Young Adult

Book Reviews for books that are age appropriate for young adults (12-18).

The Silver Chair (Book #6)

The Silver Chair by C.S. Lewis (Book #6) (Summary taken from the back of the book) “Eustace and Jill escape from the bullies at school through a strange door in the wall, which, for once, is unlocked. It leads to the open moor…or does it? Once again Aslan has a task for the children, and Narnia needs them. Through dangers untold and caverns deep and dark, they pursue the quest that brings them face to face with the evil Witch. She must be defeated if Prince Rilian is to be saved.”

I really liked this book. It can be hard to remember some of the instructions Aslan gives the children at the beginning when you get into the middle, but it is very good. The symbolism is very good and even though it can be sad in parts, it all comes out good in the end. There are some interesting characters in this book. I do recommend reading this book, especially if you are reading the series.

Rated: PG

Recommendation: 12 and Up. 9 or 10 if read as a read-a-loud.

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (Book #5)

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis (Book #5)
(Summary taken from the back of the book) “The Dawn Treader is the first ship Narnia has seen in centuries. King Caspian has built it for his voyage to find the seven lords, good men whom his evil uncle Miraz banished when he usurped the throne. The journey takes Edmund, Lucy, their cousin Eustace, and Caspian to the Eastern Islands, beyond the Silver Sea, toward Aslan’s country at the End of the World.”
I have to say, this book was just okay for me. It was the one I liked least out of all seven. I would still recommend reading it to go with the rest, but it was a little strange for me.

Rated: PG

Recommendation: 12 and Up. 9 or 10 if read as a read-a-loud.

Prince Caspian (Book #4)

Prince Caspian by C.S. Lewis (Book #4)
(Summary taken from the back of the book) “Narnia…where animals talk…where trees walk…where a battle is about to begin–A prince denied his rightful throne gathers an army in a desperate attempt to rid his land of a false king. But in the end, it is a battle of honor between two men alone that will decide the fate of an entire world.”
I liked this book a lot. It has a lot of action and symbolism. It keeps with Narnian themes and is a page turner.

Rated: PG

Recommendation: 12 and Up. 9 or 10 if read as a read-a-loud.

The Horse and His Boy (Book #3)

The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis (Book #3)
(Summary taken from the back of the book) “During the Golden Age of Narnia, when Peter is High King, a boy named Shasta discovers he is not the son of Arsheesh, the Colormene fisherman, and decides to run far away to the North–to Narnia. When he is mistaken for another runaway, Shasta is led to discover who he really is and even finds his real father.”
I liked this book a lot. The symbolism is not as apparent as in other books, but it is there and almost more meaningful. I definitely recommend it.

Rated: PG

Recommendation: 12 and Up. 9 or 10 if read as a read-aloud.

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (Book #2)

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis (Book #2)
(Summary from the back of the book) “Narnia…a land frozen in eternal winter…a country waiting to be set free. Four adventurers step through a wardrobe door and into the land of Narnia–a land enslaved by the power of the White Witch. But when almost all hope is lost, the return of the Great Lion, Aslan, signals a great change…and a great sacrifice.”
I LOVE this book!!!! I love it from beginning to end!! I love the symbolism in it, I love the writing, I love the story, I think it is one of my all time favorites. C.S. Lewis did an excellent job in this book. I highly recommend it! I think it’s great for younger readers, and the best thing is that it is also great for adults! I think it meant a lot more to me when I recently read it because I understood the symbolism, but I remember loving it as a younger reader as well.

Rated: PG

Recommendation: 12 and Up. 9 or 10 if read as a read-aloud. (As in book #1, the symbolism may be over the heads of younger kids, but it would be a great read-a-loud for 10+, or they would enjoy reading it by themselves.)

The Magician’s Nephew (Book #1)

The Magician’s Nephew (Book #1) by C.S. Lewis
(Summary taken from the back of the book) “When Digory and Polly are tricked by Digory’s peculiar Uncle Andrew into becoming part of an experiment, they set off on the adventure of a lifetime. What happens to the children when they touch Uncle Andrew’s magic rings is far beyond anything even the old magician could have imagined. Hurtled into the Wood between the Worlds, the children soon find that they can enter many worlds through the mysterious pools there. In one world they encounter the evil Queen Jadis, who wreaks havoc in the streets of London when she is accidentally brought back with them. When they finally manage to pull her out of London, unintentionally taking along Uncle Andrew and a coachman with his horse, they find themselves in what will come to be known as the land of Narnia.”
I did not know this book existed until after I had read all the other books, so I read it last. I liked it a lot! It explains how Narnia came to be and sets up the rest of the series. I would recommend reading it first, but it was still good at the end. I would definitely recommend this book and the whole series. I love the symbolism.

Rated:PG

Recommendation: 12 and Up. 9 or 10 if read as a read-aloud.  (Great for everyone!!! I think it would be good for kids maybe 10 or older, just because the older children will understand the symbolism a little more.)

Housekeeping

Housekeeping by: Marilynne Robinson This is not a fast read, but it is a very good human interest story. It is sad and depressing at times, but it really makes you think about your life and how you interact with other people. It is the story of a family. Two girls are left on their grandmother’s doorstep, by their mother. The story continues showing how the two girls react to the different women in the family taking care of them. Each girl reacts differently, and it is very interesting to see. I liked this story a lot and would definitely recommend it.

Rated: PG

Recommendation: High School and Up. I don’t think younger children would be interested.