My teacher Mrs. Heinz and The Hobbit

The memory of a good teacher can be a beautiful thing that lasts a lifetime

In 6th grade, I had a teacher who did something extraordinary and unexpected: on Friday afternoons, she would read a chapter of The Hobbit to us. I had never read The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings. I had never heard of them. I know that's hard to believe now, after the six movie releases, with all the massive hype and fanfare.

But when I was in the 6th…