Begone, the Raggedy Witches by Celine Kiernan
Years ago, Aunty ran with Mup and her mam, taking them from the realm of the witches across the border to the human world. Now Aunty is dead and her magic no longer protects them. And the Raggedy Witches come, stealing Mup’s father. So Mup and her mam cross the border to save him. Aunty always warned them to avoid the realm of the witches at all costs. But suddenly Mup’s mam seems like she might want to take back the throne that could have been hers. A thrilling children’s fantasy that feels like an instant classic. Read Krysta’s review.
My Sparkling Misfortune by Laura Lond
Lord Arkus, a self-proclaimed villain, goes to capture a gormack, an evil spirit, to help him execute his wicked deeds. But he mistakenly captures a sparkling, a good spirit who is now bound to him for five years and has a much different interpretation of what is in Lord Arkus’s best interests. My Sparkling Misfortune is a humorous middle-grade novel that incorporates Christian themes, which may appeal to Narnia fans. Briana’s review.
Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
Fans of Lewis’s science fiction The Space Trilogy might enjoy Card’s classic novel about a young boy who is trained into a formidable general in order to save humanity from an impending alien invasion. Krysta says: “Card’s book speaks to the heart with rare power.” Read her review.
Phantastes by George MacDonald
After opening a drawer and finding a tiny woman, Anodos is transported to the land of Faerie. There he has many adventures while he struggles to find a purpose for himself. This book famously changed C. S. Lewis’s life; he wrote it “baptized” his imagination. Perfect for fans of Lewis’s Till We Have Faces. Read Krysta’s review.
Paradise Lost by John Milton
This seventeenth-century epic poem chronicles Satan’s rebellion and fall from heaven and then his role of seduction in the Fall of Man. Lewis wrote A Preface to Paradise Lost in 1942, and his criticism of the work continues to be admired and studied in academic circles. Goodreads page.
Planet Narnia by Michael Ward
Ward argues against the common perception that there is no unifying theme that ties the seven Chronicles of Narnia together. He suggests that Lewis was inspired by medieval cosmology and that each of the seven books reflects characteristics of a planet, including Jupiter, Mars, Sol, Luna, Mercury, Venus, and Saturn. Book website.
The Handbook of Christian Apologetics by Peter Kreeft and Ronald K. Tacelli
In addition to his fiction, C. S. Lewis is famous for his works of Christian apologetics. Kreeft and Tacelli continue the apologetics tradition in this well-organized question-and-answer format book. They address such questions as the existence of God, whether faith and reason conflict, life after death, and objective truth in an intelligent yet highly readable style. Goodreads page.
The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente
One day the Green Wind catches up September and takes her to Fairyland—but all is not how it should be. Fairies are scarce, winged beasts are forbidden to fly, and the Marquess has stolen the spoon the witches use to see the future. September agrees to travel to the capital and retrieve the spoon, but somewhere along the way she realizes that her quest has grown bigger than she anticipated. The start of a whimsical world-crossing series that explores the effects of Fairyland on those who journey there. Read Krysta’s review.
The Light Between Worlds by Laura E. Weymouth
Five years ago, Evelyn Hapwell, her brother Jamie, and her sister Phillipa found themselves transported to the magical world of the Woodlands while hiding during an air raid. Then, after fighting a war there over the course of five years, they were sent back to London at the very moment they had departed. Evelyn would do anything to return to the tree spirits and the mighty elk Cervus. But Philippa, concerned with nylons and boys, is convinced they must make a life where they are. When Evelyn goes missing, however, Philippa must confront her past. A YA take on what happens after children return from an enchanted world. Read Krysta’s review.
100 Cupboards by N. D. Wilson
Sent to live with his aunt and uncle in Kansas, Henry York is surprised to find that the cupboards in his attic bedroom seem to lead to different worlds! But when he and his cousin unleash an ancient evil, they must find a way to fix their mistakes before it is too late. N. D. Wilson writes fantasy where the characters are not overtly religious, but there are Christian themes.
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