JRR Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings series is a must read for adults, and can be read by older children too. But Tolkien wrote short stories as well and some of the best are included in Tales from the Perilous Realm. The first story, Roverandom, is about a dog that gets turned into a toy and is great for children (and adults) of all ages. The next ones are better for older children (4th and up). Farmer Giles of Ham is a fun story about a farmer who goes to fight a dragon. The Adventures of Tom Bombadil is poetry about the character from Lord of the Rings. Smith of Wooten Major is a story about a man who visits fairy land. Leaf by Niggle is allegorical and best for even older children or adults (6th and up).