Following our long foray into the prairies of the American West, our family reading time has made a drastic change: from the Little House books to the Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. Each night before our Bible reading, I read one or two chapters to my wife and kids (OK, sometimes they strongarm me into three), and we all have been especially enthralled with this choice.

Now, do I really need to review one of the most famous stories in the English language? As with most of my posts on this blog, don’t consider it so much as “a review” but as “a personal take from a Christian father and lover of books.” That’s just too much to write in the address bar.

Before picking up The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe last week, I personally had never read this series before, either in part or parcel. I recall some weekly program on PBS during the ’80s where they’d show the BBC adaptation of this tale (among others stories—does anyone remember a story about a naked boy found in a barrel??), and the images from that production came sweeping back into my mind as I read. I could actually see the young actress who played Lucy with her small vial of healing-potion, and I could visualize the exact moment when Aslan turned the statues back into creatures (or people). Now that we’ve finished the book, I absolutely need to find that old BBC version again!

As I got into some portions of this story, I was a bit concerned that it would be a bit too much, too scary for my 9yo son who’s sensitive and has a penchant for bad dreams. He constantly begged me for just one more chapter, though, despite the monsters and wicked scenes, so I was glad that he was able to overcome his fears for the love of the tale.

My 8yo daughter doesn’t have the nightmare trouble, but she does enjoy to interrupt me while I read (something we’re working on). She likes to ask the definitions for words that are new to her (which I love) and she also likes to predict what’s going to happen next (which I love not so much, but at least she’s fully engaged!). She incorrectly predicted what would happen that night at the Stone Table, and she was shocked. When the sad part hit, she really had no clue what would happen after that! I loved sensing the wheels spinning in her head, and I loved even more the opportunity to offhandedly remark, “You know, Aslan sort of did for Edmond what Jesus did for us.” They both understood.

Quite obviously, this is a must-read. I honestly wanted to read it several years ago, but I became sort of jealous of the idea of experiencing it for the first time together with my kids. I’m glad I waited.

©2021 E.T.

See More by C.S. Lewis:

• Nonfiction:
  The Screwtape Letters (1942)
  Reflections on the Psalms (1958)
• Space Trilogy:
  Out of the Silent Planet (1938)
  Perelandra (1943)
  That Hideous Strength (1945)
• The Chronicles of Narnia: 
  The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (1950)
  Prince Caspian (1951)
  The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (1952)
  The Silver Chair (1953)
  The Horse and His Boy (1954)
  The Magician’s Nephew (1955)
  The Last Battle (1956)
• Other:
  Till We Have Faces (1956)