Which Narnia Cover is the Best?: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Today, we are looking at the best covers for The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and the highest rated non-English Narnia covers. Which one will advance to next week’s Final Four?
Watch the video: https://youtu.be/cvGBEGpERQ8
Next Saturday, we will crown a champion! Join us April 2 @ 11am EST.
Podcast: Play in new window | Embed
I like the 50th Anniversary covers with Pauline Baynes the best. The cover with her artwork on The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is the same as the paperback edition that I have. The cover of the same book by a different artist is the same as on the jacket my hardcover edition. It is good, but I like Pauline Baynes’ illustrations better. 🙂
Of the four remaining, the VDT cover has my vote.
I thought my vote was going to be for the Magician’s Nephew one, but the more I contemplate that VDT one, the more I reconsider my opinion.
It’s getting really exciting. I can’t wait to see which cover will be the winner next week!
The design of the dragon head in Number 8 looks weird to me. Maybe it’s because the teeth are white. Would they have bothered to paint those?
I don’t normally go for the montagey floating head covers, but Number 7 strikes me as better than any of the English/American Silver Chair covers. I don’t think it stood out to me in the poll but taking a long look at it in this video really gave me an appreciation for it.
I like some of the picture books David Wiesner (who did Number 4) has done, but I find his Narnia book covers to be very bland. This video however has given me an appreciation for his LWW one. It’s an unusual but shrewd choice of scene, intriguing and not too spoilery. And it gives Lucy golden hair.
It is interesting that both the Pauline Baynes LWW covers showcase a scene right after Aslan is back from the dead. Very spoilery but I understand the idea behind it. Those are very memorable moments and showing children safely interacting with a big scary lion is cool.
Part of me wishes that Number 3 could have won because then the final four would have two Pauline Baynes covers and two Chris Van Allsburg covers. But there’s certainly nothing wrong with Number 1! I look forward to the final showdown.
Concerning the Chris Van Allsburg LWW cover, I feel like it’s a little ambiguous as far as ‘is Mr. Tumnus’ tail draped over his arm?’ I think it could be-especially since he has the long tail as described in the book. It’s certainly not dragging in the snow (in which case, still purist, Gymfan!).
This is so fun! It is a pity the Micheal Hague LWW cover didn’t make it in. That will always be my favorite version. Glumpuddle, have you seen Hagues’ illustrations? I’d be interested to hear your thoughts. Lucy’s blond, for one thing.
These have been a blast to watch – thanks for putting these together!