Heirs of Tolkien, Dickens Collaborate on Books

The descendants of literary royalty are coming together on two new children's fantasy books. JRR Tolkien's grandson, Michael Tolkien, will write the two novels—which will be based on stories Tolkien himself read to him when he was young—and Charles Dickens' great-great grandson, Gerald Dickens, will narrate the audiobooks. Both will be out later this year, the BBC reports.

The first book, Wish, was inspired by a 1923 story about two children who try to save their valley. Michael Tolkien wanted to "re-create the spirit" of the little-known tale, which he first heard as a child and later read to his children, he says. The second book, Rainbow, is based on a novel by the same author, Florence Bone. (More J. R. R. Tolkien stories.)