What was the title of C.S. Lewis’s first published Narnia book?

The first published Narnia book by C.S. Lewis was The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Published in 1950, it established the series’ central setting and introduced several of its best-known characters.

The story follows Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy Pevensie after they enter a magical land through a wardrobe. Narnia is suffering under the White Witch’s rule, and the children become involved in a conflict that includes Aslan, the rightful ruler and spiritual center of the series.

The title identifies both the portal and the central conflict. The wardrobe is the means by which the children reach Narnia, while the Witch represents the force that has imposed winter and fear. The book’s blend of adventure, talking animals, mythology, and Christian imagery helped define its enduring appeal.

Because later editions sometimes number the books chronologically, readers may encounter The Magician’s Nephew as “Book One.” That numbering does not change the original publication order.