Chronicles of Narnia by Tolkien:
"CHAPTER 1 On the northern borders of Lantern Waste, a chilling wind crept over the ground. Rumors of dark forces on the move had been floating among the faunic settlements since midsummer's day..."
Lucy isn't introduced until CHAPTER 24 and in CHAPTER 35, the song that Mr Tumnus entertained Lucy with is reproduced in its entirety, haunting and masterful in the form of ancient Norse epic poetry. Several lengthy excerpts from Tumnus' library books are included in a footnote to the same chapter.
LOTR by CS Lewis:
"In a hole in the ground lived a hobbit named Smeagol, and almost he deserved it..."