The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is the first book in The Chronicles of Narnia series. It follows four siblings—Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy—who are evacuated to the countryside during World War II. While exploring the house of an old professor, Lucy stumbles upon a wardrobe that leads to a magical world called Narnia.
In Narnia, the children discover that the land is under the rule of the White Witch, a cruel and powerful sorceress who has cast a spell making it « always winter, but never Christmas. » The children are soon drawn into a battle between good and evil when they meet Aslan, a noble lion and the true king of Narnia. Aslan represents good, and he is determined to free Narnia from the Witch’s oppressive reign.
As the story unfolds, Edmund, who has been lured by the Witch’s promises of power, betrays his siblings, but he eventually realizes his mistake and returns to the side of Aslan and his siblings. The climactic moment comes when Aslan sacrifices himself to save Edmund, as part of a deep and ancient law that requires the life of a traitor to be paid in exchange for his life.
However, Aslan is resurrected, and with his help, the children defeat the White Witch and her army. Aslan restores peace and summer to Narnia, and the children are crowned as the new kings and queens of Narnia, ruling for many years.
The story ends when the children return to the real world through the wardrobe, only to find that no time has passed. They continue their lives, but they know that they will one day return to Narnia.