C.S. Lewis "The Chronicles of Narnia"

Some people may be surprised that I'm recommending a children's book series on my blog—but there are children's books that are just as good for adults. At my university, Lewis's series was mentioned as a classic example of "kidult literature." Lewis himself seemed to share this view, as evidenced by his dedication to his goddaughter:

"I wrote this story for you, but when I began it I had not realized that girls grow quicker than books. As a result you are already too old for fairy tales (...), but some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again."

So, what makes The Chronicles of Narnia worth reading at any age?

On one level, it is a classic tale of the struggle between good and evil, in which four siblings enter the imaginary land of Narnia to save it from the White Witch (in the first book). It is wonderfully written, engaging, highly enjoyable, and full of humor, with a cast of genuinely likable characters. On another level, it is fascinating because of how its world is constructed, which is deeply rooted in the European cultural tradition, classical mythology and, above all, Christianity. Unlike Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, these Christian elements are far more explicit and immediately recognizable.

The most significant of these is Aslan. On the face of it, he is a majestic lion, but Lewis explained that Aslan represents his answer to the question of what form Christ might have taken if He had entered a world like Narnia, had such a world existed. Aslan's death in place of a guilty character, followed by his resurrection, od obviously parallel with Christ's crucifixion and resurrection. In the second book of the series, Prince Caspian, he also performs numerous healings, and there is a particularly striking passage emphasizing the virtue of faith. Another unmistakable biblical reference is describing humans as the Sons of Adam and the Daughters of Eve and reminding of their dominium over all animals. The chivalric tradition is also strongly represented.

So far, I have read the first two books, and I'd recommend them to be read for enjoyment both individually or with your family.