Once Upon a Wardrobe

by Patti Callahan

Overview

Megs Devonshire sets out to fulfill her younger brother George's last wish by uncovering the truth behind his favorite story. The answer provides hope and healing and a magical journey for anyone whose life has ever been changed by a book.

1950: Margaret Devonshire (Megs) is a seventeen-year-old student of mathematics and physics at Oxford University. When her beloved eight-year-old brother asks Megs if Narnia is real, logical Megs tells him it’s just a book for children, and certainly not true. Homebound due to his illness, and remaining fixated on his favorite books, George presses her to ask the author of the recently released novel The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe a question: “Where did Narnia come from?”

Despite her fear about approaching the famous author, who is a professor at her school, Megs soon finds herself taking tea with C.S. Lewis and his own brother Warnie, begging them for answers.

Rather than directly telling her where Narnia came from, Lewis encourages Megs to form her own conclusion as he slowly tells her the little-known stories from his own life that led to his inspiration. As she takes these stories home to George, the little boy travels farther in his imagination than he ever could in real life.

Lewis’s answers will reveal to Megs and her family many truths that science and math cannot, and the gift she thought she was giving to her brother—the story behind Narnia—turns out to be his gift to her, instead: hope.

• A captivating, standalone historical novel combining fact and fiction
• An emotional journey into the books and stories that make us who we are
• Includes discussion questions for book clubs

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780785251729
Publisher:	Harper Muse
Publication date:	10/19/2021
Pages:	320
Sales rank:	35,984
Product dimensions:	5.80(w) x 8.40(h) x 1.30(d)

About the Author

Patti Callahan is the New York Times, USA TODAY, and Globe and Mail bestselling novelist of fifteen novels, including Becoming Mrs. Lewis and Surviving Savannah, out now, and Once Upon a Wardrobe, out October 19, 2021. A recipient of the Harper Lee Distinguished Writer of the Year, the Christy Book of the Year, and the Alabama Library Association Book of the Year, Patti is the cofounder and cohost of the popular web series and podcast Friends & Fiction. Follow her at www.patticallahanhenry.com.

Editorial Reviews

06/21/2021

Callahan (Becoming Mrs. Lewis) mines the life and work of C.S. Lewis in this enjoyable exploration of the power of imagination to see one through difficult times. In 1950 Worcester, England, eight-year-old George Devonshir, born with a weak heart, is often restricted to his bed, where he devours adventure and fantasy books. After he comes across The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, he asks his sister Megs, a student at Oxford, to ask C.S. Lewis, who is a don at her university, where the idea for Narnia came from. After being caught on Lewis’s property mustering up the courage to knock on the door, she’s invited into his home, where Lewis and his brother tell her the story of their lives. Lewis’s childhood, Megs learns, has many parallels with George’s: he was often ill and comforted himself with wildly imaginative stories. As Megs relates the stories to her brother, she comes to appreciate how fantasy and real life can interact in productive, beautiful ways. While Callahan’s prose verges on saccharine—nearly every page contains a reminder of George’s illness or his family’s devotion to his happiness—the heartfelt characters will win over sentimental readers. Callahan’s fans will love this. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

This is a heartwarming tale about the transformative power of books, with engaging and detailed descriptions. George's earnestness and imaginative nature uplift his family and will charm any reader who enjoys looking at the stories behind our favorite childhood stories.

Booklist

★ 07/01/2021

Callahan (Becoming Mrs. Lewis) once again visits the life and works of C. S. Lewis in this enlightening novel of logic and imagination, faith, and reason. Eight-year-old George Devonshire, housebound with a fatal heart ailment, lives his life through his favorite books. Captivated by The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, George wants his sister to ask C. S. Lewis where Narnia came from. Meg, a mathematics student at Oxford, is determined to find the answers her brother seeks. But Lewis won't give her the direct answer that her logical mind wants. Instead, he tells Meg a series of stories from his life, stories that may or may not solve the mystery of where his novels' world and characters were born. As she spends time with Lewis, Meg slowly begins to find her logical mind expanding to encompass a love of storytelling and imagination. Her remaining time with George becomes more precious, and Meg finds that his question has given her a truly priceless gift. VERDICT This enchanting novel of faith and hope is a must-read for fans of C. S. Lewis. Readers will be eager to return to the world of "The Chronicles of Narnia" with new insights.—Catherine Coyne, Mansfield P.L., MA

Library Journal

''Once Upon a Wardrobe' is a beautiful follow-up to 'Becoming Mrs. Lewis.' It's a love letter to books and stories with a meaningful message. Megs and her family learn that fantastical tales are more than mere ways to appease young children. Stories are nourishment for the souls that need joy the most, and sometimes they're the only thing that can help us understand life.'

The Washington Post

'I advise you to read this book, then wait for a while and then read it again. For while it may not be Narnia, there is magic in it.' —Douglas Gresham, C. S. Lewis's stepson

'Exquisitely heartfelt, Once Upon a Wardrobe is a love letter to the magic of stories. I call it the Callahan Effect—from the first page to the last, Patti Callahan's wise and beautiful prose draws you in and doesn't let you go.' —Sarah Addison Allen, New York Times bestselling author of First Frost and Lost Lake

'Once Upon a Wardrobe is a poignant meditation on the lengths we will go to for our loved ones as well as a fascinating glimpse into the early life of C. S. Lewis. Patti Callahan's beautiful, life-affirming novel is a reminder that literature lives inside us, and that when we read someone else's story, we understand so much more about our own. A gorgeous, compelling book.' —Janet Skeslien Charles, award-winning author of The Paris Library

'With a touch of fairy-tale magic, Once Upon a Wardrobe will take you behind the legend and deep into the English and Irish countryside, where you'll encounter not only the inspirations for one of the 20th century's most beloved works but also a tale of heartache, hope, and discovery that will forever change the Narnia you thought you knew.' —Kristin Harmel, New York Times bestselling author of The Forest of Vanishing Stars

'In this powerful, enchanting tale for all ages, readers uncover the inspiration for Lewis's famous books, while at the same time discovering the way in which stories—and myths—weave through our existences, subtly transforming us in immeasurable ways. Stunning.' —Marie Benedict, New York Times bestselling author of The Mystery of Mrs. Christie

From the Publisher

More than just a clever way to tell the story of Lewis' life, the book explores the power of story and the importance of imagination.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

From Patti Callahan, the bestselling author of Becoming Mrs. Lewis, comes another enchanting story that pulls back the curtain on the early life of C. S. Lewis.

The Nerd Daily

'This beautiful and soul-touching book is about death and dying, but it also reminds us that new chapters remain for those of us who are left behind.'

Historical Novel Society

'Patti Callahan's powerful and captivating new novel ponders how the events in C.S. Lewis' life, particularly his childhood, inspired him to create the magical and mythical world of Narnia and the cast of characters inhabiting it . . . Readers will reach for it again and again, eager to be reminded that love will prevail and imagination leads people down fantastical paths. Some books are read and forgotten soon after; others linger forever in one's mind, popping up from time to time when something relevant sparks the memory. ONCE UPON A WARDROBE is certainly the latter and will be cherished by anyone who reads it.'

BookReporter.com

'Full of magic, nostalgia and a sister's love, Coben calls this novel 'a love letter to those of us obsessed with C.S. Lewis's Narnia series.''

TODAY