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SusanJ
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I'm about to start what I hope will be the first of many trips through the Chronicles of Narnia with my kids. What order should I read them in? The set I have places the books chronologically according to the internal timeline of the story. Growing up I felt strongly that they should be read in the order Lewis wrote them.
Okay, maybe this isn't that important, but I'm curious to know what fellow Narnia lovers think.
Susan
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Mary Chris
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We like to start with The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. Which I think is the order that Lewis wrote them. I think that puts The Magicians Nephew around 5th in the series. Wait....my Narnia expert appeared and told me it is 6th in the series.....being sure to clarify that is the order he wrote it, not chronological 
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Mary G
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Hate to disagree with Mary Chris, but I love reading them in chronological order -- starting with Magician's Nephew and reading straight thru to The Last Battle. As a side note, The Last Battle is a fabulous read and beautifully done.
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CrunchyMom
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Another vote here for the order Lewis wrote them. I think maybe re-reading them in chronological could be nice, but I think for the first experience, the order Lewis wrote them is better.
Its subtle, but I think that things like discovering the origin of the lamp post are interesting as a revelation rather than seeing it happen and not understanding its significance. Jmo.
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Maryan
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I'm with Mary Chris... I like the order written. I'm sure it's just because it's the way I read them first... but I kind of liken it to when you first meet someone you know certain things about them... and THEN gradually you get the whole story of their life.
To me - Aslan's sacrifice is the big significant thing to start with... and then go from there.
Just my opinion -- no literary giant here!
*Edited because I'm postpartum and can't type and nurse as well as I think I can.
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CKwasniewski
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I like to read them the way he wrote them the 1st time with each child, and the 2nd time according to Narnia chronology. Each one has advantages. So, do both!
ck
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SusanJ
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I started in with Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe today. My son is only three and I was really debating starting these but he has a great attention span and LOVES it when I read long chapter books. I have no idea how much of it he's following but it's sure a lot of fun for me to read these again!
I read them in both orders growing up--just to see the difference. But I think I agree that the best way to start is the way they were written.
Thanks for chiming in!
Susan
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Well just so Mary G isn't left by herself...we read them with the Magician's Nephew first. And actually the reason why we did that was we were doing the unit study that is put out by the same folks who does the Prairie Primer (totally blank on the name) and they had us reading Nephew first. Kind of nice I thought because I got the light pole and such...stuff I didn't catch after having to wait 5 books when I was a kid to get to Nephew.
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Mary G
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KackyK wrote:
| Well just so Mary G isn't left by herself...we read them with the Magician's Nephew first. |
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Thanks, KackyK! 
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folklaur
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Okay....I have never read them. I saw the movie when I was little, and then I saw the new version of the movie now. What is strange, is I rarely ever see a movie before reading the book, and this is the genre I like in general, so now I wonder why I have never read them myself, or read them to the kids....huh....
So, I guess the question for me, is now - since I didn't even know there was a difference - for an adult who will be reading them for the first time...the majority say "order written" as opposed to the numbers on the side of the book?
What is the order written?
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teachingmom
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Laura, you can see the different orders here.
Susan, I vote for reading them in the order written.
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Carole N.
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We also read them in the order that Lewis wrote them. I believe that the new editions that have come out since the most recent movie has The Magician's Nephew first in the series.
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Mackfam
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KackyK wrote:
Well just so Mary G isn't left by herself...we read them with the Magician's Nephew first.
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Us too! We enjoyed reading them in chronological order. Some of my kids were younger for the first read, so it helped that we didn't have to try to explain that we were messing with the concept of time..."well this book is actually about stuff that happens before the first book we read." KWIM? I'm with Mary - I thought the last battle was an impressive place to stop - a real memory maker. I'll stand with the dissenters on this one.
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CrunchyMom
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Mackfam wrote:
| I'm with Mary - I thought the last battle was an impressive place to stop - a real memory maker. I'll stand with the dissenters on this one. |
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Um, I think the Last Battle comes Last whichever way you read them
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Fuzzy
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I read them starting with the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe as well! I love that the movies are doing it in that order as well.
The Focus on the Family books on tape has WONDERFUL versions of these books, and my 4yo absolutely LOVED these books. He was so disappointed when I said we were on the last one. I pulled out my books and let him see the illustrations, because that is what I see in my head as well.
Here is the link for the books on tape.
Enjoy the books!
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SusanJ
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Ds is loving these books already, but it's so funny what they pick up. This morning he asked for the "goat story" (Mr. Tumnus) and after finishing a chapter this morning he wanted to act out being on the sledge with the White Witch and all of us snuggled under her cloak . . . Is it a good sign when you 3yo wants mommy to play the part of the White Witch?
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Kristie 4
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I still vote for the chronological order....
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mama251ders
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No doubt about it, you have to read them in the order they were written! The way I have heard it, Lewis wrote the LWW as a stand alone and then wrote Prince Caspian as an after thought (figuratively speaking) and the same with each successive book. His original intention was not to write a series. I believe that he intended them to be read as he wrote them. I have a friend with whom I just about come to blows with on this subject as I am set that the order written is correct and she is equally set that Narnian Chronology is the ONLY way to read them! Our husbands think we're nuts! However, should anyone suggest to dh that he should read the Silmarilion BEFORE reading the Hobbit and the Trilogy, well let's just say "I pity the fool!" They'll get an earful! Isn't it funny how emotionally attached we can get not only to what we read but HOW? Actually, I think that you probably can't go too far wrong, as long as your reading the books. That's the important part!
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Betsie
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Mary G
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I think the order depends on the listener/reader. I think that reading them to young kids is MUCH easier if they're read in Narnian chronology rather than when they were written ....
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CrunchyMom
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I can see that, Mary G. I think I was 12 when I read it for the first time. I think my 3.5 yr old would have a harder time with things coming "out of order."
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4Real Forums : Living Literature
Topic: VERY important Narnia question
