Runningmom80 Posted May 5, 2014 Share Posted May 5, 2014 I would have just read them chronologically, had I not gotten sucked into the world of Amazon reviews. :laugh: A couple of reviewers suggested a different order, with Lion, Witch, Wardrobe first. What order did you choose? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LivingHope Posted May 5, 2014 Share Posted May 5, 2014 I find it best to enter Narnia for the first time through the wardrobe with Lucy. There is something really special about seeing Lucy and Mr. Tumnus picking up brown parcels scattered in the snow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runningmom80 Posted May 5, 2014 Author Share Posted May 5, 2014 I remembered after posting that I read LWW first as a kid. I think we will do that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocassie Posted May 5, 2014 Share Posted May 5, 2014 I have an old Narnia set (I think my mom got it for my oldest sister sometime in the 1970's) and LWW is actually the first book the in series. I believe it is publication order and that has always been the order I read them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted May 5, 2014 Share Posted May 5, 2014 LWW first, definitely. Then go forward in the order in which they were written, not the chron order. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kentuckymom Posted May 5, 2014 Share Posted May 5, 2014 I'm a stickler for reading them in publication order. Apparently C.S. Lewis thought differently, but I don't really care. Authors aren't always the best judges of their own work. eta: Plus, what really IS chronological order? The Horse and His Boy takes place during the brief period of about a page in LWW in which the reign of the Pevensie children is described. Should you take a break at that point and read it? Should you read it directly thereafter? Should you read it during The Silver Chair (in which the story is mentioned as being told) or directly thereafter? Reading the books in publication order does away with all of these questions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soapy Posted May 5, 2014 Share Posted May 5, 2014 We've just started with LWW, and the children are enjoying it immensely. I did vacillate a little, but I'm happy with the choice to go this way at this point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted May 5, 2014 Share Posted May 5, 2014 I read somewhere that you should always enter Narnia for the first time through the wardrobe. I agree. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hobbitmom Posted May 5, 2014 Share Posted May 5, 2014 Another vote for LWW first! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted May 5, 2014 Share Posted May 5, 2014 I find it best to enter Narnia for the first time through the wardrobe with Lucy. There is something really special about seeing Lucy and Mr. Tumnus picking up brown parcels scattered in the snow. Yes, this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaughingCat Posted May 5, 2014 Share Posted May 5, 2014 If you were going to read only 1 Narnia book it should be The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Therefore LWW should always be read first (regardless of any plans to read all of them - the "best laid plans...." ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 5, 2014 Share Posted May 5, 2014 My littles were ready for LWW several years before they were old enough for the others. I tried Prince Caspian with the current little about a year ago and it didn't fly. My Mom's college roommate found a set in the UK for my sister (born in '63) before they were available in the US. We always go with the order that they were released. The littles get them every year and I add in one or two more books each time, depending on the child's maturity level, the same way I did with LHOP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melbotoast Posted May 5, 2014 Share Posted May 5, 2014 Publication order! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kristinannie Posted May 5, 2014 Share Posted May 5, 2014 I read them in the order in which they were published and prefer that. 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) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted May 5, 2014 Share Posted May 5, 2014 Yeah, there's some argumentation -- for a summary, read http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Chronicles_of_Narnia#Reading_order Frankly, when I was a little (like 7-8) I loathed the last two but loved lww, caspian, dawn treader, and horse and his boy (silver chair was iffy). If I had been required to enter with the magician's nephew I don't think I would ever have found Narnia. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted May 5, 2014 Share Posted May 5, 2014 I still have my childhood set from Macmillon that's pictured in that wiki article that went by the publication order. I was shocked when Harper Collins reordered them in the 90's. Seems so deeply wrong, mainly because it seems wrong to read The Magician's Nephew first when it's clearly a prequel and clearly not as good as LWW. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rivka Posted May 6, 2014 Share Posted May 6, 2014 Publication order, publication order, publication order! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathryn Posted May 6, 2014 Share Posted May 6, 2014 Publication order Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elliotterae Posted May 6, 2014 Share Posted May 6, 2014 Ack..... I just find this. We have just stated reading The Magicians Nephew and are on chapter 6, with Queen Jardis just getting back to the children's world. Should I put it aside now and get LWW? The girls are loving it so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted May 6, 2014 Share Posted May 6, 2014 Ack..... I just find this. We have just stated reading The Magicians Nephew and are on chapter 6, with Queen Jardis just getting back to the children's world. Should I put it aside now and get LWW? The girls are loving it so far. As crazy as it is, I think I would. Though it's not like it will ruin it for them necessarily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angie in VA Posted May 6, 2014 Share Posted May 6, 2014 LWW first. Publication order! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaughingCat Posted May 6, 2014 Share Posted May 6, 2014 I just want to say I don't agree with publication order necessarily - once you read LWW, I believe The Magicians' Nephew and The Horse and His Boy can be read at any time. The rest, except for The Last Battle, would be better in order but could be read out of order - other than the beginning's, I believe they all pretty much stand alone (not a lot of references to other books). The Last Battle needs to be read after all the books except The Horse and His Boy. For the average kid, publication order is best, but if there is an interest issue, then things could be mixed up IMO. For example, I think The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is a better book than Prince Caspian, so I'd probably suggest that next to a uninterested child. I do think that The Magician's Nephew is one of the weaker books so wouldn't necessarily chose to move it up in order. For elliotrae - at halfway through MN and kids loving it I would just continue on, and move immediately into LWW after, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in TN Posted May 6, 2014 Share Posted May 6, 2014 I have an old Narnia set (I think my mom got it for my oldest sister sometime in the 1970's) and LWW is actually the first book the in series. I believe it is publication order and that has always been the order I read them. I prefer to read them in the order the author imagined them. My personal belief is that publishers got a hold of a comment C.S. Lewis made to a child who asked about reading them in chronological order. Lewis responded that that would be a fine idea (or something similar). And Viola! A great reason for publishers everywhere to make a "new and improved" edition of the books. That's fine with me, really. I like books. But I do wish *someone* would go back to printing sets with the original publication order/numbering. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rivka Posted May 6, 2014 Share Posted May 6, 2014 I prefer to read them in the order the author imagined them. My personal belief is that publishers got a hold of a comment C.S. Lewis made to a child who asked about reading them in chronological order. Lewis responded that that would be a fine idea (or something similar). And Viola! A great reason for publishers everywhere to make a "new and improved" edition of the books. That's fine with me, really. I like books. But I do wish *someone* would go back to printing sets with the original publication order/numbering. This is why I can't ever get rid of my own childhood set. They're correctly numbered. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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