This is a hotly contested issue. Do you read the books in story order, or the order in which they were published. Neither one is better than the other.

My personal preference is to read books in the order in which they are written. Often though the author will have a different idea. In 1957 C.S.Lewis received a letter from a young American reader. He asked Lewis about the best order for reading the series. The boy's mother believed the books should be read in order of their publication, beginning with The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. The boy thought it would be better to read them in story order.

C. S. Lewis wrote back saying, "I think I agree with your order for reading the books more than with your mother's." After this publishers began numbering the books in story order. So, in this situation, I defer to the author's preference.

Story Order

1. The Magician’s Nephew
2. The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe
3. The Horse and His Boy
4. Prince Caspian
5. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
6. The Silver Chair
7. The Last Battle

Publication Order

1. The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe
2. Prince Caspian
3. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
4. The Silver Chair
5. The Horse and His Boy
6. The Magician’s Nephew
7. The Last Battle

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