Which C.S. Lewis novel began the Chronicles of Narnia series?

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe began C.S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia series when it was published in 1950. It introduces the wardrobe portal, the land of Narnia, and the Pevensie children.

Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy discover Narnia during the Second World War after being sent away from London. Lucy enters first, and the children become involved in the conflict between the White Witch and Aslan.

Publication order and internal chronology are a common source of confusion. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was the first Narnia book published, while The Magician’s Nephew is set earlier in Narnian history and explains the world’s creation. Many editions number the books differently because of this distinction.

The novel was published by Geoffrey Bles in 1950 and was illustrated by Pauline Baynes. Its title refers to the central magical doorway and the story’s principal opposing figures.