Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews
The Silver Chair
Illustrator: Pauline Baynes
Fiction Series
For ages 9 to 12
HarperCollins, 1994 ISBN: 978-0064471091
Jill Pole and Eustace Scrubb both hate the school that they have to go to. It is a very peculiar school in many ways but in one way it is very much like most schools – it has its compliment of bullies. Unfortunately for Jill, she is often on the receiving end of the bullies’ attention. One day Eustace, while he trying to comfort Jill, tells her about a magical place that he went to with his cousins. Eustace begins to wonder if he could go back to the magical place and he decides to call upon Aslan to see what will happen.
What happens is that the two children go through a door and then find themselves far from the England that they know. In this place Aslan himself tells Jill that she and Eustace must go to the land of Narnia and find a missing prince. He then tells her about four “Signs” which she must use to help her find the prince.
Aslan then sends the two children to the land of Narnia and soon they are off traveling though difficult terrain and looking for “the ruined city of the ancient giants.” Fortunately for the children they meet up with Puddleglum, the Marsh-wiggle. Puddleglum becomes their guide and their friend, sticking by them even when they are threatened by the very worst kind of danger possible.
Young readers will soon find themselves getting swept up by the strange adventures that Jill and Eustace have. Marsh-wiggles, giants, an evil witch, a cruel spell, and a kingdom underground are just some of the things readers will experience as the join the two children in their search for the missing Narnia prince.
Though this book was first published in 1953, it has lost none of its appeal. Young people of all ages and from all places will have no difficult relating to Jill and Eustace, two quite ordinary children who find themselves in the middle of a quite extraordinary quest.
This is the fourth book in the much acclaimed Narnia series.
