Children's book: Roverandom

Overview
Roverandom is a whimsical short novel by J. R. R. Tolkien, published posthumously in 1998. Originally told to amuse his young son, it follows the misadventures of a small toy dog named Rover who is transformed into a real dog by a vexed wizard. The tale blends playful humor, gentle moral lessons, and imaginative flights that take Rover far beyond his owner's backyard.

Plot summary
The story begins with a child's temper and a tossed toy: after biting his owner's bare foot, Rover is flung away and vanishes into the sea. A sorcerer, displeased with Rover's presumptuous behavior, turns the toy into a living dog as punishment. Stripped of his familiar toy-ness and thrust into a world of wonders, Rover embarks on a quest to regain his original form and return home.

Adventures on the Moon
One major strand of Rover's journey carries him to the moon, a place rendered with Tolkien's blend of mythic grandeur and gentle whimsy. There Rover encounters strange lunar folk and faces odd customs and challenges that test his courage and curiosity. These episodes unfold as a mix of comedy and romance, evoking the feeling of a child's bedtime story expanded into a miniature epic.

Undersea episodes
The sea provides an equally vivid stage for Rover's adventures. Beneath the waves he meets marine beings both benign and bizarre, learns the rules of an alien environment, and takes part in episodes that alternate between peril and marvel. The underwater passages showcase Tolkien's talent for inventing creatures and cultures that feel at once ancient and freshly imagined, while allowing Rover to grow through his encounters.

Themes and tone
Tolkien writes Roverandom with a light, affectionate tone that never condescends to its subject. The narrative explores themes of punishment and redemption, the boundaries between play and responsibility, and the resilience of affection. Imagination and storytelling are celebrated as restorative forces: the fantastical episodes are both entertainment and a means by which Rover learns humility and longing for home.

Style and audience
Although intended for children, the book bears Tolkien's characteristic care with language, playful coinages, and an underlying sense of lore. Its episodic structure and rich descriptive passages make it accessible to young readers while offering pleasures for adults who appreciate Tolkien's myth-making. Songs, brief digressions, and comic flourishes give the tale a delightful texture that feels like an heirloom bedtime story.

Legacy
Roverandom stands apart from Tolkien's larger mythic works by its intimate scale and domestic origin, yet it shares the same imaginative energy and meticulous storytelling. Published in 1998 from manuscripts kept by the Tolkien family and edited for readers decades after it was first told, the book remains a charming reminder of storytelling's power to transform small things, like a toy dog, into vessels for wonder.