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fantasy
Series · fantasy
The Chronicles of Narnia
The Chronicles of Narnia series by C. S. Lewis has 7 known books (7 published) and is best read in publication order, starting with The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (1950). The latest book with a fully recorded publication date is The Magician's Nephew.
- Books
- 7 known books (7 novels)
- Published
- 7
- First published
- 1950
- Status
- completed
- Shelved under
- Fantasy
- Last checked
Start here: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (1950) — then read straight through in publication order.
Reading order
The date order of published books and any announced future entries — the default way to read the series.
- Book 1:
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is the book that opens C. S. Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia series, first published in 1950. It's followed in the reading order by Prince Caspian. It runs 186 pages. The series ran to completion in 1956 across 7 books.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe - Book 2:
Prince Caspian
Prince Caspian is the second book in The Chronicles of Narnia, published in 1951. It sits between The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader in the reading order. It runs 216 pages.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Prince Caspian - Book 3:
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is the third book in The Chronicles of Narnia, published in 1952. It follows Prince Caspian and precedes The Silver Chair in the reading order. It runs 228 pages.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader - Book 4:
The Silver Chair
The Silver Chair is the fourth book in The Chronicles of Narnia, published in 1953. It follows The Voyage of the Dawn Treader and precedes The Horse and His Boy in the reading order. It runs 217 pages.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Silver Chair - Book 5:
The Horse and His Boy
The Horse and His Boy is the fifth book in The Chronicles of Narnia, published in 1954. In the reading order it comes after The Silver Chair and before The Magician's Nephew. It runs 208 pages.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Horse and His Boy - Book 6:
The Magician's Nephew
The Magician's Nephew is the sixth book in The Chronicles of Narnia, published in 1955. It follows The Horse and His Boy and precedes The Last Battle in the reading order. It runs 186 pages.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Magician's Nephew - Book 7:
The Last Battle
The Last Battle is the seventh book in The Chronicles of Narnia, published in 1956. It follows The Magician's Nephew, closing out a series that ran from 1950 to 1956. It runs 192 pages.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Last Battle
The order the story's events happen in, novellas slotted where they belong.
- Book 1:
The Magician's Nephew
The Magician's Nephew is the sixth book in The Chronicles of Narnia, published in 1955. It follows The Horse and His Boy and precedes The Last Battle in the reading order. It runs 186 pages.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Magician's Nephew - Book 2:
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is the book that opens C. S. Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia series, first published in 1950. It's followed in the reading order by Prince Caspian. It runs 186 pages. The series ran to completion in 1956 across 7 books.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe - Book 3:
The Horse and His Boy
The Horse and His Boy is the fifth book in The Chronicles of Narnia, published in 1954. In the reading order it comes after The Silver Chair and before The Magician's Nephew. It runs 208 pages.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Horse and His Boy - Book 4:
Prince Caspian
Prince Caspian is the second book in The Chronicles of Narnia, published in 1951. It sits between The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader in the reading order. It runs 216 pages.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Prince Caspian - Book 5:
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is the third book in The Chronicles of Narnia, published in 1952. It follows Prince Caspian and precedes The Silver Chair in the reading order. It runs 228 pages.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader - Book 6:
The Silver Chair
The Silver Chair is the fourth book in The Chronicles of Narnia, published in 1953. It follows The Voyage of the Dawn Treader and precedes The Horse and His Boy in the reading order. It runs 217 pages.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Silver Chair - Book 7:
The Last Battle
The Last Battle is the seventh book in The Chronicles of Narnia, published in 1956. It follows The Magician's Nephew, closing out a series that ran from 1950 to 1956. It runs 192 pages.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Last Battle
About The Chronicles of Narnia
Four English siblings step through the back of an old wardrobe into Narnia, a land frozen in eternal winter under the White Witch's rule -- and find themselves swept into a war for the country's soul alongside Aslan, the great lion who is Narnia's true king. That's just the opening novel; across seven books, C.S. Lewis sends different children (and, once, two unlucky adults) into Narnia across its history, from the world's magical creation to its final ending, encountering talking animals, ancient prophecies, seafaring quests to the edge of the world, and a desert kingdom's political intrigue along the way.
Lewis, an Oxford scholar and Christian apologist, layered the books with moral and religious allegory, but they work first and foremost as pure portal-fantasy adventure -- each book stands as its own quest with real stakes, memorable creatures, and Lewis's dry, warm narrative voice guiding young readers through it. The books reward re-reading precisely because there's more to notice on a second pass without ever demanding that awareness the first time through.
Seven decades after The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe first published, Narnia remains a foundational entry point into fantasy for young readers, and one of the most influential fantasy series ever written -- its DNA runs through nearly every portal-fantasy that followed it.
Frequently asked questions
How many Chronicles of Narnia books are there?
Seven, published between 1950 and 1956. The series is complete.
What order should I read Narnia in, publication or chronological?
Either works, but publication order (starting with The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe) is the traditional and generally recommended path, since it introduces the world the way Lewis intended. Chronological order starts with The Magician's Nephew instead.
Do I need to read The Magician's Nephew first?
No -- that's only necessary if you're following chronological order. In publication order it comes sixth, and reading it early can spoil later reveals.
Is there a religious allegory in Narnia?
Yes, C.S. Lewis wove Christian themes throughout the series, most visibly in Aslan's story in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, but the books work as standalone adventure fantasy without that context.
What age group is Narnia for?
Roughly ages 8-12, though its status as a classic means it's widely read by adults as well.
If you like The Chronicles of Narnia
Reading order last verified .