Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Lewis)

Book Reviews
The captivating story of Lucy, Peter, Susan, and Edmund who step through the wardrobe into the magical land of Narnia. There, they battle against the evil White Witch and her minions and free Narnia from everlasting winter. The world with its talking creatures is entirely believable, as are the siblings who must overcome their own failings to become the heroes and heroines of Narnia.
Children's Literature

In this opening volume, Lewis "presents a world corrupted with powerful evil, full of dangerous temptations; humanity is seen as often weak and prone to erring ways," David L. Russell explained, "but with the capacity for devotion and even heroism if guided by the unconditional love of the godhead.
Gale Research

Something about a story—could be the characters, could be the setting, could be anything—fills me with the most desperate longing to fall into the pages and live the fantasy. That was how I felt while reading this book. What I wouldn't give to be able to press my hand against the wood of that wardrobe door, with the surly English rain pounding away outside. The coats, I'm sure, are the softest you can imagine. Most of all, though, I want to feel the snow. I dearly want to experience that moment of realization when the wardrobe is no longer a wardrobe, when there's suddenly snow beneath my feet and a lamppost shining in the distance.
Blog Critics.org

By the time I was in college, I...discovered a whole new dimension to the Narnia books, the spiritual truths that the wise author embedded inside them.  As I grew older, I got to experience the new delight of sharing the books with my own sons.  If I had to make a list of my top ten favorite books, this set (I couldn’t possibly exclude any of them, so I’d cheat and count them as one.) would definitely be on that list. C. S. Lewis took an idea that had fascinated him from childhood—a world where animals could talk and mythical creatures were alive—and he asked himself what it would be like if Jesus came to that world.  The books are not allegories, but they do contain riches of insight as to what God is like, as seen by one of his intelligent and dedicated servants.
Sondra Ecklund - Sonderbooks.com