A Book of Narnians

Ever wondered what the Naiads, Dryads, and Maenads of Lewis’s Narnia chronicles looked like? How about the wer-wolves and hags? In James Riordan’s A Book of Narnians you and your children can be treated to full color illustrations by Pauline Baynes, paired with descriptions paraphrased or lifted from the pages of the books themselves.

This book is a good introductory resource for children (in the 7-11 age-range, I’d estimate) who have read all the stories and would appreciate a chance to look back “at a glance.” It offers glimpses of some of the mythical creatures, as well as all the major characters. The bulgy bears, the beavers, Eustace as a dragon are all in there. So are Puddleglum and the earthmen from The Silver Chair, and any number of other characters. Of course Aslan is given due attention as well. At the end are a cast of characters, a list of the chronicles with brief summaries, an outline of Narnian history, and a map of Narnia.

I learned from The Magician’s Book that Lewis himself was not always satisfied with Pauline Baynes’ illustrations. Looking at these, I couldn’t help but wonder how Alan Lee (who illustrated Black Ships Before Troy as well as some of Tolkien’s work), or Alan Parry (illustrator of Dangerous Journey), would have set to the task. But Baynes’ drawings have in any case been inextricably woven into our conception of Narnia, and so this book ties in nicely with the chronicles.

When I was a child, I had a color map of Disneyland, and I pored over it for hours both before and after we made our pilgrimage there. For children caught up in the world of Narnia, this book could serve a similar purpose. It lays a very basic, gentle foundation in literary study by offering a look at the books that’s a step away from immersion in the narratives.