‘The greatest children’s book ever written… Funny, frightening, dense with detail and gloriously vivid, it is the one adventure story every eight-year-old should have.’Amanda Craig, The Times ‘The English-speaking world is divided into those who have read The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings and those who are going to read them.’Sunday Times ‘A finely written saga of dwarves and elves, fearsome goblins and trolls… an exciting epic of travel and magical adventure, all working up to a devastating climax.’Observer

The Classic Bestselling Fantasy Novel • Brand new cover edition of the timeless classic and of one the best-loved children’s books of all time • Published ahead of the major movie release in December 2013 of the second part of Peter Jackson’s epic trilogy – The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug • ‘Read it before you see it’ promotions across all retailers • Cross promotions and major marketing tie-ins leading up to the film • Other Essential Modern Classics available: BUGSY MALONE 9780007441228, MARY POPPINS 9780007286416, THE SWORD IN THE STONE 9780007263493 and THE PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH 9780007263486 plus many more Competition: Game of Thrones;The Witcher;Chronicles of Narnia;His Dark Materials;Outlander;Stranger Things;Star Wars;Harry Potter;The Hunger Games. George R. R. Martin;Ursula K. Le Guin;C. S. Lewis;Philip Pullman;Neil Gaiman;J. K. Rowling;Alan Lee; Christopher Tolkien