Book stores in Oxford are gearing up for an avalanche of sales of CS Lewis's Narnia titles, in the run up to the forthcoming Hollywood blockbuster based on the books.
The film is due out on December 8, and publisher HarperCollins is promoting the series which includes The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, with the logo "Read it before you see it".
Some book stores will have Christmas grottos inspired by Narnia, with children walking through a wardrobe to get to Santa.
Sales of JRR Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings trilogy soared when the movies were released and booksellers are hoping The Chronicles of Narnia will have the same effect on book sales, particularly in Oxford, where CS Lewis and Tolkien were contemporaries.
Both men taught at Oxford University and were members of the literary group called The Inklings, which met regularly at The Eagle and Child pub in St Giles.
Claire Harding, Harper- Collins's business develop- ment director, said: "The whole trade is behind this because it offers a way of enticing customers into stores.
"Our experience with The Lord of the Rings showed that, in the right format, you can appeal to a very broad audience."
Major promotions are expected to start next month and will continue until December, with more planned for the film's DVD release in March next year.
Charlie Hayes, events manager at Borders Books in Magdalen Street, said: "I don't quite know what we are going to be doing yet but it will definitely be big, with some specially made in-store displays.
"With the film coming out, it's the Tolkien effect all over again and it should be a massive boost for the books trade."
Tabby Ward, who works on the front desk at Waterstone's in Cornmarket Street, added: "There are going to be all sorts of tie-ins to promote the book in advance of the movie and soon we will be getting some special displays in the store featuring wardrobes and lamp posts."
Publishers have also sent an interactive schools pack to 23,500 primary school teachers and 9,500 lower secondary school teachers.
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