The Magician's Nephew
by C. S. Lewis
Middle grade · ages 8–12 · 780L (~4th grade) · 2020
Why we'd hand it over
A prequel that works beautifully as entry point: less battle-heavy than The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe, grounded in a real child's moral struggle, and the world-creation arc is genuinely awe-inspiring—though Jadis's arrival carries real menace.