Books in The Chronicles of Narnia series
Style: Classic
Attitude: Positive
Polly and Digory are tricked into travelling by Uncle Andrew's magic rings to other worlds.
A highly-readable fantasy story relating to Christian beliefs, especially about creation. Faintly avuncular in style. Magical elements.
Animal, Classic, Fantasy, Growing-Up, Magic
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Style: Classic
Attitude: Positive
The Pevensie children find a mysterious winterbound land when they step through a wardrobe in a forgotten room of the house they're evacuated to.
First-written and most famous of the Narnia stories, whimsical, moving, human and ultimately Christian without that detracting from its readability.
Animal, Classic, Fantasy, Growing-Up, Magic
Style: Classic
Attitude: Positive
Shasta, a Narnian living among Calormenes, escapes on Bree, a Narnian horse.
Criticised for its black-and-white portrayal of the Narnians and Calormenes. Straightforward adventure journey tale demonstrating overcoming prejudice and pride, pushing oneself to ones limits to help friends, and trusting even when you can't see the outcome.
Animal, Classic, Fantasy, Growing-Up, Magic
Style: Classic
Attitude: Positive
The Pevensies return to Narnia to discover that 1,000 years have passed and that they are the stuff of legends, as are the talking animals of Narnia and Aslan himself.
Conventional adventure story with young heroes and natural forces overcoming adult humans who are clearly in the wrong.
Animal, Classic, Fantasy, Growing-Up, Magic
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
Style: Classic
Attitude: Positive
Lucy & Edmund along with Eustace their spoilt and peevish cousin find themselves on board a Narnian ship with King Caspian, travelling to the outer reaches of Narnia, encountering new creatures and strange places.
A voyage-of-discovery story with interesting people and challenges. Each character has to undergo a trial to grow in themselves.
Animal, Classic, Fantasy, Growing-Up, Magic
Style: Classic
Attitude: Positive
Eustace returns with Jill to Narnia where they must travel across little-explored areas of the land to find a prince lost for years.
A Quest tale, taking Eustace and Jill through hardships, trials of friendship and faith in their guide, and near-despair as they have to rescue a lost prince from his captor, a witch. Death as a return to life.
Animal, Classic, Fantasy, Growing-Up, Magic
Style: Classic
Attitude: Positive
Tirian is king of Narnia in a time of peace when a plot involving the Calormenes and a false Aslan threaten the country.
Night falls on Narnia. Good and bad in creatures are not as obvious to us as might be expected. The need to stand and fight for what you see is right. Different Gods. Life in glory after death.
Animal, Classic, Fantasy, Growing-Up, Magic
Style: Classic
Attitude: Positive
Eight children witness the history of the world of Narnia, from its creation out of inchoate blackness to the extinction of its stars and the return of darkness.
Simple adventure stories, with a clear Christian basis. Heroic valour and virtue among straightforward characters who must each face individual challenges, overcome their own shortcomings, and decide where they place their trust.
Animal, Classic, Fantasy, Growing-Up, Magic