First published in 1955, The Magician’s Nephew was the sixth of the seven Chronicles of Narnia, but author C.S. Lewis insisted that it should be the first book read. His reason was simple: the story of The Magician’s Nephew is the Genesis of the world of Narnia. And just like that beginning from the Bible, Lewis tells a wondrous story of creation and beauty, corruption and betrayal, hope and healing. Obviously, Lewis was no sentimentalist when it came to stories for children.His fantasies weren’t light and airy, but contained the struggles of life itself.

One reason for this edge of reality is that The Magician’s Nephew was, in some ways, the most personal of the seven stories. Here alone do we find clear reflections of Lewis’ own childhood. There is the attic filled with secrets and discoveries, just like the attic Lewis and his brother played in. There is an escape into a newly created world, just like "Boxen," the land young Lewis had created. But, most poignantly, there is Digory’s desperation to find a cure for his sick mother, just like the yearning Lewis himself must have felt over his own mother’s illness. She died of cancer when he was only 10 years old.

The Magician’s Nephew is first and foremost a delightful story that takes us to worlds unknown.

There is a lot more that could be said about The Magician’s Nephew. Readers, critics and writers have been studying it for years to understand the magic of its straightforward style and seemingly simplistic plot. Scholars and theologians have also analyzed it for its penetrating insight into the story of Creation, the Fall of Man, and the means of redemption. For now, however, we hope you enjoy The Magician’s Nephew for what it is first and foremost: a delightful story that takes us to worlds unknown, to charming creatures risen from the dust of the earth, and to a Lion who rules with strength, majesty and, most of all, love.