If You Like This, Try That: Children's Books Edition, Part Two

Previously, I recommended five children's books to read if you enjoy the more popular titles like A Wrinkle in Time, Little House on the Prairie, or A Series of Unfortunate Events. If, however, you like fantasy books, here are a few suggestions of good children's fantasy stories. After all, C.S. Lewis said, "A children's story that can only be enjoyed by children is not a good children's story in the slightest."

If you like The Chronicles of Narnia, try The Door Within trilogy

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If you grew up reading The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis and you're looking for something similar in terms of genre and taste, you should read The Door Within trilogy by Wayne Thomas Batson. These books follow the adventures of Aidan Thomas as he travels to another world, fights a battle between good and evil, and learns deep truths about himself and life in general. Both series follow the same vein of fantasy and hold similar messages about life, friendship, and belief. Plus, there's a plethora of wonderful characters, magic, and excitement to discover.

If you like The Hobbit, try the DragonKeeper Chronicles

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While the plot of The Hobbit and Dragonspell (book one in the DragonKeeper Chronicles) differ, they hold a lot of similarities. There are crazy wizards, exciting adventures, and colorful cultures and people, in addition to the dragons! Both stories follow unlikely heroes as they embark on a quest that will test their mind and heart. If you love The Hobbit, give Dragonspell and the other books in the DragonKeeper Chronicles by Donita K. Paul a try.

If you like Percy Jackson and the Olympians, try the Seven Wonders series

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One of my favorite aspects of the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan is that it makes learning about mythology fun. The Seven Wonders series by Peter Lerangis does the same, only instead of mythology, you learn about the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Both series include a ragtag group of special kids that essentially have to complete quests to save the world. Both series mix modern day with ancient history and myths. And both series are filled with hilarious moments, witty dialogue, and fun, exciting adventure! If you like Percy Jackson, check out the Seven Wonders and get ready for a wild ride!

If you like How to Train Your Dragon series, try the Wings of Fire series

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Fans of the How to Train Your Dragon series by Cressida Cowell will also enjoy the Wings of Fire series by Tui T. Sutherland. Both feature all types of dragons, excellent world-building, and loads of adventure. Just like there are several viking tribes in HTTYD, Wings of Fire features several dragon tribes and how they interact with one another. There are prophecies, dragon fights, and a wide range of characters discovering who they are. Basically, if you love dragons, you should read this series.

If you like Inkheart, try The Neverending Story

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I haven't read Inkheart by Cornelia Funke yet, but everything I know about it reminds me of The Neverending Story by Michael Ende. Both stories involve a connection to books, fictional characters, and the magic that is held within. While there are probably many differences between the two stories, I think that someone who likes Inkheart would enjoy reading The Neverending Story, and vice versa. All you have to do is pick up the book and turn the page.

What children's fantasy books would you recommend?

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Marathon-Perfect Movie Series

One of the best things about movie series is watching them in a marathon! And with school breaks and hot days looming on the horizon, there are plenty of chances to host a marathon of some of your favorites! Here are some of mine:

The Lord of the Rings

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This is possibly the reigning champ of movie marathons. Not only do you have three movies to marathon, you can choose different versions! (Although the extended editions are the best way to watch this series.) Lord of the Rings is full of great characters, beautiful scenery, and strong storytelling, making it a perfect series to spend a day with.

The Hobbit

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Following Bilbo’s journey from the Shire to Erebor and back again, The Hobbit is a fun, humorous adventure story through a different time in Middle-earth. Like LOTR, there are theatrical and extended editions to choose from. Pair it with LOTR for a complete Middle-earth marathon!

Pirates of the Caribbean

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I confess I have not yet put together a marathon of all of these movies (only the first two). Featuring charming characters, plenty of humor, and some wild-but-fun adventures, Pirates would make a great choice for a summer movie party.

Marvel Cinematic Universe

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The Marvel Cinematic Universe features multiple interconnecting storylines engineered to bring dozens of characters together. The stories are fun and intense and filled with amazing characters. Factoring in all the movies and TV shows, this would be quite the binge-watching session. But a marathon of such super proportions isn’t always a possibility, so the MCU is easy to break down into smaller segments.

• Phase One
• Includes: Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man 2, Thor, Captain America: The First Avenger, and The Avengers.
• Chronicles the journey of the Avengers as they become superheroes and become a team.
• Phase Two
• Includes: Iron Man 3, Thor: The Dark World, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Guardians of the Galaxy, The Avengers: Age of Ultron, and Ant-Man.
• Shows how the Avengers have changed since becoming a team and expands the world of the stories.
• Iron Man trilogy
• A completed series within the MCU, Iron Man focuses on Tony Stark and his journey to becoming a superhero and a central part of the Avengers team.
• Captain America trilogy
• Another completed series within the MCU, the Captain America trilogy tells the story of Steve Rogers from the 1940s to the present, and features some of the biggest twists in the MCU.
• Or a build-your-own marathon of your top favorites!

 

What are some of your favorite movies to marathon?

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Meet Cute: Never Laugh At Live Dragons

Have you ever wondered what would happen if two of your favorite characters met? Would they get along fabulously? Would they immediately despise each other? Would they fall in love and live happily for the rest of eternity?

Enter Meet Cute.

As you probably known by now, I love dragons. All dragons. Big dragons, little dragons, fire-breathing dragons, scary dragons, cute dragons. All of them. So it probably doesn't come as any surprise that I've often wondered what it would be like for my favorite two dragons to meet.

     Smaug: "I am fire! I am death!"
     Toothless: *smiles toothless grin*
     Smaug: "I am--" *chokes on smoke*

While I don't think Smaug and Toothless would become the best of dragon friends (Smaug is much too proud to admit friendship and Toothless is 100% loyal to Hiccup), I think their interactions would prove to be entertaining. At first, Smaug might go all fire-breathing dragon and threaten to incinerate him because he's just so sick and tired of pipsqueaks that smell like beard hair and axes waking him from his seventy-year naps. Toothless, of course, would not fear Smaug at all. He's dealt with much bigger dragons before and Smaug doesn't look nearly as intimidating as the Red Death or Bewilderbeast. After a few minutes of watching Toothless bumble around the caverns of Erebor, dive-bombing into the piles of gold and rolling around in the jewels, a piece of Smaug's (arken)stone heart would start to chip away.

Come on, Smaug, You know you want to roll around in your gold.

     Smaug: "My teeth are swords."
     Toothless: *retracts teeth in mouth*
     Smaug: "My claws are spears."
     Toothless: *flaps spine plates*
     Smaug: "My wings are a HURRICANE!"
     Toothless: *flies around Smaug's head*
     Smaug: "Do you think flattery will keep you alive?"

This is pretty much Toothless' face the whole time.

After some time, I think Smaug might get used to Toothless hanging around, even if he prefers to be alone. The caverns of Erebor are huge and quiet, so Toothless would have plenty of opportunities to get lost and leave Smaug to rest his old eyes a lot (after all Smaug is like hundreds, if not thousands, of years old [a proper dragon never reveals his age]; he's basically just an old man dragon yelling "Get off my gold!"). Toothless would bring fish from the lake for Smaug, and Smaug would refuse to eat it because there's no way to know what else Toothless has stuck in his mouth. But the moment Toothless wandered off, Smaug would devour the meal without hesitation because he really doesn't get out enough for a proper meal.

Toothless might try to sneak up on Smaug, even though it would never work, and Smaug would pretend he didn't smell the smaller dragon coming. It gets lonely being the last of the great dragons, so Smaug would welcome a little entertainment even if it's from a pipsqueak dragon with half a tail and weird teeth. They would definitely challenge each other to hour after hour of riddles, especially so Smaug could show off how clever he is. Because he is the cleverest dragon ever; he'd never let a pipsqueak swindle anything from him, not even his dignity or the most precious jewel in the entire mountain.

At some point, Toothless would end up on Smaug's back or head, curled up in a ball to take a nice, long nap together. Smaug would only pretend he didn't enjoy it. He could never, ever, for the dignity of all that is dragon left in the world, admit to taking part in "The Snuggles." But as we all know, no one can resist the adorableness of Toothless.

See, even Cloudjumper can't resist!

Meanwhile, Bilbo and Hiccup would watch from afar and wonder at these two together.

     Bilbo: "Is Smaug with you?" 
     Hiccup: "No, I thought he was with you." 

     Bilbo: "Uh, no." 

     Both: *Slowly start to back away.*

In the end, I think Smaug would try to act big and tough, but he really would feel a small amount of kinship with the playful Night Fury. After all, Smaug is considered a pretty small dragon in comparison to the other Middle-earth dragons (poor, whiny baby), just like Toothless is one of the smaller dragons of Berk. Still, Smaug would try to train Toothless to be a strong, mighty dragon.

Smaug: "I kill where I wish, WHEN I wish! My armour is iron, no blade can pierce me!"
Toothless: *shrugs* "I'm the Alpha dragon. I've seen bigger."
Smaug: "But I am KING UNDER THE MOUNTAIN!"
Toothless: *rolls eyes* "You are a drama queen."
Smaug:

The two dragons might not share the same opinions on how to be a dragon (Smaug would, of course, think it disgraceful to let a person ride on his back and Toothless couldn't justify breathing fire every time he gets angry), but I think they would get along after a few solid days together. And it might prove for the better if Toothless could teach Smaug to lighten up a bit--and not the kind that involves breathing fire on an entire town. Toothless's adorableness and playful attitude would melt Smaug's (arken)stone heart. (But he'd never admit it.)

What else do you think Smaug and Toothless would do together? Let me know in the comments!

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"They Are the Most Important Work": Thoughts on Children and Fandom

Disclaimer: I am not a mom, but do I spend my 9 to 5 with people under the age of 13. 

I had to use Hobbit children.

As I sit here writing this article, I feel like I really should be planning activities for next week. You see, I'm an assistant teacher in a summer school program and my lead teacher graciously asked me to help her with some ideas for next week's theme. Mainly because it's Superhero Week and she knows I'm a bit of a fan. As ideas for research topics and cool art projects jumped out of my brain and Pinterest account I started to think beyond the task at hand. It's important to share things you like with younger people, not in a "here, let's watch [insert thing here] until you can repeat the theme song ad nauseam" sort of way but in a curiosity-inspiring way. Especially when the topic in question already interests them in the first place. The next generation of creators, artists, and writers is out there and probably hitting someone with a stick as we speak.

This so reminds me of Up.

Let's say you're watching The Wizard of Oz with a second grader and they ask you, "Is that real magic? It can't be." You have a few options: (A) pretend that you in fact believe in magic and are offended that they dare ask such a thing, (B) explain special effects to them and research how they pull them off, or (C) reply, "No, they aren't," and continue watching the film while fielding more questions. If you chose (A), the child you're babysitting may think you've lost your mind a bit but feel slightly relieved that magic isn't so implausible. If you chose (B), they will also most likely be inspired; hopefully this results in a future set designer and not a pyromaniac. But, their parents will likely later thank you for getting their child interested in chemistry. If you chose (C), you're probably the type of person who doesn't like to talk during movies.

It's all about encouraging imagination and going along with their inspiration. Scientifically speaking, there's a reason that kids like to do the same thing over and over again (yes, including watching the same movie repeatedly). Their brains are trying to make connections and they often aren't entirely aware of this. They just know that launching toy cars off of the top of the shelf in the block center is really fun, and probably pretending that the cars have to jump over a pit of fire or a lake. They're also learning concepts of physics without even knowing the word. The little boy in your class who plays like this every day might be one of the next hosts of Top Gear or go on to write or direct the next successful car-related heist franchise. He also might grow up to be a mechanic or a race car driver. Every kid is  a future adult and needs the same guidance and encouragement that you did as a child, it only makes sense.

Imagination.

In the third grade my reading teacher knew that I loved Star Wars. She also knew that I had a tendency to rush through my work, or finish early and then sit there gabbing. Mrs. Banner (renamed after my favorite superhero to protect her privacy)  brought in her husband's Star Wars books from when he was a kid for me to read as a reward. In turn, I drew her comics of Anakin and Padme. During my first year in the classroom as a teacher we had a class full of boys, and the few girls that we did have also liked superheroes. My boyfriend's mom bought me a storybook full of Marvel characters to take in to school, and the kiddos loved it. They asked questions about the characters and talked through moral issues in a way that only four-going-on-five-year-olds can. Spider-Man didn't like getting made fun of so they decided not to be mean to people; The Hulk doesn't always mean to get angry so maybe we should forgive our friends when they're mean for seemingly no reason. The book got them thinking, even if it was only momentarily, about other people's feelings in relation to their own. If being read a few stories about The Avengers can do that, what can deeper connections to story do?

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What if fostering those connections truly causes a change in a child's life? What if the child curious about my The Hobbit inspired tattoo goes on to pen the next great epic fantasy saga of their time? A story can inspire, influence, and broaden a person's worldview. Fiction is a safe place to explore and realize things about the world. In that context parents, guardians, and other family and friends have a conversation starter and wealth of metaphor to use in explaining things to a child. Using the familiar to explain something new and potentially scary can create an open mind where plainly discussing something may close it.

In case you were wondering, here's what we're doing next week with the kiddos. Each group is going to research a superhero through guided questions--for fun yes, but also to get them thinking. Who knows, maybe someone will be inspired to figure out how to make clean nuclear energy a real thing, or will go on to work for Marvel, or will be inspired to do the right thing even when it's hard.

We're also doing grid drawings of comic frames, like this example.

How do you use fandom to encourage and help the little people in your life learn and explore?
When you were a child, did the adults in your life incorporate your interests into lessons and activities? How did it affect you? 

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My First Fandom: An Adventure That Shaped My Life

You know the Tumblr meme that starts out, "I didn't choose the fandom life…the fandom life grabbed me by the hand and whispered, 'run'"? And it continues on with several other fandoms?

That is literally me. Only my first fandom didn't whisper, "Run", it grabbed my hand and shouted enthusiastically, "We're going on an adventure!"

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Back in the early 2000s, my dad, faced with a long drive to North Carolina for a family vacation, borrowed the BBC dramatization of The Lord of the Rings from a friend (which, fun fact, starred a young Sir Ian Holmes as Frodo Baggins).

I'd grown up on a steady reading diet of Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, The Boxcar Children, various poorly-written childrens' historicals, and the like since I'd first began reading a lot four years before. I also enjoyed reading fairytales (the original Grimms were my favorite, which shows how twisted my mind was at an early age), mythology, and watching science fiction and fantasy films--I have fond memories of viewings of The Never-Ending Story, Star Wars, the Bass-Rankin animated The Hobbit, and even snippets of Star Trek--yet for some reason, I'd never thought to ask about fantasy and science fiction books, even when some of these films clearly said "Based on the book by [author's name]."

But on that Carolina trip, I fell in love with fantasy. I don't remember much of my first audio reading of LotR, although the memory is seared into my brain of cowering in my seat in the car, zooming down the darkened highway, while we listened to Shelob attacking Frodo and Sam. That scene truly terrified me. But, the rest of the story must have made an impression on me and my dad, because the first thing he did when we arrived home was to pull the trilogy off his bookshelves and hand it to me.

I became, shortly, a fanatic for all things fantasy--but especially Tolkien. I sought out the rest of his writings and devoured them. I memorized the poems and songs; I cried when there was no Tom Bombadil in the Peter Jackson movies. I pressed friends and family into reading the books and didn't understand why no one else loved them and obsessed over them as much as I did, back before I'd ever even heard the term 'fangirl'. Aragorn was my first fictional crush, followed quickly by Fili and Kili (yes, I adored them before they were portrayed by Dwarven rockstars). ;)

There was so much depth to love about these stories, and such a rich history in The Silmarillion. I loved the friendship and loyalty between Sam and Frodo, and it got me through a time in my life when I didn't have that many friends. Boromir is still in my top favorite redemptive story arcs.
Though I'm more active in other fandoms these days, Middle-Earth still has a dear place in my heart, as it shaped so much of who I am. Without Tolkien and his stories about the bravery of hobbits, I wouldn't be a writer, and I certainly wouldn't be a fangirl. I truly can't imagine what my life would be like if I hadn't stepped out that door and traveled that road with Bilbo and Frodo Baggins.

What about you? Did you guys have a fandom that shaped your life? 

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Celebrating Tolkien Reading Day: Our Favorite Tolkien Characters

March 25th marks a momentous day in the realm of fantasy. For fans of The Lord of the Rings, today is the anniversary of Sauron's final defeat, the beginning of the Gondor new year, and the official Tolkien Reading Day. (You can read more about the special, literary day here.) In honor of such a celebration, we've decided to return to the heart of this fantasy epic: the characters. However, since it's Tolkien Reading Day, we've gathered around the table to share a metaphorical pint and to discuss our favorite Tolkien book characters. From Bilbo Baggins to Tom Bombadil to Yavanna, here is why we love Tolkien's characters.

Erinn Leach

Aragorn has remained my favorite Tolkien character ever since I first read the books as a pre-teen. Aragorn is, in my eyes, one of the greatest examples of a virtuous human being in fiction. In all aspects, he is a respectable man and deserving of his greatness. His relationship with Arwen Evenstar is an example of a couple that completely deserves each other and works in unity to strengthen each other. Their connection has empowered the final side of his personality that needed to be whole in order to become the greatest ruler to ever live. Who could say that they deserve power like that? No one but a humble fighter like Aragorn.

Another aspect of Aragorn that I respect is that he looks to his elders for wisdom and truth. He doesn't rely solely upon his personal knowledge; rather, he looks to the great minds of Elrond and Gandalf. Many characters in novels take a selfish route to greatness and feel that they can't ask for help because they fear looking "weak." Aragorn knows that it would be of no good to try to achieve his goals this way. He was guided by Gandalf back to the throne, which was rightfully his by lineage. Aragorn's road to the throne was humbling, and through this, he gained the trust and respect that he needed to become a great and powerful King. He rose from the bottom, among the wild rangers, looked down upon even by travelers. He lived years at the bottom and never complained about his toil.

The honorable personality that Aragorn releases into the world is one that I'll always adore. Each time I read his parts or watch the films, I come away from it learning ways to be a better person. Aragorn always inspires me to work for my dreams and live humbly while doing so.

Galahad Strange

Faramir is the second son of Denethor, Ruling Steward of Gondor.  Unlike his brother Boromir, Faramir grew up loving books rather than warfare and excelled with the bow over the sword.  Where Boromir is brash and bold, Faramir is quiet and deep-thinking, but you’d be hard-pressed to find two brothers more close.  After Boromir’s death in the War of the Ring, Faramir bore the brunt of his father’s ire and the burden of the command of Gondor’s forces.  The price of the strain was almost his life.  But when the Ring was destroyed and Sauron fell and peace came to Middle-earth, all the years of sacrifice and forbearance were repaid when he found love with Éowyn of Rohan.

I was very young when I was first introduced to The Lord of the Rings, no more than eleven or twelve, still dreaming about fairy tales and Prince Charmings. Then along comes the greatest fairy tale of them all.  I loved Faramir with all my little heart before I even understood what “love” meant.  I wept at the cruelties he endured and admired his strength of spirit and the goodness in his heart.  Most of all I wanted him to be happy, and I was overjoyed when he found Éowyn.

Anna Gensimore

I have been a fan of Tolkien's work since childhood; anyone who has met me can attest to this. His world and characters have taught me so much about facing adversity, making choices that you cannot see the outcome of, and preserving the dignity of others (even when it's hard). Considering those factors, these are the three that automatically brought something to mind.

Yavanna

Yavanna is featured in The Silmarillion; you should definitely read it if you have not done so already. She is one of the Valar, a being created by Eru to help form Middle-earth. Her name literally means "giver of fruits" as she was the one to bring things that grow to Middle-earth. Her story is a bit complex, but she's quite loveable. Basically, whenever Melkor or one of his agents destroys life or one of her creations, she is the one that never loses hope. This even leads to the creation of the Sun and Moon! Her husband Aule (also known as Mahal in Khuzdul) created Dwarves to aid him in industry. As the story goes, Yavanna started crying as she feared that her husband's creations would destroy all of her beloved trees. In response, Eru created Ents as a gift to her. She sent the Maiar Radagast to help save Middle-earth. She's kind of my favorite.

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Pippin

Peregrin Took is featured in The Lord of The Rings as a member of The Fellowship. At the beginning of the journey, Pippin, along with his cousin Merry, are in the equivalent of their late teens. He is still very much discovering his identity when the opportunity to go on this quest arises. His role is not just that of comedic relief, it is a coming of age journey. We see him grow from a curious (to a fault) young hobbit with noble intentions to someone with true grit, integrity, and an indomitable spirit. One of my favorite quotes from the series comes when Pippin is speaking to Beregond not long before the battle of Pellenor.

“No, my heart will not yet despair. Gandalf fell and has returned and is with us. We may stand, if only on one leg, or at least be left still upon our knees.”

I love the hope in his heart along with the care he has for nearly everyone he meets on his journey. In fact, you can read more of my opinions on this darling hobbit here.

Gimli

Gimli is from a long line of proud dwarves who have strong opinions about pretty much everything. His character growth is quite touching. As a member of The Fellowship, Gimli is forced to come to terms with his own shortcomings and prejudices in a way that many of the others did not have to. Dwarves, especially Durin's folk are notorious for not getting along with elves. Considering his family's past with Elf-king Thranduil, I find it wonderful that along his journey Gimli grows the closest with Legolas. Their friendship continues to the Undying Lands as a special exception is made for him (after life, dwarves normally go to the Halls of Mahal), and he is the only dwarf to reside there. Gimli is a wonderful example of letting his own experience shape his worldview instead of letting his culture shape it.

Anna Catherine

Smaug

Smaug is by far one of my favorite characters in The Hobbit. Every time I tell anyone that, they tell me, "But Tolkien's dragons are personifications of evil!" I know. I'm horrible. Let's move on. (I really, REALLY love dragons. I sometimes wish that I could have my own dragon. I also wish I could breathe fire and roast marshmallows.) Smaug is a grumpy dragon that yells ,"GET OFF MY GOLD" when little kids come to retrieve a wayward arrow. He wants attention, and he'll (unfortunately) seek it however he can, even if it means destroying an entire village. He knows that he terrifies people and uses his power to get whatever he wants. On the inside (no matter how many people tell me off), I think he's a little kid dying for affection, albeit a selfish little kid.

Legolas

The most beautiful of all the elves (next to his father, where his good looks came from). Majestic hair even in the thick of battle. Still looks young after hundreds of years. Dermatologists hate him. For real though, Legolas overcame the common thoughts and prejudices of his species and learned to be a good friend to everyone, even dwarves. He was stuck up at first, but he realized later that the fellowship was more important than his pride. (Also, I wish I was that skilled with a bow. Mad skills, yo.)

Ori

In one behind the scenes video, Adam Brown (Ori) and Graham McTavish (Dwalin) were having a conversation about Kili's appeal to the fans. "Aiden Turner is the 'hot one,' I suppose. If you like that kind of thing," said McTavish. Brown added, "But if you like knitted cardigans and knitted mittens, then I’m your fella!" That is why Ori is my favorite dwarf. He's shy and cuddly but has a bit of a wild side (as seen at the meeting at Bilbo's in the first Hobbit film). He doesn't like green food (can you blame him?) and would much rather the elves served something edible, like pork or bacon. He's loyal and will do anything for his friends.

Sky Destrian

Bilbo Baggins

When I was a kid, my dad introduced me to The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. It was my first venture into Middle-earth, and I've reread it several times over the years. The character that I love the most is obviously our good old Bilbo Baggins. He's the one who starts off The Lord of the Rings trilogy; he's the catalyst who sends things into motion by finding the Ring. He keeps the Ring, and it corrupts him (something I always hated). But I'll always know him as the Bilbo from There and Back Again. As a child, I remember loving him so much and feeling like I went on all his adventures with him. I was also impressed by his ability to stump Gollum with his riddles. He reminds me that no matter how small you are, how insignificant you feel, or how reluctant you are, you can always be a hero. He was the singular person who started my love for Tolkien and Middle-earth, and so I'll forever be thankful to this little hobbit. (Also, Martin Freeman made an amazing Bilbo Baggins. Just saying.)

Fíli and Kíli

When my dad first read The Hobbit to me, Fíli and Kíli were my favorite dwarves. I'm not exactly sure why, except that they were so youthful and fun that they reminded me of myself. I loved every mention of them throughout the whole book. I also pictured them both like variations of Dopey from Snow White, which is interesting because the dwarves were actually based off of the Snow White fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm. At the end, Tolkien lets us know that Fíli and Kíli died in battle, and I remember being extremely upset.

In The Hobbit movie adaptation, I was extremely excited about the way the brothers looked. However, I'm still disappointed that they didn't get more development in the movie, and I wish we had gotten to see more of them. (Also, Fíli's hair and beard are my favorite thing.)

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Gandalf

If you ask me for a good example of a mentor in fiction, I'd definitely have to point you to Gandalf the Grey. He's an incredible wizard with immense power who took the form of a humble old man. He took on the Fellowship even though he probably didn't want to. He's the one who ties the entire Fellowship together, and without them, they'd probably be lost. In fact, they were lost without him when the Balrog took his life. One of my favorite character arcs in fiction is that of Gandalf's, in which he dies, then comes back as Gandalf the White. The moment where he reveals himself in the Forest of Fangorn is so touching. In general, Gandalf is one of my favorite Tolkien characters and one of my favorite characters of all time. His power, his goodness, and his courage are incredibly important to me, and I'll forever carry his impact in my heart.

Jaime Heller

When it comes to Tolkien, it's very hard to choose favorite characters. I want to gather them all together into a giant hug (you too, Boromir) and just cry. I love them that much. Tolkien is known for writing one of the greatest fantasy epics ever. And I think a lot of that comes from his fantastic cast of characters. Whether it's thirteen dwarves or the nine members of the fellowship or the random characters in between that help along the way, each character Tolkien brought to life is unique and important to the story. But still, there are some that seem go to beyond the normal "awesome" and reach a whole new level of epic. These three are, in my opinion, some of those epic, unforgettable characters.

Glorfindel

If you've read the books, you know who Glorfindel is. If you haven't, I'm sorry. You've been deprived of meeting the most badass Tolkien character created (with the exception of Eowyn). Glorfindel is one of the first elves Tolkien ever created. He's a pretty elf with blond hair, hence his name. Glorfindel literally translates to "blond, golden-haired." (Tolkien, I love you.) Glorfindel appears in several places during the entire history of Arda: The Silmarillion, The Book of Lost Tales, and The Lord of the Rings.

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He's most known for helping Frodo escape from the Ring-Wraiths in order to reach Rivendell during The Fellowship of the Ring. Yes, Peter Jackson replaced the epic Glorfindel with Arwen. Now, I'm not here to snub Arwen--she is wonderful in and of herself. But she. does. not. appear. in. the. books. Not truly. She's mentioned to be in Rivendell, but she doesn't say anything or do anything. Aragorn isn't falling helplessly in love with her every other second. We don't need Arwen in the books because we have Eowyn.

Ahem, sorry. I'm only enraged by this switcheroo because of how insanely awesome Glorfindel is. Not only did he help Frodo on the quest to, I don't know, rid the world of the evil lord Sauron, but he's done many other great things. First, he leads a lot of armies and defeats a lot of bad guys. He helped fight against Angmar during the Third Age. Second, he caused the Witch-King to flee just by his awesomeness, and he predicted that the Witch-King would not be killed by a man but someone else (that someone else would be Eowyn). Third, he fought and killed a Balrog. By himself. Okay, let's just pause here and relish in the glory of who Glorfindel is. He killed a Balrog. A Balrog. The big, fiery demon thing that took every ounce of Gandalf's power to kill. Gandalf, a Maia. Sure, Glorfindel did die after the fight. (I'm not sure anybody can quite survive that kind of ordeal.) But he didn't stay dead, apparently, because he came back during the Second and Third Ages.

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Basically, Glorfindel is the most badass elf to ever exist, and it's a crime he didn't appear in the movies. Peter Jackson, this is the one thing I will never forgive you for.

Tom Bombadil

Tom Bombadil is his own anomaly. I'm not sure if he's a man or some other kind of being. He's just... Tom Bombadil. He comes in during The Fellowship of the Ring and helps the four hobbits find their way through the Old Forest and Barrow-downs. He does not exist in the live-action movie version because... well, I assume they couldn't find anybody good enough to play him. (Except let's be honest, Brian Blessed would be a wonderful Tom Bombadil.)

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Tom Bombadil is his own being, and he lives in his own world of the Old Forest. He's mysterious and interesting. He sings to trees. He's married. He's possibly the oldest person in Middle-earth. Frodo almost gave him the Ring, but later, Gandalf comments that Tom Bombadil would have thought the Ring wasn't important and would have simply misplaced it. It has no power over him, which is an enigma as well.

Tom Bombadil is epic simply because he's Tom Bombadil, and he does what he wants. Your argument is invalid.

Samwise Gamgee

I can't discuss favorite Tolkien characters without mentioning my absolute favorite: Samwise Gamgee. Sam likes to hear stories and wonder about the world, but in truth, he's just a hobbit who loves to watch things grow. He embarks on a journey with Frodo by chance, it seems, and ends up becoming one of the greatest heroes. Tolkien himself said Sam was the chiefest hero--the true hero of the story. Without Sam, Frodo wouldn't have gotten far. Sam is loyal and trustworthy; he's brave and sweet. He doesn't give up when it comes to his friends or the fate of Middle-earth. He moves forward, he keeps going. He has to deal with Gollum and Shelob and hordes of orcs. But he does it; he pushes through in order to get Frodo into that terrible mountain to destroy the One Ring.

Samwise Gamgee makes me want to cry and laugh and jump up and down all at once. He will always be a favorite character due to his brave heart and simple thought process. He brings hope into the story when the characters are in the most hopeless of places. He gives great speeches, and he makes profound statements. (Seriously, just go watch this scene and cry.) Sam is the one who helps save the day, and he's the one who received the happily ever after. He doesn't give up; he keeps fighting and moving forward. I want to be more like Sam.

That there's some good in the world, Mr. Frodo, and it's worth fighting for.

Who are your favorite Tolkien characters? How will you be celebrating Tolkien Reading Day?

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The 10 Best Dragons from Fiction

January 16th is considered Appreciate a Dragon Day. Don't believe me? Check out the queen of writing dragon books, Donita K. Paul, here. She celebrates Appreciate a Dragon Day every year. I know, so cool, right? If there's one thing you should know about me, it's that I love dragons. If I were a dragon, I would hoard other dragons. These winged-beasts--in any size, form, personality, or ability--are magnificent creatures in my mind. I can easily find reason to appreciate them.

In honor of such a celebration, I've gathered and ranked dragons found in fiction. Here are my top ten favorite dragons.

(Note: This list consists of my favorites. There are many other wonderful dragons in the world; however, since most of the others I've never read about or watched on a screen, I cannot accurately write about why I love them. Thus, popular dragons like those from Game of Thrones or Dragon Tales will not be included in this list. Feel free to comment below with why you love them if you do!)

10. Eustace (The Chronicles of Narnia)

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During The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, King Caspian X, along with the two younger Pevensies and their cousin Eustace, visits one of the mystery islands in the Great Eastern Ocean. It's here that poor Eustace Clarence Scrubbs (and he almost deserved it) found himself turned into a dragon. A dragon! Can you imagine? However, Eustace wasn't a very good dragon. He cried. A lot. It's only through the patience and care of Aslan that Eustace sheds his scales and is turned back into a boy.

9. Falkor (The Neverending Story)

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While I've only read the book, Falkor the luckdragon remains at the forefront of my mind when I think about The Neverending Story. (He is a dragon, after all.) He helps Atreyu on his quest. He's wise, optimistic, and kind to everybody he encounters. He wouldn't be seen as the typical malevolent, fire-breathing dragon; he's in fact based more on the benelovent, eastern dragon in both personality and body type. But that makes him all the better as a luckdragon. His actions come from his heart, not his mouth.

8. Mushu (Mulan)

There are few dragons in fiction like Mushu. He's sort of clumsy, definitely funny, and very loyal. He can't do much with his size or little fire-breath. But he doesn't allow his downfalls to keep him from helping Mulan save China. He finds other ways--outside the box ways--to get the job done. It's quite clever of him, actually. Plus, he's hilarious.

7. Saphira (Eragon)

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One of the first dragons I befriended was Saphira from the Inheritance Cycle. While I never finished reading those books, Saphira still remained a favorite character. She is a wise, strong dragon willing to put with the likes of Eragon. She's also described as quite beautiful with sapphire scales and with a finely structured body for flying. Despite her vanity for her own figure, she's still a strong, independent dragon, who isn't afraid to speak her mind. Nor does she bow to others, which she shouldn't have to. She is a dragon after all.

6. Haku (Spirited Away)

Haku is both dragon and boy. Actually, he's a River Spirit, which gives him the ability to transform into a dragon. In Japanese mythology, dragons are highly associated with rivers and water; thus, Haku's dragon form resembles the eastern dragon with a snake-like body, whiskers, and a wolf-like face (similar to Falkor or Mushu). He also has the ability to fly. In the movie (which you should go watch), Haku helps the protagonist Chihiro save her parents after they're turned into pigs. It's a wild adventure, and it includes dragons!

5. Festus (Heroes of Olympus)

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Festus, whose name means "Happy" in Latin, is not your ordinary dragon. He's actually an automaton dragon, which is a highly developed robot machine. Originally, he was created to protect Camp Half-Blood, but somewhere along the line, he short-circuited and went haywire. In The Lost Hero (book one of the Heroes of Olympus series), Leo traps the crazy Festus and fixes him. From then on, he helps the demigods accomplish their mission of defeating Gaia, whether he's in dragon form or attached to the mast of the Argo II. Festus is cool because he's a helpful, robot dragon. Plus, he eats motor oil and Tabasco sauce.

4. Maleficent (Sleeping Beauty)

On the scarier side of dragons, Maleficent is truly marvelous. As a sorceress fairy, she can turn herself into a ferocious dragon. This kind of dragon gives children nightmares. Green smoke flares from her nose, her jaws snap with crackling fire, and her massive body looms over the brave Phillip and the little fairies. While she is defeated by a sword to the chest, she's still a pretty badass dragon, and she's considered one of the most sinister Disney villains ever. (I can't help but agree.)

3. Kilgharrah (Merlin)

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If you're looking for a wise, old dragon with a bit of sass, Kilgharrah (No, I don't know how to pronounce that) will do the job. He's the mentor of Merlin from the BBC show. He always manages to give Merlin the right bit of advice in the nick of time. In return, Merlin promises to set Kilgharrah free from the chains that bind him. Kilgharrah is also the one who sets Merlin off on his destiny to save Camelot... by helping the prat prince, Arthur. (Yes, the once and future king. Hold the once.) A wise, sassy, British dragon who gives young blokes destinies? Yes, please! Kilgharrah is one majestic dragon.

2. Toothless (How to Train Your Dragon)

The cutest, most adorable dragon in existence, Toothless is one of my favorite dragons. Whether it's the lovable movie version or the sassy little dragon from the books, he definitely ranks high on my list of dragons. I even have the build-a-bear of him. Toothless is a Night Fury, which is supposedly the most horrific dragon of the viking skies. However, Hiccup learns Toothless is more on the playful side, especially if food is involved. Toothless, however, is also brave--doing anything to help Hiccup or the other dragons--smart, lovable, and yes, sassy. In the books, he's a teeny-tiny dragon who refuses to do anything unless fish or riddles are involved. Even then, he can be lazy and sassy. Thus, I love both versions of Toothless.

1. Smaug (The Hobbit)

No list of dragons could be complete without the all-father of dragons (or something like that). Smaug the Terrible is probably one of the most famous dragons in fantasy. A ferocious dragon, he attacks the dwarven kingdom of Erebor and sets up shop within the mountain in order to take a 150-year nap. He's greedy, cunning, and all-around magnificent. While he's certainly not the biggest dragon to wander Middle-earth (He's actually a teeny-tiny baby dragon in comparison), he still has merit in the realm of dragons. He's been estimated to be the second richest fictional character with a net worth of $54.1 billion. There has even been a species of lizard and bug named after this golden dragon. Quite magnificent indeed. (He is fire and death, after all.)

Who is your favorite fictional dragon? Let me know in the comments below along with what you're doing to celebrate 'Appreciate a Dragon Day'!

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