Reading orders / The Chronicles of Narnia
The Chronicles of Narnia reading order
Read Narnia in publication order, starting with The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Lewis numbered the books chronologically, which is why the confusion exists, but the publication order preserves every reveal.
The order the world met Narnia in. Start here on a first read.
- The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe1950
- Prince Caspian1951
- The Voyage of the Dawn Treader1952
- The Silver Chair1953
- The Horse and His Boy1954
- The Magician's Nephew1955Origin story. Lands far better as a reveal than as an opener.
- The Last Battle1956
The numbering printed on most modern box sets. Fine for a reread.
- The Magician's Nephew1955
- The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe1950
- The Horse and His Boy1954
- Prince Caspian1951
- The Voyage of the Dawn Treader1952
- The Silver Chair1953
- The Last Battle1956
Why the order is argued about
Your box set is probably lying to you. Modern Narnia editions are numbered 1 through 7 in chronological order, which puts The Magician's Nephew first. That numbering comes from a letter Lewis wrote to an American boy named Laurence in 1957, agreeing that the chronological order might be better.
The problem is that The Magician's Nephew explains the wardrobe, the lamppost, and the White Witch before you have any reason to care about them. Read second-to-last, it turns a background detail into a quiet gut punch. Read first, it is just a prologue.
Settling in for all 7? A page marker you do not mind losing track of helps. We like these stained glass bookmarks, and the official Narnia site is worth a look for release news.
Bookmarks for The Chronicles of Narnia
Two we keep in rotation for this one.
Aslan Lion of Narnia Bookmark - Handmade…$8.99
Fox in snowy forest bookmark starlit…$7.99 on EtsyQuestions readers ask
Should I read The Magician's Nephew first?
Not on a first read. It answers questions the other books have not asked yet. Read it sixth, where it was published.
Why are the books numbered differently than the publication order?
The publisher adopted the chronological numbering after Lewis said in a 1957 letter that he did not mind it. He never rewrote or reordered anything himself.
Do I need to read all seven?
The Horse and His Boy and The Magician's Nephew are the most skippable in terms of plot, but both are among the best written.