The Horse and His Boy

Just when the boy Shasta is about to be sold into slavery, he makes a surprising friend -- a talking horse! The two decide to run away north, to the land of Narnia. On the way they meet two other travelers as unusual as themselves. When they discover an evil plot to invade and conquer Narnia, the four companions' escape to freedom becomes a race against time and peril to save themselves and everything they have come to love. Clive Staples Lewis, known as Jack to his friends, was born in 1898. Lewis and his good friend J.R.R. Tolkien, the author of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, were part of the Inklings, an informal writers' club that met at a local pub to discuss story ideas. Lewis' fascination with fairy tales, myths, and ancient legends, coupled with inspiration drawn from his childhood, led him to write The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, one of the best-loved books of all time. Six further books followed to become the immensely popular Chronicles of Narnia. The Last Battle was awarded the Carnegie Medal, one of the highest marks of excellence in children's literature. Alex Jennings, a distinguished two-time Olivier Award winner, has starred in numerous Royal Shakespeare and National Theatre productions; his films include The Four Feathers.