The Ring Bearer's Big Day

If your son is in a wedding and you are searching for a great book to teach him what it is all about to be a ring bearer at a wedding, stop searching... this is the book! When our son (age 5 ½) was asked to be in my cousin's wedding, the teacher in me knew a children's book would teach him all the tricks. So I took out some from a library on the topic and I purchased some. This book was definitely what I was looking for. It tells a story of a little boy who gets to be a ring bearer and goes through every step of the wedding and the reception. Some books on this topic will tell the child what not to do (which I think just plants ideas in an energetic 5 year olds head). This book does not do that, it tells the story in the way I would like my son to behave as the ring bearer and at the wedding and reception. The story is geared towards older kiddos. The text is longer. My son loves this book and has been requesting it to be read often.

My 4-year-old nephew is going to stand up as the ring bearer in my October wedding. I thought a book about it would be perfect, but was disappointed that the selection of titles was lacking. This seemed to be the best choice with mixed reviews. Overall, I like the book and my nephew, I think, loves it and understands his role a little better. I found it helpful to change the names so it would apply more to him, which made for a little tongue-tying! I do think the book could be a little shorter, but overall, like I said, it will do.

I hate to rain on the Ring Bearer's big parade, but this book was a disappointement. The writing was at the high school level, with illustrations apparently done by a middle schooler. The book follows "Bobby", who has been invited to be the ring bearer in his uncle's wedding. The plot is heavy on Bobby's misadventures with falling out of trees and running around with his shoes untied, and light on the actual responsibilities of a ring bearer. Our four year-old has admittedly liked the book, however, and we've read it to him often. I think he'll be prepared to be a ring bearer, but probably not better prepared than if we had just sat him down and talked him through it.

I was expecting more from this book, which I bought for my three-year old ring bearer. The main character is semi-annoying, and the book isn't very interesting. It does give the basics of what goes on at and before a wedding, but I didn't think it explained very much very well, and I didn't think the writing was particularly good, either. And, the main character's name is "Bobby," which seemed annoyingly "typical-kid's-book-character-name."

This book takes the mystery out of the "big day" for young kids, many of whom may have not been to a wedding before. It explains everything from tuxedos and rented shoes to limousines. Illustrations are really beautiful, too. The ring bearer in the story was a bit older than mine, but still relatable. I definitely recommend.

I was extremely disappointed by this book. I understand they couldn't use the name "Frodo" because of legal reasons, but to use the generic "Bobby" instead and set it in a modern setting was a travesty. The art was ok, but I found myself unable to place the setting, my best guess would be somewhere in Dorwinion based on the shrub like vegetation around "Bobby's" house. I was waiting the entire book for some dragons or magic or something, but it was just a bunch of boring stuff about weddings. Don't waste your money, download yourself a free copy of Lord of the Rings the Lost Chapters 1: A Wind from the West online and save yourself the disappointment.

We bought this book as a gift for the ring bearer in our wedding. It helped him out when it came time for the big day. Sending it ahead of time, especially for younger children, give the ring bearer the chance to get over any fears.