The Boy Behind the Wardrobe: How C.S. Lewis Grew Up to Create Narnia
bySuzanne Poulter Harris, Mira Miroslavova(Illustrator)

2 out of 5 stars

This picture book gives an overview of Lewis’ childhood and young adulthood and tells about how he was inspired to write The Chronicles of Narnia. We learn about his childhood imagination that created Animal-Land stories along with his brother, Warnie. His mother took him to see ancient ruined castles in Ireland, and he was inspired by classic children’s books written by Beatrix Potter and Edith Nesbit. He would play in a big wardrobe at his grandfather’s house, along with his cousins. But when his mother died, Lewis was sent to boarding school where he was bullied, and his only escape was through stories. He befriended Arthur and finished his schooling with a wise tutor. When Lewis was grown up, he served in the war and wrote poetry in the trenches. But it was at Oxford that he found his true place of belonging and his best friend, Tolkien. All of these things inspired Lewis to write The Chronicles of Narnia.

Except… there is not one mention of the greatest influence and biggest inspiration of Lewis’ entire life – Christ!!! Even in a timeline of Lewis’ life at the back of the book, there is no mention of his conversion to Christianity, the most important event of his life. Ridiculous.