Roverandom facts for kids
Hardback edition, featuring Tolkien's illustration of a fantasized moonscape
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| Editor | Christina Scull & Wayne G. Hammond |
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| Author | J. R. R. Tolkien |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's literature |
| Publisher | HarperCollins (UK) |
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Publication date
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1998 |
| Media type | Print (hardback and paperback) |
| Pages | 144 (hardback) |
| ISBN | 978-0007523283 |
| Preceded by | The Peoples of Middle-earth |
| Followed by | The Children of Húrin |
Roverandom is a fun story by J. R. R. Tolkien, the author of The Hobbit. He first told this tale in 1925. It's about a young dog named Rover and his amazing adventures.
In the story, a grumpy wizard turns Rover into a small toy. To become a normal dog again, Rover must find the wizard. His journey takes him to the Moon and deep under the sea! Tolkien wrote Roverandom for his son Michael. Michael had lost his favourite toy, a little lead dog, on a beach. The toy was the same size and colour as the grey stones. So, Tolkien made up this story to cheer him up.
The book feels like a children's story. But it also has many clever jokes and hidden meanings. It's a bit like Tolkien's other book, Farmer Giles of Ham.
Roverandom was offered for publishing in 1937. This was after The Hobbit became very popular. However, it wasn't published for over sixty years. Finally, it came out in 1998. Since 2009, Roverandom has been part of the book collection Tales from the Perilous Realm.
Meet the Characters
Main Characters
- Rover(andom) - He is the main character. Rover is a young puppy with white fur and black ears. At first, he is a bit rude and gets excited easily. This is why he annoys the wizard Artaxerxes.
- Artaxerxes - This wizard meets Roverandom while on holiday. He wears a green hat with a blue feather. Artaxerxes is from Persia but got lost. Now he lives in a place called Pershore.
- Psamathos Psamathides - He is the leader of all sand-sorcerers. Psamathos is described as being as big as a large dog. He is also very ugly, with long ears that stick up. He likes to nap hidden under the sand of the cove. He only comes out for fun, like watching mermaids dance.
- Rover the Moon Dog - This is the dog who belongs to the Man in the Moon.
- Rover the Sea Dog - This is the dog who lives under the Sea.
Other Characters
- Tinker - The cat Rover lived with before he became a toy.
- Little Boy Two - The boy who owns Rover as a toy. This character is based on Michael Tolkien, the author's second son.
- the Great White Dragon - The leader of the Moon's dragons.
- the Sea-serpent - A large snake-like creature living in the sea.
- Uin - A large whale who helps Roverandom travel under the Sea.
- Grandmother - Roverandom's first owner. At the end of the story, we learn she is Little Boy Two's grandmother.
- the mer-king - The ruler of the mer-folk (people who live in the sea).
- Mrs. Artaxerxes - The daughter of the mer-king and wife of Artaxerxes.
Places in the Story
- The Moon - Rover travels to the Moon to get help from the Man in the Moon. Tolkien imagined the Moon as a magical place. It is full of mythical creatures, like those in Lewis Carroll's books. The trees on the Moon are similar to the special mallorn trees in Lothlórien.
- The Cove - This is where Psamathos lives. It's also where Boy Two accidentally leaves Roverandom. The Cove is on the north-east coast of England. The book calls it a "queer cove." This is a play on words, as "queer cove" can also mean an "odd person."
- The Isle of Dogs - Mew and Rover fly over this island on their way to the Moon. Mew says it's a place where lucky lost dogs go. They can make all the noise they want there. Bone trees grow everywhere! This is a fun reference to a real place called the Isle of Dogs.
- Under the Sea - This is the kingdom ruled by the mer-king.
- Faery - The story briefly shows the Shadowy Seas and Elvenhome. This connects Roverandom to Tolkien's larger world, Middle-earth.
See also
In Spanish: Roverandom para niños
