CURRICULUM FOR CHAPTER BOOK: "In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit." This is the beginning of the story of Bilbo Baggins, who never anticipated the adventures that he would undertake. Bilbo's service as a burglar is recommended by Gandalf and accepted by Thorin Oakenshield and his company of dwarves. They are on a quest to retrieve their treasure and kingdom at the Lonely Mountain from the clutches of the terrible dragon Smaug. Encountering many dangers along the way, the fat and unadventurous Bilbo meets up with trolls, goblins, spiders, and the ghoulish Gollum. But when faced with peril Bilbo learns how useful he can be to his friends, and what courage and adventurous spirit are really inside of him, even though he is only a small hobbit.