Another Side to C.S. Lewis

By Callie Grant

Did you know that C.S. Lewis not only wrote for children, he wrote to them, prolifically answering the many letters he received from them?

Even after becoming an internationally beloved author of the Chronicle of Narnia series, Lewis found time to give individual attention to the admiring young children who wrote to him. His letters back were as though he were writing a counterpart at Cambridge: they were intentional, respectful, honest, and personal.

Here are a few jewels from C.S. Lewis: Letters to Children:

Dear Jonathan,

Yours is one of the nicest letters I have had about the Narnian books, and it was very good of you to write it. But I’m afraid there will be no more of these stories. But why don’t you try writing some Narnian tales? I began to write when I was about your age [8], and it was the greatest fun. Do try!

Yours sincerely,

C.S. Lewis

To a child named Laurence, who asked why the children in The Last Battle were uncertain what would happen to them if they died, Lewis responded,

Yes, people do find it hard to keep on feeling as if you believed in the next life: but then it is just as hard to keep on feeling as if you believed you were going to be nothing after death. I know this because in the old days before I was a Christian I used to try.

And, to a child named Philip, he replies, “It is a funny thing that all the children who have written to me see at once who Aslan is, and grownups never do.”

Most humorously, he answered children’s questions about his appearance. To fifth graders in Maryland in 1954, Lewis writes, “I’m tall, fat, rather bald, red-faced, double-chinned, black-haired, have a deep voice, and wear glasses for reading.”

As to the students’ question about other possible ways to glimpse the next life, he writes,

The only way for us to get to Aslan’s country is through death, as far as I know: perhaps some very good people get just a tiny glimpse before then.

Best love to you all. When you say your prayers sometimes ask God to bless me.

Yours ever, C.S. Lewis

Excerpts from C.S. Lewis: Letters to Children (New York: Touchstone, 1985).

Callie Grant heads Graham Blanchard Inc., which creates children’s books for growing up in God and supportive resources for Christian parents at http://www.grahamblanchard.com.