I was too but grades 4 and below were not told, maybe because we lived in Dallas. I learned from my 5th grade friend after school. I didn't believe her. We ran home to check the afternoon paper.

1st read the Hobbit and the LofR trilogy mid 70s, Reread them every 10 years until the movies. Then read the trilogy each time a movie was released. Might be time to read them again.