For me it’s a book you can enjoy on multiple levels. I first read at 6, and obviously missed lots of subtlety but adored it and absorbed the mythology like I did for greek and Roman mythology (and Sunday school come to that). I still get new stuff from it many rereads later, and reading it to my 7 year old who is experiencing it his own way. ATM he’s convinced Bombadil is going to solve all their problems and defeat sauron.
For me it’s a book you can enjoy on multiple levels. I first read at 6, and obviously missed lots of subtlety but adored it and absorbed the mythology like I did for greek and Roman mythology (and Sunday school come to that). I still get new stuff from it many rereads later, and reading it to my 7 year old who is experiencing it his own way. ATM he’s convinced Bombadil is going to solve all their problems and defeat sauron.