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Narnia Stuff!
#1 · December 12, 2005, 2:40 pm
Posted by: homenews <homenews@...>
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Hope Chest Home School News
with Virginia Knowles
December 12, 2005
Narnia Stuff!
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Dear Hope Chest friends,
Narnia is upon us! For some of us, it's not the first time! I know I read the whole series of Narnia books when I was a child -- we bought it in London on a business trip when I was six years old. A few years back, I read The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe to my older children, and I know I enjoyed it just as much as they did. I kept exclaiming over the deeper meanings hidden beneath the layers of a good "children's" tale. We also had the BBC version of the videos for quite some time, until they wore out from overuse!
Our family hasn't seen the new The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe movie yet, but we're sure looking forward to it! Well, I should say that my daughter Mary actually saw the first showing of it at midnight when it came out, and she thought it was excellent.
I am now the proud owner of about a dozen different books about Narnia. Mark Pinsky, the religion writer for the Orlando Sentinel received them as review copies, and he graciously passed this treasure trove on to me when he was done with them. I figured that I may as well make the most of this opportunity, so I wrote mini-reviews of them for you. I am giving a brief comment about each one, because I realize many of you are interested in them either for your own families enrichment or for Christmas presents. Please note that some of these books cover the whole series, while some of them just cover The Lion. With the exception of the first two, which are photographic books about the making of the movie, all of them are written from a Christian perspective. The one marked with *** is my top pick for families who want to discuss the books together. I bought that particular title at Family Christian Store. Most of the other books are quite suitable for a high school student (or motivated middle school student) using them as guides for an in-depth literature course, or for an adult to read and gain insight to share with students.
I know there are many other books out there about Narnia and C.S. Lewis, but these are the ones I have in front of me to review for you!
Blessings,
Virginia Knowles
(Subscribe to the Hope Chest for free by sending any message to [email protected])
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Oh, before I get started on the books, let me mention that there is a free 20 lesson on-line unit study on the The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe produced by Learning by Grace, an on-line Christian home school program. Here's the link
Also on the web, Lessons from the Lion is a really neat Christian workbook for elementary-age children. You can download the workbook or expanded teacher's edition from the web for a fee. I've looked at the samples on-line, and they look so tantalizing! Be sure to check this out! http://www.lessonsfromthelion.com/
OK, on to the books!
Cameras in Narnia: How the Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe Came to Life by Ian Brodie, published by Harper-Collins, $14.95. Focuses on the cinematography, the pictures are very appealing to all ages, but older readers will appreciate the technical information.
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe / The Official Illustrated Movie Companion by Perry Moore, published by Walt Disney Pictures and Walden Media, $19.95. Full photographic "coffee table" book with loads of details. My kids won't let this one out of the house.
*** Sharing the Narnia Experience: A Family Guide to C.S. Lewis's The Lion, The Witch & the Wardrobe by Paul Friskney, pubilshed by Standard Publishing, $7.99. This is the only book I actually purchased, and is also the one that is MOST USEABLE BY FAMILIES WISHING TO DISCUSS THE BOOK TOGETHER.
The Keys to the Chronicles: Unlocking the Symbols of C.S. Lewis's Narnia by Marvin D. Hinten, published by Broadman & Holman, $9.99. Covers all the books in the Chronicles of Narnia. High school to adult reading level.
Further Up & Further In: Understanding C.S. Lewis's The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe by Bruce Edwards, published by Broadman & Holman, $12.99. Smaller hardback, conversational tone, high school to adult reading level.
Narnia Beckons: C.S. Lewis's The Lion, The Witch & the Wardrobe and Beyond edited by Ted Baehr and James Baehr, pubilshed by Broadman & Holman, $24.99 hardback. Essays by various writers, lots of photos and drawings, "coffee table" type book.
A Field Guide to Narnia by Colin Duriez, published by InterVarsity Press. Literary guide for high school readers and up. Extensive background on C.S. Lewis, A-Z guide to "Narnian beings, places, things and events", guide to spiritual themes.
Aslan's Call: Finding Our Way to Narnia by Mark Eddy Smith, published by InterVarsity Press. Covers all books in the series, very readable style, Biblical themes.
A Reader's Guide Through the Wardrobe: Exploring C.S. Lewis's Classic Story by Lelan Ryken and Marjorie Lamp Mead, published by InterVarsity Press. Guided tour of the story chapter by chapter, including Biblical themes. Perfect for a high school literature course.
Into the Wardrobe: C.S. Lewis and the Narnia Chronicles by David C. Dowling, published by Jossey Bass, $19.95 hardback. More scholarly tone, less evangelical in focus. High school to adult reading level.
The World According to Narnia: Christian Meaning in C.S. Lewis's Beloved Chronicles by Jonathan Rogers, published by Warner Faith, $14.99. Covers all books in the series, very readable!
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