The+Golden+Compass

Scholastic Books UK, 1995, 399 pp., $15.99 ISBN: 978 0440238133
 * __The Golden Compass__** by Phillip Pullman YA Fiction

Step into the world of The Golden Compass, and follow the adventures of Lyra, a young girl about to set forth on an adventure that will challenge everything she and her allies have come to expect of their world. With her daemon spirit Pan, Lyra must unravel the mystery surrounding the disappearance of her childhood friend, before his innocence is lost forever.

The first of British author Phillip Pullmans “His Dark Materials” series, readers are in for a treat as this alternate world of fantastic machines, magic, and living souls comes to life. The story is paced to keep the readers attention, driving a character focused plot that starts with fantastic roots, and blossoms into a coming of age story, wherein the lessons of childhood may fade over time, giving way to new, and troubling truths.