A Book of Narnians: The Lion, the Witch, and the Others

Full-color paintings depict the enchanted creatures of the seven books of The Chronicles of Narnia, and the accompanying text sets the animals in the context of their role in the story of Narnia.

Grade 3 Up?This who's who presents 33 mostly nonhuman characters or groups that appear in Lewis's classic series. They are briefly described and some of their stories related. The words are largely Lewis's own, though plucked selectively, and omitting much, from the originals. The selection is skillfully done, but transitions between description and storytelling are sometimes awkward. The full-color paintings retain the liveliness and expression of the originals, but their scale and perspective make them grander all around. Whereas the original pen-and-ink drawings were often seen from a distance and punctuated the text only occasionally, these bordered and decorative landscapes and closeups present constant and considerably fleshed-out vistas and creatures. Though the new art is impressive, and often lovely, readers may miss the smaller-scale charm and sharply etched detail of the black-and-white originals. Those who've read the books will find the most to enjoy here, seeing old friends and enemies in fuller garb. The sheer numbers will confuse Narnia neophytes, and despite the attempt to provide context in the descriptions, some knowledge of characters is assumed. Lewis's outline of Narnian history appears, as does a succinct annotation of each title. Brian Sibley's Land of Narnia (HarperCollins, 1990) also includes a few new paintings by Baynes (different from these), but, with its biographical and literary angles, adds new information. The art is the draw in the Book of Narnians, and it is fascinating to see the artist take on things these many years later, but the originals are still quite wonderful enough.?Nancy Palmer, The Little School, Bellevue, WA
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.