BOXEN| By C. S. Lewis

Boxen (BX)

The Imaginary World of the Young C. S. Lewis

Boxen is a fictional world that C. S. Lewis and his brother W. H. Lewis created as children. The world of Boxen was created when Jack’s stories about Animal-Land and Warnie’s stories about India were brought together. During a time when influenza was ravaging many families, the Lewis brothers were forced to stay indoors and entertain themselves by reading. They read whatever books they could find, both those written for children and adults. Influenced by Beatrix Potter’s animals, C.S. Lewis wrote about Animal-Land, complete with details about its economics, politics/government, and history, as well as illustrations of buildings and characters. The stories were published posthumously as Boxen: The Imaginary World of the Young C. S. Lewis, edited by Walter Hooper. Two settings of the work currently exist.

 

 

SETTING 1

CO

William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd (May 28, 1985)
Printing: Butler & Tanner Ltd, Frome and London

Edited by Walter Hooper
Brown hardback with gold title/author vertically on spine
Jacket by Humphrey Stone: Red handwritten title over red author signature on white “paper” field next to Mr. Frog in suite with walking stick on yellow cover
ISBN: 0-00-215048-4

Printing History
Sold for £7.95

BX1-CO-1-85-Cover

BX1-CO-1-85-Cover

BX1-CO-1-85-Cover

BX1-CO-1-85-Cover

F

Fount Paperback of William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd, (10 October 1985)
Printing: Butler & Tanner Ltd, Frome and London

Edited by Walter Hooper
Paperback: Red title over red author on scroll next to Lewis Mr. Frog on yellow/white cover
ISBN: 0-00-626769-6

Printing History:
​Sold for £4.95

BX1-F-1-85-Cover

BX1-F-1-85-Cover

HB1a

Harcourt Brace Jovanovich (17 October 1985)
Printing: USA

Edited by Walter Hooper
White (yellow?) hardback with burgundy overlife with gold title/author on spine
Jacket by Paul Gamerello of Eyetooth Design: Black title with red “B” in black box over Lewis drawing of Mr. Frog over black subtitle over red editor all on buff field on read marble cover.
ISBN: 0-15-113630-0

Printing History:
Sold for $13.95

BX1-HB1a-1-85-Jacket Front

BX1-HB1a-1-85-Jacket front

BX1-HB1a-1-85-Cover

BX1-HB1a-1-85-Cover

HB1b

Harvest/HBJ Book of Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Publishers (November 26, 1986)
Printing: USA

Edited by Walter Hooper
Paperback by Paul Gamerello: Copy of HB1a
ISBN: 0-15-614000-4

Printing History:
​Sold for £4.95

BX1-HB1b-1-86-Cover

BX1-HB1b-1-86-Cover

SETTING 2

HC1

HarperCollinsPublishers (2008)
Printing: UK edition printed in China and US edition in US

With Introduction by Douglas Gresham
Full Color Hardback by Terence Caven: Red title over image of three Lewis drawn characters over Title on white circular field with red border on brown marble cover with images at four corners
ISBN UK: 13-978-0-00-726275-1
ISBN US: 978-0-06-169833-0
240 pages

Printing History:
At least two printings (UK and US)

BX2-HC-1-08-Cover

BX2-HC1-1-08-Cover.

SETTING 3

HC2

Harper (2010)
Printing: CPI Group Ltd, Croydon

With Introduction by Douglas Gresham
Paperback: Purple title over purple author on yellow cover, featuring color drawings of steamer ship in upper right and trio of clothed animals in lower left
ISBN: 978-0-00-726076-8
368 pages

Printing History:
Sold for £9.99

BX2-HC2-x-x-Cover

BX2-HC2-x-x-Cover.