Watch and Read: Spotlight on Media Tie-ins
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Joy Fleishhacker -- School Library Journal, 3/31/2008 12:06:00 PM
Countdown to Caspian
Walden Media and Walt Disney Pictures follow up their blockbuster hit, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005), with the second installment in The Chronicles of Narnia film series. Prince Caspian (not yet rated), based on C. S. Lewis’s book of the same title (1951), is scheduled for release on May 16, 2008 and reunites the cast with director Andrew Adamson. It’s been a year since the Pevensie siblings returned to England and they are thrilled to find themselves transported back to Narnia for another adventure. Almost 1300 years have passed in the magical realm, which is now under the control of the cruel King Miraz (Sergio Castellitto), who has wrested power from his nephew, Prince Caspian (Ben Barnes), the rightful heir to the throne. The Pevensies, with the assistance of the creatures of Narnia, vow to help Caspian defeat the tyrant and restore order—and freedom—to the kingdom.
On the Web
Eager fans can visit the official movie site for clips, photos, and access to “The Chronicles of Narnia” site. In addition, HarperCollins Children’s Books has launched “Read It Before You See It,” a global online campaign designed to stir up pre-release interest in Prince Caspian and focus attention on the Narnia books. The initiative includes advertising on online portals (e.g., Yahoo! Kids); promotion and interactive applications on social networking sites (MySpace and Facebook); and a dedicated HarperCollins microWeb site containing information about the books, games, and more.
Movie Tie-in Books
HarperCollins is publishing several companion volumes that extend the viewing experience. The Movie Storybook (PreS–Gr 4) conveys the plot through brisk narrative and crisp, full-color film photos (primarily showing the human characters). Two staple-bound storybooks (PreS–Gr 3), Caspian’s Army and The Tail of Reepicheep, focus on the old Narnians—dwarves, talking animals, and other creatures—that rally to Caspian’s cause. In a pleasant departure from the usual parade of movie photos, these tales feature sun-dappled paintings well suited to the setting and mythical beings. Two “I Can Read!” titles (Gr 1–3), This Is Narnia and Lucy’s Journey, incorporate simple language, brief sentences, and crisp full-color stills. Prince Caspian recounts his Fight for the Throne (Gr 2–5) in a fast-paced first-person narration, illustrated with gray-toned sketches and a movie-montage cover.
Related Reissues
Ride the crest of the Caspian wave: create displays to pull in readers and be sure to have plenty of copies of the Narnia books available for circulation. A movie tie-in edition of the novel, illustrated with Pauline Baynes’s original sketches, has a flashy film-photo cover and eight pages of full-color clips. The Chronicles of Narnia, a dense paperback with a similar tie-in cover, amasses all seven novels and includes a fold-out timeline.
Eye-Dazzlers
These handsome books will hold their appeal long after the movie has made its way to DVD racks. An elegant reissue of Prince Caspian features a generous trim size and a large typeface. Released from the confines of rack-size editions, Baynes’s sketches and cover art are delightful. The easy-to-hold volume is perfectly designed for group sharing or individual reading.
The Return to Narnia: The Rescue of Prince Caspian (K–Gr 4) provides a streamlined, picture-book adaptation of the novel for Narnia novices. Matthew Armstrong’s light-infused paintings depict the wonders of this magical kingdom and its inhabitants.
Robert Sabuda’s exquisite pop-up book, The Chronicles of Narnia (Gr 2–6), contains seven spectacular spreads that introduce each volume of the sequence with a brief summary and a magnificent 3-D sculpture. Lush hues and vibrantly rendered characters add to the visual drama. Display or share this beauty to lure readers into the other Narnia adventures.
Devotees who want to explore the entire Narnia cosmos from start to finish will love browsing through Narnia Chronology (Gr 3–6). Each of Lewis’s volumes is encapsulated in handsome spreads that incorporate a running timeline of events, plot summaries, text quotes, color-washed snippets of Baynes’s artwork, and a mélange of moveable illustrations.
Pub Info
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian Movie Tie-Ins
BRIGHT, J. E., adapt. Fight for the Throne. pap. $4.99. ISBN 978-0-06-123158-2.
CHESTERFIELD, Sadie, adapt. Caspian’s Army. illus. by Justin Sweet. pap. $3.99. ISBN 978-0-06-123157-5.
JACOBS, Lana, adapt. The Movie Storybook. Tr $8.99. ISBN 978-0-06-123164-3.
STEIN, E. K., adapt. The Tail of Reepicheep. illus. by Justin Sweet. pap. $3.99. ISBN 978-0-06-123156-8.
ea vol: HarperEntertainment. April 2008.
FRANTZ, Jennifer, adapt. Lucy’s Journey. ISBN 978-0-06-123163-6.
_____. This Is Narnia. ISBN 978-0-06-123162-9.
ea vol: HarperTrophy. April 2008. pap. $3.99.
Reissues and Eye-Dazzlers
LEWIS, C. S. The Chronicles of Narnia Movie Tie-In Edition Prince Caspian. illus. by Pauline Baynes. HarperEntertainment. 2008. pap. $21.99. ISBN 978-0-06-123105-6.
_____. The Chronicles of Narnia. paper engineering by Robert Sabuda. illus. by Matthew Armstrong. HarperColllins. 2007. Tr. $29.99. ISBN 978-0-06-117612-8.
_____. Narnia Chronology: From the Archives of the Last King. illus. by Pauline Baynes & Mark Edwards. HarperCollins. April 2008. Tr $19.99. ISBN 978-0-06-124005-8.
_____. Prince Caspian Movie Tie-In Edition. illus. by Pauline Baynes. HarperEntertainment. April 2008. pap. $7.99. ISBN 978-0-06-123113-1.
_____. Prince Caspian Read-Aloud Edition. illus. by Pauline Baynes. HarperCollins. 2008. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-06-122764-6.
_____. The Return to Narnia: The Rescue of Prince Caspian. illus. by Matthew S. Armstrong. HarperCollins. 2006. Tr. $16.99. ISBN 978-0-06-113110-3.
