Merry Christmas, Friends of Narnia!
At least here in the US, Thanksgiving has come and gone and it’s the start of the Christmas season and you are probably wondering what to get for that special person on your list? Well, have no fear, NarniaFans is here to help you make your season merry and bright with a few suggestions to help you out.
For the Whole Family
In the UK, they released a new edition of the BBC’s classic Chronicles of Narnia adaptations. This time they have not only been remastered for Blu-ray, there’s also a feature-length documentary called Return to Narnia that is exclusive to this new set! Return to Narnia is a 2 hour 10 min documentary featuring interviews from many members of the cast and crew. It is available to order from Amazon.co.uk. You can order it on either Blu-ray or DVD. However, we highly recommend that you select Blu-ray if you have anything that can play it. The DVD is region locked, so if you are in the U.S., it will not play. The Blu-ray is not region locked the same way, and I can confirm that it does play for me on my Ultra HD player (so it should work in any Blu-ray player, I believe).
Order the BBC’s The Chronicles of Narnia on Blu-ray! or DVD
For the youngest Friends of Narnia
Could there be any better gift for a toddler then to encounter a story filled with magic and wonder, one that can not only help spark their imagination and creativity, or teach basic skills, but lead them to discovering land where their faith can be nurtured?
To that end, this gift pack of The World of Narnia board books, illustrated by Joey Chou are the perfect choice. This set includes not only The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, but the brand-new releases World of Narnia: Animals and World of Narnia: Counting Adventure.
The art work in this book is warm, friendly and gentle, yet at the same time exciting and adventurous. Aslan feels Majestic and Holy, perfect for introducing the littlest readers to Aslan’s Other Name in our world, while Jadis appropriately looks less like Hans Christian Andersen’s The Snow Queen and a bit more like Elsa from Frozen. Plus in his book on the animals of Narnia we get some delightful cameos by other old friends like Reepicheep, Fledge, Caspian, Eustace, and Jill. These books are absolute delights and I’ve read them to my nephews and nieces countless times and I think you’ll enjoy reading them, just as much as you’ll enjoy sharing hem with the young children in your life too.
Order the boxed set from Amazon.com
For Young Dreamers
One popular item for older children is a “book box”, or a curated selection of books, often chosen by a platform or website that are meant to play into a child’s interest, or to address a topic that could be an of interest to them like STEM or sports. But what if you could make your own “Book Box?” One that would not only introduce them to stories that could capture the imagination, but could inspire their own creativity and even help them grow in their faith, especially if they wish to create their own myths, legends and stories.
To that end, I recommend the following:
Through the Wardrobe: How CS Lewis Created Narnia by Lina Maslo
““(Lina Maslo) establishes the fact that all fans of Lewis know by heart: that he preferred to be called Jack, and thus refers to him as such throughout the book. It helps make for a much easier read for children then calling him “CS” or “Clive”. It also doesn’t sound as formal as calling him “Lewis” or “Professor Lewis” like an encyclopedia article or a scholarly paper, but rather like children are making a new friend. Sure enough, Maslo makes him feel like he could be a friend for a modern child despite the separation of almost a hundred years and different life circumstances. They come away feeling like Lewis was once a kid, just like them, who dealt with some of the same questions, struggles and dreams that they have…One thing certain to impress older fans is that this book doesn’t shy away from some of the harder parts of Jack’s life, …It would be easy for a lesser children’s book to skip over those parts and just focus on the fun parts. But when describing what the Narnia books are about, readers are reminded that the most difficult parts of life can be used to prepare you for who you are meant to be. The same was true for Jack’s life and readers come away appreciating it all the more…This is such a delightful book. It’s the kind I wish had been available when I was a kid and first knew I wanted to be a writer after hearing the Narnia books for the first time. (Through the Wardrobe: How CS Lewis Created Narnia) to inspire a new generation of writers to find their own voice as story tellers.”
Painting Wonder: How Pauline Baynes Illustrated the Worlds of CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien by Katie Wray Schon.
“I’ll admit like most fans I didn’t know much about (Pauline Baynes) save for her illustrations of Narnia and what I’ve encountered in letters and journals form Tolkien and Lewis about her artistic contribution so their work. However, I more than recognize the importance of her illustrations and treasure each one as I page through my beloved Narnian books. Reading through Schon’s book I discovered that Ms. Baynes story is just as encouraging, heartbreaking and inspiring as that of the illustrious mythmakers, as like them she was sent away to a stuffy boarding school and felt alone and ostracized until she found her talent…Pauline Baynes illustrations have enchanted friends of Narnia for generations. Thus, it is fitting that Katie Wray Schon’s Painting Wonder tells the story of the woman who drew Narnia with the same sense of wonder, magic, and enchantment. A perfect book for children of all ages who are seeking inspiration to create their own art, and a delightful story for Friends of Narnia young and old alike.”
And
John Ronald’s Dragons: The Story of JRR Tolkien by Caroline McCalister and Eliza Wheeler.
“As a result of focusing on just (Tolkien writing) The Hobbit, it gives the story the feeling of just the start of quest. We feel as we follow John Ronald from his childhood to is adulthood that he is searching for something and hope he finds it. Thus, when he finally meets his dragon, Smaug, we feel as though he’s reached his goal. It is a powerful, rewarding experience for young readers, one that reminds them that with time, effort and patience they do can reach their goals. Distractions and challenges may come their way, life itself may try to divert them, but somehow, if like the heroes of the “great stories” hey keep pressing towards the goal, they too can not only conquer those obstacles but find that treasure…Brilliantly written by Caroline McCalister and lovingly illustrated by Eliza Wheeler, John Ronald’s Dragons is an appropriately magical retelling of the life of JRR Tolkien that embraces the imagination, magic, wonder, faith, and fellowship that has made his mythology such an integral part of the literary canon. More importantly John Ronald’s Dragons is certain to inspire a whole new generation of young mythmakers, adventures and writers, just as Tolkien had been inspired by the great stories of the past.”
These three books are certain to capture the imagination of young readers as much as the worlds of Narnia and Middle-Earth, and are sure to inspire their creativity, and imagination.
Order the books from Amazon here, here, and here.
For Teens
Teens love graphic novels, and if they are looking for a story of heroes, adventure, and strange worlds, why not take the opportunity to introduce them to two of the 20th centuries greatest mythmakers, CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien…
“Unlike other glossy celebrity focused graphic novels, The Mythmakers doesn’t feel like a soulless cash grab. The fact that The Mythmakers was nominated for an Eisner Award in 2025, the most prestigious award in comic books, elevates it above the slew of books that come out about pop stars and celebrities…that haunt the back issue bins and bargain sections of comic book stores. Being nominated for an Eisner places Hendrix and The Mythmakers on the same pedestal as such landmark works as Watchmen, Maus, The Marvels, Kingdom Come, Batman: The Long Halloween, All-Star Superman, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Marvel’s The Ultimates, DC: The New Frontier, and, perhaps mot fittingly, Hope Larson’s graphic novel adaption of Madeleine L’Engel’s A Wrinkle in Time. These are works that elevate the genre, proving that comic books could be literature, and demonstrated the power of the medium as a storytelling tool, and The Mythmakers deserves all the accolades it’s received. Like Watchmen proving superhero graphic novels could be more than “wham, pow, bam!”, The Mythmakers proves that a biographical graphic novel can be spiritually deep, intellectually stimulating, narratively rich, emotionally moving, and in a word “epic”…With his… meticulous research, warm illustrations, and delightful characters of Mr. Wizard and Mr. Lion, John Hendrix tells this timeless story to a new generation. It’s a labor of love by a fan for the fans, that translates this timeless story of two of the twentieth century’s greatest literary mythmakers into the mythic narrative of our time. This is one literary journey I can’t wait to take again, and is sure to be a hit for fans of Tolkien and Lewis who love great graphic novels with larger-than-life stories of unlikely heroes.”
Buy the book on Amazon.
For College Students
Jem Bloomfield’s Paths in the Snow and Gold on the Horizon are a unique journey through the land of Narnia. These aren’t just devotional books or examinations of the spiritual dimensions of Narnia, but a deep, insightful look at the literary connections in the series. Beginning as part of a discussion series he led with university students, this is tailor-made for the young and curious reader, and could make for excellent resources for that college term paper for an English comp class.
(“T)o the delight of more novice readers, Bloomfield takes pains to translate Old and Middle-English texts into Modern English, allowing for a greater accessibility to general audiences to his analysis. The only texts he avoids modernizing are from Shakespeare and the King James Bible due to the universality of the texts…Much ink has been spilled discussing how “slapdash” The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe seems in contrast to the careful, meticulous attention to detail that was demonstrated in Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. Through Paths in the Snow, Jem Bloomfield demonstrates that this was not a defect, but a feature. Narnia, a world in which animals talk, beings from different myths dwell, a snow queen from the realm of fairie rules with an icy touch, and all pulled together by a majestic Golden Lion, could only feel like a melting pot because it was a world in which the two realms, our world and the fantastic realm of Narnia, collide. Further, these connections not only enrich the text but increase our appreciation of older worlds, making them more enchanted, just as the words of Narnia can enchant our own world. In closely examining the literary connections and allusions that exist in The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, Paths in the Snow cuts a new path through the world of Narnia, few have trod in a first-rate analysis.”
and
“If Paths in the Snow was a careful trek through the snow-covered land of Narnia, then Paths of Gold: A Literary Journey Through Prince Caspian and The Voyage of the “Dawn Treader” is more akin to a treasure map. Like any good map it isn’t going to point out every nook and cranny on an island but rather point out key features to help you on the way. Considering how Bloomfield ties it all together in the end with the meeting of Aslan and the beginning of Lucy and Edmund’s true quest in our world, it’s a worthy parallel, as Gold on the Horizon, like the books it examines isn’t a devotional, but rather a map to help us on our own journey and reach that same treasure in the end.”
Order both books on Amazon.com here, and here.
For Adults
If you’re anything like most of us here at the site, you were probably introduced to the land of Narnia through your parents who grew up with the books. Now you’ve grown older and are probably sharing those same books with either your children or nieces and nephews. Narnia is a truly multi-generational myth, and perhaps the greatest evidence of this is the presence of tattered, worn out and well-loved copy of the books in paper back.
For them, there can be only one item that would be perfect for that adult fan of the series, and that would be the all new The Chronicles of Narnia Deluxe Edition: 7 Books in 1 Hardcover omnibus.
“This deluxe edition for The Chronicles of Narnia maintains a timeless feel that reminds readers that this is a classic story. There’s a sense of weight and texture to the book that seems to be alive with memory… Even the binding is stunning featuring a Celtic inspired interlocking ring, giving the book a perfect mythic resonance. This isn’t just a children’s fantasy story, or even a bedside fairy tale. These books are truly modern day myths that deserve a place alongside The Illiad, The Odyssey, the Prose Edda, The Poetic Edda, The Mabinogion, the Kalevada, The Fall of King Arthur, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings…Finally, the foil emblazoned cover image of Aslan gives the dust jacket an almost magical feel of motion and in many ways it makes it feel like the Magician’s book in Voyage of the “Dawn Treader”, drawing you into this story. I can safely say I have not been this excited to pick up a copy of the Narnia books nor have I been so drawn into them since my mom first ordered our paperback boxed set from a school book order. I gives me the same sense of magic and wonder that I did in the winter of 1994. If you don’t already have a collected edition of all seven books in one volume, then place this one on your Christmas list. You’ll be glad you did, as it is certain to make you fall in love with our beloved land of Narnia all over again.”
Order the book from Amazon.com.
The Perfect Stocking Stuffer:
Looking for that last minute stocking stuffer? Might we suggest a Spotify gift card? It’s perfect for putting towards some premium time on the music streaming service.
And Paul Martin ( Specter) and I have just the playlists for you to start your music binge…
And Mariah Carey’s All I Want for Christmas is You Mobius Mix.
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