Which C.S. Lewis novel first introduced readers to Narnia?

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe first introduced readers to Narnia.

Published in 1950, the novel follows the Pevensie children—Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy—after Lucy discovers a passage through a wardrobe. On the other side lies Narnia, a world trapped in winter by the White Witch. The children meet talking animals and encounter Aslan, the great lion.

Although The Magician’s Nephew explains Narnia’s creation and is often placed first in chronological reading orders, it was published later, in 1955. That difference causes the most frequent ordering confusion about the series.

The book became the best-known entry in the series and was adapted into a major film in 2005. Its publication established the central setting and several characters that shaped the remaining six novels.