Tag Archives: Chronicles of Narnia

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis

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The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, by C.S. Lewis, is part of his much-loved Chronicles of Narnia series.  This was the third book published in the series, but it would be the fifth book chronologically. This book mainly features the two younger Pevensie children, Edmund and Lucy. They are visiting the home of their cousin, Eustace. One day, the three children notice an interesting picture in Lucy’s bedroom. The picture depicts a ship in the midst of large waves. To their amazement, the children realize that they are being pulled into the picture. Within just a few moments, they find themselves swimming in the middle of an ocean. They are rescued and brought on board the ship. To the delight of Edmund and Lucy, the captain of the ship is their old friend, Caspian. They have returned to the land of Narnia.

Caspian is now the king of Narnia. His ship is named the Dawn Treader. King Caspian has built the ship to embark on a rescue mission. His quest is to find the men who had been banished from the kingdom by his evil uncle, Miraz. The children join King Caspian on this voyage, and they experience many dangers as they find themselves sailing toward the End of the World.

This book is filled with adventure and contains many exciting moments. A few of my favorite episodes include a transformation into a dragon, a battle against a sea monster, and an escape from a land of nightmares. A mouse named Reepicheep might be my favorite character. He has an endearing personality, and his loyalty to King Caspian is admirable.   

One of the important elements of this book is the change in Eustace’s attitude and behavior. He is quite bitter and rude in the beginning of the story, and he does not want to stay in Narnia. However, his heart gradually changes. By the end of the story, he is almost like a new person.

I love the Chronicles of Narnia. The books are in this series are rich in magical adventure and meaningful symbolism, and this book is no exception. Just like the other books in the series, this book is a wonderful story of redemption. I would highly recommend this book and the rest of the Chronicles of Narnia to anyone.

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C. S. Lewis is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.

Prince Caspian by C.S. Lewis

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Prince Caspian, by C.S. Lewis, is part of his Chronicles of Narnia series.  This was the second book published, but it would be the fourth book chronologically.  This sequel to The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, is about the four Pevensie children: Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy.  The children are waiting for a train so that they can return to boarding school, when suddenly they are teleported to the enchanted land of Narnia.  The Pevensie children had lived in Narnia before as king and queens, until they were returned to their native country of England.  The world of Narnia is ruled by Aslan, the great lion.  There are other kings and queens in Narnia, but Aslan rules over them all.

After wandering for a while in Narnia, the Pevensies discover a ruined castle.  They are dismayed to learn that the ruins are what remains of Cair Paravel, the castle from which they had ruled in the distant past.  A little while later, they rescue a dwarf named Trumpkin.  The dwarf explains to the children why they had been brought back to Narnia.  The world is under siege by the evil King Miraz and his army of Telmarine soldiers.  The children had been summoned by the rightful king, King Caspian the Tenth, to help defeat Miraz and reclaim the throne.

My favorite character throughout the series is Aslan, but this book features another of my favorite characters: Reepicheep the mouse.  Reepicheep is the leader of a small army of mice.  One of my favorite things about Reepicheep is his unwavering courage, despite his small stature.  There are also many exciting adventures throughout this story.  The rescue of Trumpkin, the betrayal of Nikabrik the dwarf, and the final battle against King Miraz are just a few of the highlights.

I enjoyed this book very much.  It is filled with suspense, action and adventure.  Just like the other books in the series, this story is highly symbolic and teaches many meaningful lessons.  I would definitely recommend this book to anyone, along with the rest of The Chronicles of Narnia.

Prince Caspian by C. S. Lewis is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.

The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis

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The Last Battle, by C.S. Lewis, is the final book in The Chronicles of Narnia series.  This is my favorite of the seven books in this fantasy series.  The world of Narnia is in danger because of evil characters roaming the land.  The most important character is Aslan, the lion.  Aslan is the true king of Narnia, but he does not appear for much of the book.  A wicked ape named Shift and his followers plan to use an imposter Aslan to gain power and control over the world.  They use the name of Aslan to convince people in Narnia to serve Shift.  For much of the book, there is a battle between people who believe in the real Aslan and people who are deceived by Shift and his followers.  Later in the story, the real Aslan appears and helps the people in Narnia who believe in him.  Finally, Aslan reveals his true identity and leads his people to his country.

Aslan is my favorite character in the series, and I really like this book because we learn more about his true identity.  I also enjoy this book because of all the action, as good characters battle against evil characters throughout the story.  This book is very exciting and filled with suspense.  There are many villains in this story, which made it very interesting.  I was surprised by the ending, but it was a rewarding conclusion to the series.  I would highly recommend reading the other books in the series before reading this book.  The Chronicles of Narnia is one of my favorite series of books and I would recommend them to everyone.

-Simon H.

The Last Battle by C. S. Lewis is available for checkout from the Mission Viejo Library. It can also be downloaded for free from Overdrive.

Creative Writing: Destruction Of Charn

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Editor’s note: The Chronicles of Narnia, by C.S. Lewis, have inspired many writers over the decades– including one of the Mission Viejo Library Teen Voice bloggers, Sarah J. This short story is inspired by events from Lewis’ sixth Narnia book, The Magician’s Nephew.

old_book_by_rtitoun

Photo by rtitoun

Rosemary and her older twin brother, William, ran up to the attic of their grandma’s house. They had finally gotten permission to explore. They scrambled up the rickety ladder that led to the dark, dry attic. Inside of the attic, there were boxes filled with books, old toys, pieces of dilapidated furniture, and many other odd items here and there. Both William and Rosemary started to rummage through all if the boxes, searching for anything that seemed interesting. One particular box caught Rosemary’s eye. The box was not a plain wooden or cardboard box. The box was sealed tightly shut and covered with strange shapes and designs. It was slightly smaller than a microwave oven.  Intrigued by the sight, Rosemary cautiously crept over to the box and tried to open it. First she tried tugging at the top; then, she found a metal latch that kept it shut. Rosemary carefully undid the latch and warily opened the box. She decided to call her brother over before further investigating the box.

“Will, come over here,” she called, “I want to show you something.”

Will hastily scrambled over.

“What is it?” he asked.

“Look at what I found.”

Both of them peered into the box. The contents of the box were rather odd. Inside, there was a beautiful white, silk dress. On top of the dress lay a heavy golden crown that had crimson jewels set into it. William picked up the crown and placed it next to the box while, Rosemary was taking out the dress and folding it next to the box. There was nothing else in the box except for a few pieces of jewelry and a package that was wrapped in some sort of beige colored cloth. William picked up the package and started to unwrap it.  Inside of the package was a worn leather-bound book. On the cover, the title was written in bold lettering. The title was “The Destruction of Charn.”

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Book Review: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, by C.S. Lewis

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narnia_coverThe Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a compelling story that is filled with fantasy, adventure, and plenty of space for imagination.

It was written by the extolled author C.S. Lewis, published in 1950, and dedicated to Lewis’s goddaughter, Lucy Barfied. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was a part of a book series that would be come to be known as the Chronicles of Narnia. This story at the beginning is set in England during World War II. Then it takes the main characters, Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy, to another world called Narnia.

In the book, there are many incredible creatures, animals, and people such as the jaunty fauns, elated dryads, serene naiads, talking beavers, and amiable Father Christmas. Because they are there, an element of magic is added to the story. It shows the readers that not only humans have to be in control.  C.S. Lewis also shows some of the Christian beliefs and the story of Jesus Christ because Aslan represents Jesus Christ. When Aslan dies to save Edmund, it is like how  Jesus died to save the people on Earth. Also, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe tells the about having compassion and forgiving others.  This is shown when the Pevensies Children forgive Edmund for betraying them to the White Witch. Incredibly, Aslan goes to die in Edmund’s place, which shows how Aslan had compassion for Edmund, even though he is perfectly innocent.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe has much fantasy and adventure that allows to reader to explore their imagination while they read an amazing story.

-Sarah J., 8th grade