Chronicles of Narnia Books in Order: Publication vs. Chronological

By T.L. BransonFantasy

Looking for The Chronicles of Narnia books in order? C.S. Lewis’s seven-book series can be read in publication order or chronological order, and each version begins in a very different place.

For a first read, I recommend publication order. Start with The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, then continue in the order Lewis released the books. Chronological order works well for a reread or for anyone who wants to follow Narnian history from its creation to its end.

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The Chronicles of Narnia Books in Publication Order

Here are The Chronicles of Narnia books in their original publication order. This is the reading order I recommend for first-time readers.

  1. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (1950)
  2. Prince Caspian (1951)
  3. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (1952)
  4. The Silver Chair (1953)
  5. The Horse and His Boy (1954)
  6. The Magician’s Nephew (1955)
  7. The Last Battle (1956)

Why Should I Read It in Order of Publication?

I grew up with The Chronicles of Narnia, and publication order still feels like the best introduction to the series. Here are my main reasons:

  1. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe introduces Narnia through Lucy’s eyes. You discover the wardrobe, Aslan, the White Witch, and the rules of this world alongside the Pevensie children. It gives you everything you need without assuming you already know Narnian history.
  2. The recurring characters arrive in a natural order. The first two books follow all four Pevensies. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader continues with Edmund and Lucy while bringing Eustace into the center of the story. The Silver Chair then follows Eustace and Jill.
  3. The Magician’s Nephew works beautifully as a prequel. By the time you reach it, the origins of the wardrobe, the lamppost, and other familiar pieces of Narnia mean much more. Those connections are part of the fun.

The Chronicles of Narnia Books in Chronological Order

Chronological order begins with the creation of Narnia in The Magician’s Nephew and follows the world’s history through The Last Battle. It’s a valid choice, especially if you’re rereading the series and want to experience events in timeline order.

In a 1957 letter about the reading order, Lewis said he preferred chronology, but he also added that “perhaps it does not matter very much in which order anyone reads them.” So, choose the version that sounds more enjoyable to you.

  1. The Magician’s Nephew
  2. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
  3. The Horse and His Boy
  4. Prince Caspian
  5. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
  6. The Silver Chair
  7. The Last Battle

Most current HarperCollins editions number the books chronologically, beginning with The Magician’s Nephew. That makes chronology look like the official order when readers pick up a new set.

Older editions can be different. British editions adopted chronological numbering before American editions, while many U.S. copies continued to use publication order into the 1990s. That’s why two sets of the same series may place different numbers on the covers.

Can You Skip The Horse and His Boy?

The Horse and His Boy feels different from the other Narnia books because Shasta and Aravis are new main characters, and much of the story takes place in Calormen and Archenland. It occurs during the Golden Age of Narnia, while Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy rule as kings and queens.

The change in setting gives you a wider look at the world beyond Narnia. It also provides more context for Calormen before the events of The Last Battle. The Pevensies appear in the story, so it still connects directly to the series.

Modern readers may be uncomfortable with the way Calormen is depicted, including stereotypes drawn from broad Middle Eastern imagery. That’s a fair criticism, and it’s worth knowing before you start.

You can skip the book without losing the central plot of the other six novels. Still, I wouldn’t skip it if you want the complete Narnia experience. It adds meaningful world-building and gives you one more look at the Pevensies during their reign.

The Chronicles of Narnia Movies in Order

The three movies below form the Walden Media theatrical series. Narnia also received earlier television adaptations, including an animated film and BBC serials, but those are separate from this movie sequence.

  1. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005)
  2. The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008)
  3. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (2010)

The trilogy follows publication order rather than Narnian chronology. The first two movies feature all four Pevensie siblings, while The Voyage of the Dawn Treader continues with Edmund and Lucy and introduces Eustace as a central character.

William Moseley, Anna Popplewell, Skandar Keynes, and Georgie Henley play Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy. Ben Barnes joins the series as Prince Caspian, Will Poulter plays Eustace, Tilda Swinton appears as the White Witch, and Liam Neeson voices Aslan.

Will There Be More Narnia Films?

Netflix’s Narnia project begins with Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew, written and directed by Greta Gerwig. This is the first screen adaptation based specifically on Lewis’s prequel.

The movie is a new adaptation rather than a fourth Walden film, so it won’t continue the earlier cast or continuity. Starting with The Magician’s Nephew also means the new screen version begins with the creation of Narnia and the origins of the wardrobe, the lamppost, and the White Witch.

About The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis

Published between 1950 and 1956, The Chronicles of Narnia became one of the best-known series in children’s fantasy long before the movies. The 2005 film introduced the wardrobe to another generation, but readers had already been visiting Narnia for decades.

The series moves between our world and Narnia, following several groups of children whose adventures shape the kingdom’s history. Aslan ties the stories together, while each book explores a different period, threat, or part of the wider world.

Although the novels are often marketed to children, the stories work well for readers of all ages. They’re short, imaginative, and easy to revisit, which is one reason the reading-order debate has lasted for so long.

The main series is complete at seven novels. C.S. Lewis did not publish any separate Narnia short stories, so there isn’t extra fiction to fit between the books.

Looking for more books in order?

If you want more fantasy authors and reading-order guides like this one, start with my Fantasy Books in Order index.

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