30 best children's books 9. The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien (1937)

In The Hobbit, an odder book than it at first appears, the tiny hairy-footed Bilbo Baggins goes on a journey with some dwarves, and is actually rewarded for being a thief. The charm of the hobbits’ world is matched by the excitement of the adventures Bilbo finds himself entangled in; and many readers will be led on to its vast sequel, The Lord of the Rings.