Books of the Narnia series

Though Lewis wrote "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" first among the Narnia series, — and I remember it being first in my childhood boxed set — chronologically it comes second. More recent collections of the books put "The Magician's Nephew" first. Here are the seven books, in chronological order of their storytelling:

1. "The Magician's Nephew," taking place in 1900. The Land of Narnia is created, and witnessed by two children, Polly and Digory, who arrive there through a secret passage in their adjoining Victorian row houses.

2. "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe," taking place in the early years of World War II. Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy Pevensie enter Narnia through an old wardrobe and become Kings and Queens of Narnia after they help Aslan defeat the White Witch.

3. "The Horse and His Boy," taking place in approximately 1940. In Calormen, a land south of Narnia, an unhappy fisherman's son meets a talking horse, and the two embark on a dangerous journey.

4. "Prince Caspian," taking place approximately a year after "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe." Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy return to Narnia to help Prince Caspian restore peace to his country.

5. "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader," taking place approximately a year after "Prince Caspian." Lucy, Edmund and their difficult cousin Eustace are swept into Narnia through a picture, and accompany King Caspian on a voyage to find his father's seven lost friends.

6. "The Silver Chair," taking place shortly after "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader." Eustace and his school friend Jill Pole return to Narnia in search of King Caspian's son, Prince Rilian, who has disappeared.

7. "The Last Battle," taking place in approximately 1949. The friends of Narnia reunite for one final battle between good and evil.

Moira Macdonald, Seattle Times movie critic