The Chronicles of Narnia

One of the most popular children’s book series of the twentieth century, all of the books in the series feature the author speaking directly to the reader, detailing past events, reminding the reader of personality traits of the characters, and providing the reader with background details about the world the reader finds themselves in.

More so than the other books on the list, it’s clear the voice is that of C.S. Lewis though, rather than a seemingly separate narrator.

I read this when I was young, and then read the whole series again aloud with my daughter. I love the warmth in the storytelling, and the way the author sometimes speaks directly to the reader. It’s a fairy-tale that draws you in, with the children from Earth in the book travelling to a different world and having aspects of that world revealed gradually, another great aspect of the Christian analogy featured throughout the series.

I was really inspired by this book series. I love how the kids go into the adventure, and at times while reading this book I felt as if it was me experiencing this amazing adventure. Also, this book portrays how kids can show their bravery when needed. So it’s a great motivation for the readers.

This is such a beloved classic for so many reasons, but the one that stands out the most is the ingenious mingling of fantasy and reality. How quite literally, a set of siblings are transported to another time, with other creatures and languages, another world. I love how, from the beginning, we watch and grow along with the characters. It is a treasure we do not always get with a single novel. It is why this series leaves a lasting imprint on the hearts of readers through generations. 

This iconic, world-famous book is also the story that hooked me into reading when I was a young girl. If offered a world of escape and wonder, probably the first time I truly enjoyed the 'theater of the mind.' It encouraged me to start writing my own stories and fostered a love of reading, leading to a passion for books. My career as a writer stems from discovering this book. I still have the copy from my childhood, battered and water-damaged but very much loved. 

My first dive into the fantasy genre was through C.S. Lewis’ wardrobe, which transported me as a pre-teen into the magical realm of Narnia and all its denizens. What I learned from the series was that all things didn’t end up “happily ever after” in this genre. That there was dark magic that sometimes defeated the light and beloved characters could die! Even though I consider myself a sci-fi/horror writer, fantasy has been a subgenre to a lot of my stories, and these “Chronicles” were the books that spurred that interest.

I chose this author because, his sense of good and evil, right and wrong, seem to parallel my own, as my main characters seek their place in a topsy turvy world. Lewis is a master of fantasy as he takes four children to a land where obvious impossibility is quite possible. Through a bizarre happenstance triggered by the character Lucy, during a hide and seek game, she enters a wardrobe closet and stumbles through a portal into a world where imaginations seem to have no limits. After her return the story unpacks, as her three siblings, Peter, Susan, and Edmond… show more.

This book really pulls you into a wonderfully imaginative world. It is a classic good versus evil story, but what makes it unique is that the heroes are children who discover that courage and strength aren’t dependent on age or station, something we all need to learn. Aslan, the lion, is a Christ figure who is the perfect blend of power and sacrificial love. I enjoyed the humanity of the main characters and how the author portrayed humans as something noble by nature, as if we had some inherent divinity ourselves.

I did not have the fortune to experience this collection of magical tales as a child. I was in my twenties when I read the first one, and I totally fell in love with Lewis’ beautiful, uplifting, and deeply moving messages about life, purpose, and the power of good and evil to rule our lives depending on the thoughts we pursue. I adore the messages Lewis has woven into these stories. Whenever I want a pick-me-up, I’ll revisit one of these wonderful novels.

Allegorically rich and powerful in imagery, I would recommend C.S. Lewis’s work to any young adult delving into fantasy fiction for the first time. I used to keep the entire collection on my bedstand as a child. It’s a rarity, as the film adaptation only emboldens what’s so great about the book.