Discovering the world of Narnia: Narnia Beckons, the new family album and picture book, provides a fascinating glimpse of Narnia--and of the life and ideas of the man behind the beloved children's series.

Narnia Beckons: C.S. Lewis's The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe--and Beyond, by Ted Baehr and James Baehr (Nashville, Tennessee: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2005), 184 pages, hardcover, illustrated large format, $24.99. Available from American Opinion Book Services, P.O. Box 8040. Appleton, WI 54912 (plus shipping and handling); by phone at 920-749-3783: or online at www .aobs-store.com.

Millions of readers worldwide are familiar with C.S. Lewis as the author of The Screwtape Letters, Mere Christianity, and other volumes of Christian apologetics, literary history, and social commentary. Many millions more know him as the brilliant creator of an in credible universe in one of the most beloved and popular series of children's books of all time: The Chronicles of Narnia.

Interest in C.S. Lewis is bound to explode with the cinematic release, on December 9, of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, the first book of the seven-volume Narnia series, much as J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings movie trilogy inspired a near mania for all things Tolkien. And that would be a very wonderful thing, since The Chronicles of Narnia is not only a delightful fantasy tale for children of all ages (from 5 to 95) but also a richly insightful Christian allegory that, in a unique way, touches the hearts and minds of both believers and unbelievers with the central truths of the Gospel.

The enormous box office success of the Tolkien film epics, no doubt, provided the Disney studios with a financial incentive to team up with Walden Media to take on this ambitious project. Thanks to that economic impulse and the immense recent progress in computer animation, robotics, prosthetic makeup, and special effects, the fantastical creatures and elaborate sets required for a realistic film rendering of the Narnia fable are now possible. Much of the creative talent that made the Lord of the Rings films such a smash hit and a great artistic achievement has also been employed in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. The same team of artists from New Zealand's Weta Workshop who designed the creatures, costumes, armor, and weapons for the Tolkien films has been employed to work their magic for this movie production of C.S. Lewis's famous fairy tale.

From what I have seen of the movie trailers and read in the trade journals by critics who have seen previews, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe promises to be not only a visually stunning and beautifully acted and directed action-packed adventure, but more importantly, a telling of the Narnia story that is faithful to Mr. Lewis's vision. Whether or not the movie does justice to the book--and few do--it almost certainly will cause many viewers (both children and adults) to discover or rediscover Mr. Lewis's writings. For younger readers, that most likely will mean diving into The Chronicles of Narnia. Adults too, may be tempted to escape to Narnia, and should not feel the least bit guilty (or sheepish) about yielding to this temptation.

I was a college freshman when I was introduced to The Chronicles of Narnia in 1970. I devoured all seven volumes in a few days, following closely on the heels of a similar reading binge of Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Hobbit. The reading proved to be much more than an enchanting diversion from the rigors of chemistry and microbiology and the dolors of psychology and sociology; it was a life-changing experience.

Like so many other young "intellectuals" throughout history--and especially among the generation that came of age in the 1960s--I had thrown off my childhood "shackles" of Christian superstitions and bourgeois values. I was now a liberated, sophisticated (or so I thought) agnostic, and for a time, even convinced myself to enlist under the banner of militant Marxist atheism.

C.S. Lewis played a major role in removing the scales from my eyes and leading me back from the edge of the abyss of unbelief. His Narnia stories led me to his other works, such as Mere Christianity and The Abolition of Man. As a convert to Christianity from atheism and socialism, he had wrestled with the questions, doubts, and arguments that I was facing. The answers he had come to, his clarity of thought, and his style of expression were intriguing, satisfying, exhilarating.

Other students, too, I learned, were finding faith, inspiration, and enlightenment in the vast treasury of wisdom that flowed from Lewis's prolific pen. The rich symbolism of his Narnia myths and the brilliant yet commonsensical analysis of his essays provided fodder for many an afternoon or late-night group discussion. Lewis showed us that faith and reason are not incompatible: in fact, they go hand-in-hand. Lewis led us to other great Christian scholar-apologists: G.K Chesterton. George MacDonald. Hilaire Belloc. Christopher Dawson. and others. He excited in us a desire to study the Bible, but also to study the natural sciences, the humanities, and philosophy, since true knowledge comes from God, belongs to God, and leads to God.

Like millions of others who have read his works (and additional millions who have not, but have been influenced by him nonetheless), I am deeply indebted to C.S. Lewis and have great affection for this joyful Christian warrior. So I am most happy to see the publication of Narnia Beckons: C.S. Lewis's The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe--and Beyond by Ted Baehr and James Baehr. Narnia Beckons is a wonderful tribute to Lewis and a delightful introduction to the life and writings of this beloved author.

On one level, Narnia Beckons is a collection of articles bringing together essays on Lewis, his writings (with a special focus on Narnia), and his impact on the 20th century and our culture. The contributors include professors and noted C.S. Lewis scholars who offer many fascinating glimpses into why C.S. Lewis's Narnia books speak so powerfully to the child in each of us. Professor Andrew Cuneo of Hillsdale College, for instance, offers a profound insight into the fairy tale tradition of talking beasts in The Chronicles of Narnia as it relates to the Logos, the divine Word, and our longing for a restoration of a right relationship with all of God's creation, a relationship that was torn asunder by man's fall.

Professor Peter Kreeft of Boston College contributes a fascinating essay on the universal human fascination with "other worlds." Lyle W. Dorsett, curator of the Marion E. Wade collection, which houses C.S. Lewis's original manuscripts, letters, and papers at Wheaton College, provides a charming and informative profile of Lewis's life. C.S. Lewis's last interview (with Sherwood Wirt of Decision Magazine in 1963) is also included in Narnia Beckons. More than a dozen other authors contribute sparkling perceptions about Lewis, Narnia, God, and man.

On another level, Narnia Beckons is a family album and picture book. Nearly every page is graced with photographs from C.S. Lewis's life or lovely charcoal drawings of scenes and characters from The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Combined with the short, crisply written chapter-essays, they make Narnia Beckons an irresistible page turner and a book that can be satisfyingly sampled piecemeal: just jump in at any point in the volume and you will be richly rewarded. Take, for instance, the chapter on "The Inklings," the group of literary friends who gathered weekly at Lewis's rooms at Magdalen College to critique each other's writings and discuss life and the issues of the day. Besides C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien--two of the towering literary geniuses of the 20th century--it included Warren Lewis (C.S.'s older brother), Owen Barfield, Charles Williams, and others. The photos and thumbnail sketches provide more than an inkling about the important influence this group had on Lewis and his writings.

Ted Baehr, the chairman of The Christian Film and Television Commission, and his son, James Baehr, a C.S. Lewis scholar and a U.S. Marine Corps officer, have done more than assemble a fine collection of essays; they also have made important contributions themselves. James Baehr's account of his visit in North Oxford with Walter Hooper, C.S. Lewis's personal secretary and friend, is as charming as his chapter on the history of cinema adaptations of Narnia, including Lewis's love-hate relationship with film. Many parents, grandparents, and teachers will find the Baehrs' Chapter 16 in Narnia Beckons especially helpful, since it goes chapter-by-chapter through Lewis's The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, offering intriguing reflections and questions on the deeper lessons lying beneath the action of the story.

Narnia Beckons is a handsome coffee-table book that children and adults alike will find alluring and rewarding. It is a wonderful introduction and homage to one of the master storytellers of all time.