Lloyd Alexander

1 series 7 books in order 1 standalone book

Lloyd Alexander was an American author who wrote more than 40 books, primarily fantasy novels for children and young adults. He authored 48 books over a seven-decade career, with his work translated into 20 languages. His most famous series, The Chronicles of Prydain, includes the novel The High King, which won the 1969 Newbery Medal. He also won U.S. National Book Awards in 1971 and 1982.

Born
1924
Known for
The Chronicles of Prydain

Where to start with Lloyd Alexander

Begin with The Foundling and Other Tales of Prydain, the first book in The Chronicles of Prydain series. This collection introduces the world of Prydain and its central character, Taran, in stories that precede the main series. After The Foundling, continue with the series in publication order: The Book of Three, The Black Cauldron, The Castle of Llyr, Taran Wanderer, and The High King. These six books form a continuous narrative arc. The standalone novel The Beggar Queen, published in 2002, is not part of this series and can be read separately. No other books by Lloyd Alexander are in the catalog.

Series by Lloyd Alexander

The Chronicles of Prydain

6 books in order · 1964–1973

  1. Cover of The Book Of Three

    The Book Of Three

    1964 · Lloyd Alexander and Shannon Hale

    Taran is the Assistant Pig-Keeper to Hen Wen, Prydain's only oracular pig. He feels unfulfilled in his duties and longs for a more heroic life. When…

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  2. Cover of The Black Cauldron

    The Black Cauldron

    1965 · Lloyd Alexander

    The Black Cauldron is a novel by Lloyd Alexander. Taran, Assistant Pig-Keeper of Prydain, faces even more dangers as he seeks the magical Black…

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  3. Cover of The Castle of Llyr

    The Castle of Llyr

    1966 · Lloyd Alexander

    A 1966 novel by Lloyd Alexander. When Princess Eilonwy is sent to the Isle of Mona for training, she is bewitched by the evil enchantress Achren, so…

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  4. Cover of Taran Wanderer

    Taran Wanderer

    1967 · Lloyd Alexander and Holly Black

    The fourth book of the Prydain cycle by Lloyd Alexander, published in 1967, tells of the adventures that befell Taran when he went in search of his…

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  5. Cover of The High King

    The High King

    1968 · Lloyd Alexander

    The final part of the Prydain chronicle by Lloyd Alexander, this 1968 novel brings the forces of good and evil to an ultimate confrontation that…

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  6. Cover of The Foundling and Other Tales of Prydain

    The Foundling and Other Tales of Prydain

    1973 · Lloyd Alexander

    A collection of eight short stories dealing with events that preceded the birth of Taran, the Assistant Pig-Keeper and key figure in the author's…

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Standalone books

  1. Cover of The Beggar Queen
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Frequently asked questions

How many books has Lloyd Alexander written?

We list 7 books by Lloyd Alexander across 1 series, published between 1964–1984 — each shown in full reading order.

What order should I read Lloyd Alexander's books?

Read each series in publication order. A good place to start is “The Book Of Three.” Open any series above for its complete numbered reading order.

Where can I buy Lloyd Alexander's books?

Every title links to Amazon from its series page — see our affiliate disclosure in the footer for how that supports the site.

Reading order compiled from author/publisher guidance and verified bibliographic data. Spotted a wrong order, a missing book, or any other mistake? and we'll correct it.

Some summaries adapted from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.