Welcome to Tumnus’s Book Shelf where we review any and all books related to Narnia and CS Lewis! For this weeks review, we will be looking at CS Lewis’s
The I Can Read Series: This Is Narnia
Book Title: The I Can Read Series: This Is Narnia
Author: Jennifer Frantz (adapted from CS Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian.)
Publisher:HarperTrophy (April 1, 2008)
ISBN-10: 0061231622
ISBN-13: 978-0061231629
Summary of the book:
One day while waiting at a train station for their train to school, the four Pevensies (Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy) hear a loud horn. This horn isn’t the trains. It is a magic horn. They are pulled into another world which they discover is Narnia. After rescuing Trumpkin the dwarf they learn that Narnia is in grave danger. They must help Caspian, it’s new rightful ruler, save the land they love. They are willing to do what they can to save Narnia.
Review:
They’re back folks. With the new Narnia film coming out this spring, there are a host of children’s books coming out that tie into the well loved fantasy series. Among the books released include shorter adaptations of the story suitable for young readers.
One of which is a book called This is Narnia, the first of two books in the I Can Read series Based on Prince Caspian. The book itself is meant for one specific audience, 4-8 year olds who are growing as readers. The back of the book categorizes it as a “Level 2”- which they describe as high interest stories for developing readers.
This means it is simply and easily written, with out too many difficult words in it. It will also use onomatopoeia sparingly at some points such as when the children hear the horn the narrator actually says “Woot. Woot”. When Susan shoots her arrow, it is followed by a “Twang!” These serve as fun words that pop out at youngsters and grab their attention.
Some may worry that the book may sacrifice the meat of the Narnian Chronicles in favor of a simple easy to read story for kids. This isn’t the case. This book adapts the first four chapters of Prince Caspian, with out cutting out any of the thoughts, feelings or emotions associated with their returning to Narnia. The serious aspects of the story, such as the passage of time between our world and Narnia, though simplified are dealt with.
Perhaps the only downside of this adaptation is that it does feature pictures from the film. In that regards a parent may as well decide to just have a child watch the movie rather than read the book. Readers should keep in mind that the goal with the book, though tied into the movie, is to get children hooked on reading, and not only being read to but reading a book for themselves. One can only hope that if a child enjoys this book enough, that they will want to experience the full book when they get older and come to love Narnia too.
I am sure that Lewis, as both a writer, a lover of stories, and an English teacher would be pleased with it’s attempts to get children interested in reading. I know I was and I wished I had books like this one when I was five. Parents, uncles, aunts, grandparents and teachers would probably feel the same way. In an age were children read less and less and prefer the Xbox, and GameCube to a good book, such a tool cannot come soon enough.
Four out of Five shields
Order the book from Amazon.com