The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien

Bilbo Baggins is a respectable, reserved Hobbit who lives a quiet and comfortable life in a land called The Shire.  Adventures and other nonsense are frowned upon here, so it comes as quite a surprise when a wizard named Gandalf arrives to enlist Bilbo’s help on an epic quest.  When Bilbo finds himself attached to a company of dwarves seeking the return of their ancient treasure, he naturally starts to wonder if he’s made the right decision to leave home.  After a series of near-death adventures, though, which include encounters with trolls, goblins and a magic ring, Bilbo proves himself to be a truly indispensible member of the traveling party!

“The Hobbit” is a one of my favorite classic novels, and one that I end up re-reading every few years.  Yes, you could just as easily go out and watch the movie adaptations but take my word, you’d do well to sit down and read the book first.  The level of detail that Mr. Tolkien wove into this book, which serves as an introduction to an amazing place called Middle-Earth, is simply astounding.  “The Hobbit” is arguably one of the best, if not the best, fantasy novels of all time.  

Lawn Boy, by Gary Paulsen

“The Lawn Boy” is a twelve-year-old young man with a true entrepreneurial knack.  When he comes into possession of his grandfather’s old riding lawn mower, he quickly turns a single chore into an awesome moneymaking venture.  In no time at all the Lawn Boy builds a monopoly on yard care, and then begins to look for ways to invest his hard-earned cash.  His business seems to encounter a number of unexpected turns…including a questionable investment in a prizefighter, as well as an unexpected run-in with the Mob!

One of my favorite parts about this book is the way that Mr. Paulsen doesn’t really offer a name for his character, other than “The Lawn Boy”.  I’m not sure if he did this intentionally, but the lack of a name combined with a first-person narrative made it very easy for me to identify with the Lawn Boy.  I’d be willing to bet that any hard-working boy who reads this book would quickly imagine himself being able to corner the market on lawn care too!

At only 90 pages, “Lawn Boy” is a lightning-fast read for all ability levels, and what boy isn’t interested in making money?   Give this book to any kid and you might be surprised by how quickly he starts asking for extra chores….for a small nominal fee, of course!