The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman

For those craving adventure, quests to the northern reaches of the world, and a journey through another universe - this is the book for you. The Golden Compass is the first book in the His Dark Materials series (the second and third books are The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass).

Though the story begins in Oxford, England, the reader quickly learns that it isn't our Oxford, England. While the land is very similar there are little differences. Of course, there are major differences too. This story is about Lyra, a young orphan who lives with the professors at Oxford University. In Lyra's world, one thing is very different - she is constantly accompanied by an animal named Pantalaimon that changes shape whenever he wants to (from a bird to a tiger to an insect in seconds). Lyra is a mischevious girl and constantly getting herself and Pantalaimon into trouble. When her friend Roger disappears in a mass kidnapping of children, she decides it's her personal quest to rescue him and the others. After being given a mystical tool that helps her seek the truth, Lyra follows the kidnappers to the cold lands of the North, being careful while travelling with gypsies, witches, and talking polar bears (there's no doubt that it's a very different world in which Lyra lives).

Will Lyra be able to save Roger from a fate worse than death? What will become of him and the other children stolen from their homes? How will she survive the cold lands and treacherous beasts that roam the northern lands?

This is the first book in the His Dark Materials trilogy. Here is a list of the complete series:

Book 1: The Golden Compass
Book 2: The Subtle Knife
Book 3: The Amber Spyglass

Book review by:
Mr. DiScala, Media Specialist