Letters from Father Christmas by J.R.R. Tolkien

 

Summary (from the publisher): Every December an envelope bearing a stamp from the North Pole would arrive for J.R.R. Tolkien's children. Inside would be a letter in strange spidery handwriting and a beautiful colour drawing. They were from Father Christmas, telling wonderful tales of life at the North Pole.

From the first note to Tolkien's eldest son in 1920 to the final poignant letter to his daughter in 1943, this book collects all the remarkable letters and pictures in one enchanting edition.

Review: This was such a delightful book. This is a collection of letters written by famed author J.R.R. Tolkien between 1920 and 1943 as Father Christmas to his children. They are wonderfully imaginative and feature and tell all kinds of tales of life at the North Pole, including many mentions of the character North Polar Bear. 

This really lets you get a peek inside the whimsy and magic Tolkien brought to his children's lives. As his children age, the books become more mature in theme and content. Tolkien was clearly trying to sense of the world his children were living in. For instance, during the war, there are letters featuring battles between imaginary creatures. He doesn't shy away from heavy topics and these were thoughtful, wise letter beyond just being entertaining. 

I listened to the audiobook of this. While I know the physical book has beautiful illustrations and photos of Tolkien's hand lettered books and I do wish I could have appreciated them, the audio was delightful! It was beautifully narrated and even features fun musical interludes. The little Christmas jingle they used just made me happy. 

This was a fun and quick read. I think it would be fun to read aloud with children or just to appreciate as a Christmas read. 

Stars: 4