This book (as well as the whole Narnia series) is a fantasy story that is appropriate for children. Both children and adults can benefit from reading this book, however.
In a line: Jill learns to guard Aslan's words close to her heart. In depth: Eustace returns to Narnia with a classmate, Jill. Their journey gets off to a bad start as tempers are short and Aslan's instructions are so tedious to memorize. In the end, though, the memory of Aslan is all that saves them from disaster. Symbolism: Aslan's instructions are quite clear, when Jill and Eustace want to hear them. But when they stray into their own desires, they do not see the signs he told them to watch for. Also, evil makes itself very tempting, and sways them from the true path to something "easier".
"Instantly there was a quite different sound all about them. It came from those bright things overhead, which now turned out to be birds. They were making a riotous noise, but it was much more like music – rather advanced music which you don't quite take in at the first hearing – than birds' songs ever are in our world."
"Are you not thirsty?" said the lion.
"I'm dying of thirst," said Jill.
"Then drink," said the lion.
"May I – could I – would you mind going away while I do?" said Jill.
The Lion answered this only by a look and a very low growl. And as Jill gazed at its motionless bulk, she realized that she might as well have asked the whole mountain to move aside for her convenience.
The delicious rippling noise of the stream was driving her nearly frantic.
"Will you promise not to – do anything to me, if I do come?" said Jill.
"I make no promise," said the Lion.
Jill was so thirsty now that, without noticing it, she had come a step nearer.
"Do you eat girls?" she said.
"I have swallowed up girls and boys, women and men, kings and emperors, cities and realms," said the Lion. It didn't say this as if it were boasting, nor as if it were sorry, nor as if it were angry. It just said it. --Jill meets Aslan
