HappyGrace Posted March 2, 2011 Share Posted March 2, 2011 She will probably read them on her own, and I'll read my copy at the same time so we can discuss. I've never read them though and would like to use this to start leading into a little bit more formal discussion than when we've done this in the past (we usually just talk about parts we liked, etc.) Maybe something I could read to help me understand this from a literary point of view that I could then trickle down to her in our discussions would be best, as I'd like to keep it kind of casual. I'm particularly interested in not missing the Christian allegorical features. Thanks. (btw-she is an advanced reader and strong in language arts-currently reading all Louisa May Alcott's books for fun) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmericanMom Posted March 2, 2011 Share Posted March 2, 2011 These are my favorite books! If you are reading along with her, chapter by chapter, you won't miss the Christian themes, they are very obvious to an adult. That's honestly probably all you need. You can ask her how this is like that, etc. That's what I do with my kids. You will need to keep her away from the movies until she has read them all, though. They are very different in theme. The actions looks much the same, but a lot of the themes behind them are different. If you still want a book to give you more information, there are several out there. Companion to Narnia is a sort of encyclopedia of Narnia; you can look up any name or place and read about it, and it has the added benefit of referencing C.S. Lewis's letters in it to explain things. It also (if memory serves me right) has specific literary references as well. And it describes the mythological references behind many of the creatures and names. I have had that book for probably 25 years, and it is good. You can probably find it used somewhere pretty cheaply. Hope you and your child enjoy it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted March 2, 2011 Share Posted March 2, 2011 These are my favorite books! If you are reading along with her, chapter by chapter, you won't miss the Christian themes, they are very obvious to an adult. That's honestly probably all you need. You can ask her how this is like that, etc. That's what I do with my kids. You will need to keep her away from the movies until she has read them all, though. They are very different in theme. The actions looks much the same, but a lot of the themes behind them are different. :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy in KS Posted March 2, 2011 Share Posted March 2, 2011 There's an awesome book called Roar that does this. It actually has comprehension, biblical insight, and lots more. It's a great book. Best of all, it's available for clearance at Christianbook for .99. I thought it would be a tiny book and I bought it on a whim. Instead it's a very nice, very large book with lots of great info! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted March 2, 2011 Share Posted March 2, 2011 The clearest Christian connections are in The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe and The Last Battle. The first is the first one you should read, hands down. It's the first one that Lewis wrote, and arguably the best. The allegory with the Passion is unmistakable, and you won't need a reference to figure it out and talk about it. Then go back and read the prequel and read the other books in order. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmericanMom Posted March 2, 2011 Share Posted March 2, 2011 ...The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe...is the first one you should read, hands down. It's the first one that Lewis wrote, and arguably the best. The allegory with the Passion is unmistakable, and you won't need a reference to figure it out and talk about it. :iagree: And I forgot to mention order! I am a bit opinionated about that. I think they should be read in the order in which they were first published, I think they are more interesting that way. So that would be: 1. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe 2. Prince Caspian 3. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader 4. The Silver Chair 5. The Horse and His Boy 6. The Magician's Nephew 7. The Last Battle PC continues the story with the same children, so I think it flows naturally from LWW, because you want to know if they ever get back to Narnia. Then in VDT you have some of the same characters, then in Silver Chair there are a couple of the same ones, too. HHB also has the original children in it (though they aren't the main characters) so I would go to that next. Then MN has to come before LB. It doesn't really matter in the great scheme of the universe :) but I just think they make more sense that way. The most important thing is to read LWW first and LB last, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyGrace Posted March 4, 2011 Author Share Posted March 4, 2011 wow-i never realized there is a better order-thank you! I found the encyclopedia in a box in my garage, and ordered Roar-thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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