The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis

The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis is the first (chronologically) in the Narnia series. If you’ve never read Narnia then start with The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe but make sure you come back to the prequel. It’s a story about the founding of Narnia and the need to protect it from the evil witch who is accidentally brought into it on Narnia’s first day. The Narnia books are also wonderful read out loud. I’ve been re-reading this one with some college friends in the evenings (‘Story Time’). It’s both serious and funny, beautiful and sad. And includes such delightful exclamations as, “My hat, what a picnic,” which we intend to now use in moments of unintended chaos!