Exploring Narnia

It's been 60 years since The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe was published—the first of an eventual seven-book series released between 1950 and 1956. Enormously popular, the books have been translated into 47 languages and sold over 100 million copies. Countless readers have been captivated by the stories, which have spawned many dramatizations, comic books, films, biographies of the author.... The Chronicles of Narnia are so well-known they hardly need introduction.

Lewis believed the best stories for children are those that do not talk down to them. As a result, the Narnia books may be enjoyed by anyone of any age, though they are geared toward 8-12 year olds. Plenty of parents have delighted in reading them to their preschool children, and it's obvious that many adults still love the books as well. If you're reading them for the first time, we suggest reading them in the order they were originally published (they were renumbered in 1994). This order offers a better character development arc and more plot surprises. Lewis offered different advice later in life, but he didn't seem to think it that important. We recommend the following order:

  1. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (1950)

  2. Prince Caspian (1951)

  3. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (1952)

  4. The Silver Chair (1953)

  5. The Horse and His Boy (1954)

  6. The Magician's Nephew (1955)

  7. The Last Battle (1956)

Narnia is not without critics. J.R.R. Tolkien (one of Lewis' closest friends) didn't care for the books, and it's easy to understand why secularists complain: the Christian themes of sacrifice, resurrection and redemption are overt. Perhaps more intriguing are evangelical complaints that Lewis promotes the occult in his writing. For the most part, we believe these well-meaning Christians miss the point of Narnia entirely. Recently, pastor Douglas Wilson has written a book called What I Learned in Narnia, in which he argues that Lewis clearly teaches such character attributes as respect for authority, nobility, and love of story. Beyond that, he shows how Lewis teaches true confession of sin, the importance of spiritual disciplines, an understanding of grace and (through a love of Aslan) a love of God. We think he gets it right.

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Bandersnatch
by Diana Pavlac Glyer, illustrated by James A. Owen
from Kent State University Press
for 10th-Adult
in The Inklings (Location: LIR-INK)
$24.95
C. S. Lewis
Christian Heroes: Then & Now
by Geoff & Janet Benge
from YWAM Publishing
Biography for 4th-7th grade
in Christian Heroes: Then and Now (Location: BIO-BENGE)
$11.99
C. S. Lewis: The Man Behind Narnia
by Beatrice Gormley
from Eerdmans
Biography for 9th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$16.00
Chronicles of Narnia - Audio Book Set
by C. S. Lewis
from HarperCollins
for 2nd-9th grade
in Audio Books & Dramas (Location: CD-AUDIO)
$75.00
Chronicles of Narnia - Comprehension Guide
by Ned Bustard
from Veritas Press
for 3rd-6th grade
in Veritas Press Literature Guides (Location: LITSG-VP)
$35.00
Chronicles of Narnia - Deluxe Hardcover Boxed Set
by C. S. Lewis
from HarperCollins
Allegorical Fantasy for 3rd-9th grade
in Boxed Sets & Literature Packages (Location: FIC-BOX)
$139.63
Chronicles of Narnia - Mass-Market Boxed Set
by C. S. Lewis
from HarperCollins
Allegorical Fantasy for 3rd-9th grade
in Boxed Sets & Literature Packages (Location: FIC-BOX)
$55.00
Chronicles of Narnia - Quality Softcover Boxed Set
by C. S. Lewis
from HarperCollins
Allegorical Fantasy for 3rd-9th grade
in Boxed Sets & Literature Packages (Location: FIC-BOX)
$90.93
Chronicles of Narnia Official Coloring Book
by C. S. Lewis, Pauline D. Baynes
Clr Csm from HarperCollins
for 6th-Adult
in Literary & Fantasy Coloring Books (Location: COL-LIT)
$18.99
Companion to Narnia
by Paul F. Ford
from HarperCollins
for 5th-10th grade
in Exploring Narnia (Location: LIR-NAR)
$17.99
Fellowship
by Philip Zaleski & Carol Zaleski
from Farrar, Straus and Giroux
for 10th-Adult
in The Inklings (Location: LIR-INK)
$24.00
Finding Narnia
by Caroline McAlister, Illustrated by Jessica Lanan
from Roaring Brook Press
for Preschool-3rd grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$19.99
Following Narnia 1 - Set
by Laura Bettis
3rd edition from Institute for Excellence in Writing
for 6th-8th grade
in IEW Theme-Based Writing Lessons (Location: WRI-IEWTBW)
$55.00
Following Narnia 1 - Student Workbook
by Laura Bettis
3rd edition from Institute for Excellence in Writing
for 6th-8th grade
in IEW Theme-Based Writing Lessons (Location: WRI-IEWTBW)
$35.00
Following Narnia 2 - Set
by Laura Bettis
1st edition from Institute for Excellence in Writing
for 6th-8th grade
in IEW Theme-Based Writing Lessons (Location: WRI-IEWTBW)
$55.00
Following Narnia 2 - Student Workbook
1st edition from Institute for Excellence in Writing
for 6th-8th grade
in IEW Theme-Based Writing Lessons (Location: WRI-IEWTBW)
$35.00
Hobbit, a Wardrobe, and a Great War
by Joseph Loconte
from Tyndale House
for Adult
in The Inklings (Location: LIR-INK)
$18.99
Horse and His Boy
Chronicles of Narnia Book 3
by C. S. Lewis
from HarperCollins
Allegorical Fantasy for 3rd-9th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$8.99 $4.50 (1 in stock)
Horse and His Boy
Chronicles of Narnia Book 3
by Lewis, C. S.
from HarperCollins
Allegorical Fantasy for 3rd-9th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$9.99 $6.00 (4 in stock)
Horse and His Boy - Progeny Press Study Guide
by Carol Clark
from Progeny Press
for 5th-7th grade
in Progeny Press Literature Guides (Location: LIT-SGPP)
$24.99
Jack: A Life of C.S.Lewis
by George Sayer
from Crossway Books
for 10th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$29.99
Last Battle
Chronicles of Narnia Book 7
by C. S. Lewis
from HarperCollins
Allegorical Fantasy for 3rd-9th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$8.99 $5.00 (5 in stock)
Last Battle
Chronicles of Narnia Book 7
by C. S. Lewis
from HarperCollins
Allegorical Fantasy for 3rd-9th grade
1956 Carnegie Medal
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$8.99 $6.00 (1 in stock)
Last Battle - Progeny Press Study Guide
from Progeny Press
for 5th-7th grade
in Progeny Press Literature Guides (Location: LIT-SGPP)
$24.99
Letters to Children
by C. S. Lewis
from Charles Scribner's Sons
Autobiographical Letters for 3rd-9th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$16.00
Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Chronicles of Narnia Book 2
by C. S. Lewis
from HarperCollins
Allegorical Fantasy for 3rd-9th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$9.99
Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Chronicles of Narnia Book 2
by C. S. Lewis
from HarperCollins
Allegorical Fantasy for 3rd-9th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$11.99
Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe - Progeny Press Study Guide
Progeny Press Literature Guides
by Andrew Clausen
from Progeny Press
Literature Guide for 4th-7th grade
in Progeny Press Literature Guides (Location: LIT-SGPP)
$24.99
Magician's Nephew
Chronicles of Narnia Book 1
by C. S. Lewis
from HarperCollins
Allegorical Fantasy for 3rd-9th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$8.99
Magician's Nephew
Chronicles of Narnia Book 1
by C. S. Lewis
from HarperCollins
Allegorical Fantasy for 3rd-9th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$11.99
Magician's Nephew - Progeny Press Study Guide
Progeny Press Literature Guides
by Andrew Clausen
from Progeny Press
Literature Guide for 5th-7th grade
in Progeny Press Literature Guides (Location: LIT-SGPP)
$24.99
Medieval Mind of C. S. Lewis
by Jason M. Baxter
from InterVarsity Press
for Adult
in The Inklings (Location: LIR-INK)
$22.00
Narnia and Beyond
by Thomas Howard
from Ignatius Press
Biography for 9th grade-Adult
in Exploring Narnia (Location: LIR-NAR)
$15.95
Narnia Code
by Michael Ward
from Tyndale House
for 11th-Adult
in Exploring Narnia (Location: LIR-NAR)
$15.99
Not a Tame Lion
Leaders in Action Series
by Terry Glaspey
from Cumberland House
Biography for 9th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$7.96
Of Other Worlds
by C. S. Lewis
Reissue from HarperOne
for 8th-Adult
in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20)
$13.99
Prince Caspian
Chronicles of Narnia Book 4
by C. S. Lewis
from HarperCollins
Allegorical Fantasy for 3rd-9th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$8.99
Prince Caspian
Chronicles of Narnia Book 4
by C. S. Lewis
from HarperCollins
Allegorical Fantasy for 3rd-9th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$9.99
Prince Caspian
by C. S. Lewis
from HarperCollins
for 2nd-6th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$8.99
Prince Caspian - Progeny Press Study Guide
Progeny Press Literature Guides
by Andrew Clausen
from Progeny Press
Literature Guide for 5th-7th grade
in Progeny Press Literature Guides (Location: LIT-SGPP)
$24.99 $14.00 (1 in stock)
Silver Chair
Chronicles of Narnia Book 6
by C. S. Lewis
from HarperCollins
Allegorical Fantasy for 3rd-9th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$7.99
Silver Chair
Chronicles of Narnia Book 6
by C. S. Lewis, illustrated by Pauline Baynes
from HarperCollins
Allegorical Fantasy for 3rd-9th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$8.99
Silver Chair - Progeny Press Study Guide
by Carol Clark
from Progeny Press
for 5th-7th grade
in Progeny Press Literature Guides (Location: LIT-SGPP)
$24.99
The Narnian
by Alan Jacobs
from HarperOne
for 10th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$14.99
Through the Wardrobe
by Lina Maslo
from Balzer & Bray
for Kindergarten-2nd grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$17.99
Voyage of the Dawn Treader
Chronicles of Narnia Book 5
by C. S. Lewis
from HarperCollins
Allegorical Fantasy for 3rd-9th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$8.99
Voyage of the Dawn Treader
Chronicles of Narnia Book 5
by C. S. Lewis
from HarperCollins
Allegorical Fantasy for 3rd-9th grade
in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
$9.99
Voyage of the Dawn Treader - Progeny Press Study Guide
by Carol Clark
1st edition from Progeny Press
for 5th-7th grade
in Progeny Press Literature Guides (Location: LIT-SGPP)
$24.99 $14.00 (1 in stock)
World According to Narnia
by Jonathan Rogers
from Rabbit Room Press
for 11th-Adult
in Exploring Narnia (Location: LIR-NAR)
$14.95