Story perspectives

Today in History: C.S. Lewis's Narnia debut hits UK shelves

By Drooid · Oct 16, 2026, 10:34 AM UTC · How we work

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Summary

Story summary

On 16 October 1950, C. S. Lewis’s portal-fantasy novel *The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe* debuted in the United Kingdom via Geoffrey Bles. Illustrated by Pauline Baynes, it became the first published and most widely held title of his seven-book *Chronicles of Narnia* series.

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Story summary

On 16 October 1950, C. S. Lewis’s portal-fantasy novel *The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe* debuted in the United Kingdom via Geoffrey Bles. Illustrated by Pauline Baynes, it became the first published and most widely held title of his seven-book *Chronicles of Narnia* series.