Who was a key influence in Tolkien's love of books and learning?

His mother

His uncle

The local librarian

His grammar school teacher

The answer is his mother, while living in the small village of Sarehole, where his family moved after his father passed away, he had begun to learn Latin from his mother and to read books about dragons.

His mother

Explanation:

Tolkien's mother was very influential in his life. That's because his father died very early leaving her alone with two children to raise and experiencing many difficulties. Even so, his mother never abandoned her children, worked hard to ensure that they had a quality education, in addition to influencing Tolkien in the love of languages and influencing him to be a voracious reader.

All of this made Tolkien associate love with his mother, making her a great source of inspiration.