THROUGH THE WARDROBE

The story of C.S. Lewis and how Narnia came to be.

From a young age, books and imagination were enormously important to young Clive Staples Lewis—or Jack, as he preferred to be called—and here, the warm, folkloric text and colorful, detailed ink-and-acrylic pictures invite readers and listeners to consider how, through dark moments, he created his own stories as a bright refuge. Lewis had a close relationship with his brother, developed a love of religion, and found happiness with an American wife, but he also withstood the early death of his mother, isolation and bullying in boarding school, and the horrors of World War I in part through his creativity and storytelling. As befitting the creator of the beloved Narnia books, this illustrated biography maintains the sense of a story unfolding, leading up to the moments when the iconic stories came to be while simultaneously explaining Lewis’ background, experiences, and some of his likely inspirations. Though Lewis dealt with much difficulty, the emphasis is on how he coped and, throughout his life, read, imagined, dreamed, pondered, and created. The endnotes provide a plethora of facts and additional information, nicely organized for potential research; these will likely elicit additional questions about his life and may lead readers to explore further.

This engaging and affectionate re-creation of Lewis’ life highlights resilience, creativity, and inspiration.