman. This readable biography of one of the world's master fantasists details Tolkien's challenges and achievements in both his personal life and career. Accompanied by black-and-white illustrations, the text relates his experiences as an orphaned student, a distinguished philologist, and a beloved author. A chronological list of Tolkien's work is appended. Ind.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by John Wallner. This picture book biography emphasizes elements of Tolkien's life that would influence his writing, such as his fascination with ancient and foreign languages, and allows readers to draw the connections themselves. Illustrations full of pastels and curlicues match the whimsy of Tolkien's work. (The curious choice to illustrate his life events as a board game, while fairly unobtrusive, goes unexplained.) Timeline. Bib.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(4) 4-6 Just the Facts Biographies series. Although Winfrey suffers from wooden prose, all four of these biographies offer some insight into their subjects' lives, inadvertently giving lie to the series' title. Occasional sidebars share useful historical perspectives, but disruptive "It's a Fact!" boxes contain information that should have been integrated into the texts. Black-and-white photos appear throughout. Reading list, websites. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Just the Facts Biographies tiles: J. R. R. Tolkien, Oprah Winfrey, Benjamin Franklin, and John Glenn.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) YA Authors Teens Love series. Each of these biographies opens with a childhood anecdote before focusing on the subject's life and writings. Captioned photographs and sidebars (printed in hard-to-read type) add information. Tolkien covers the Middle-earth phenomenon as well as the author and his work. Nixon is disturbingly referred to in both past and present tenses. Bradbury and Nixon include interviews. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Authors Teens Love titles: Ray Bradbury, Joan Lowery Nixon, and J. R. R. Tolkien.

Reviewer: Dorrie Karlin