(book 2 in the Chronicles of Narnia series)
PG (fantasy creatures including a witch and a werewolf, violence related to war, mild expletives)
The four Pevensie children--Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy--are headed back to boarding school after the summer vacation when they are unexpected pulled back into Narnia by a source of magic (that turns out to be Susan's own horn). When they arrive, they discover their old castle Cair Paravel in decay; they have been gone for hundreds of years. Summoned by the rightful king of Narnia who is in a fight for the kingdom and for his life, they join the fight along with a host of talking animals, tree spirits, and many other fantasy creatures. As is expected, Aslan makes an appearance and sets things right.
A great family read aloud! I feel like this story gets overshadowed by its prequel, but Prince Caspian is every bit as good as The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe in my opinion, but for different reasons. The plot isn't as compelling, though it has its own advantages, but the characters are varied and there is a lot of cheek in the dialogue, which I appreciate.
Themes:
Courage
Choosing to do right
Loyalty
Parental Cautions:
evil fantasy creatures
war violence