C.S. Lewis’s first Chronicles of Narnia novel, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, was published in 1950. Geoffrey Bles issued the book in London, with illustrations by Pauline Baynes.
The story introduces the wardrobe portal, the land of Narnia, and major characters including Lucy Pevensie, Edmund Pevensie, Aslan, and the White Witch. Although it is the first Narnia book Lewis published, some modern editions arrange the series in internal chronological order, placing The Magician’s Nephew first.
That publishing-order distinction causes frequent confusion. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe remains the best-known entry point and was the earliest Narnia novel released to readers. Lewis completed the seven-book series in 1956 with The Last Battle.