His Dark Materials: Once Upon a Time in the North, Gift Edition
Part of the His Dark Materials Series

His Dark Materials: Once Upon a Time in the North, Gift Edition

Hardcover

Grades Grade 5 & Up
Ages 10 and up

A stunning new edition of this prequel episode from Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials universe that tells how aeronaut Lee Scoresby and the armored bear Iorek Byrnison first met. Now with full-color illustrations from Chris Wormell.

After winning his hot-air balloon in a poker game, Lee Scoresby and his dæmon, Hester, find themselves floating north. On landing, it’s not long before Scoresby is embroiled in a deadly plot involving an oil magnate, a corrupt mayoral candidate, and Lee’s longtime nemesis—a hired killer. Lee’s been in tight spots before, but getting out of this mess will require some sharp shooting and the help of an unlikely new ally—the massive, surly, armored bear Iorek Byrnison. 

Newly illustrated in full color by renowned print-maker Chris Wormell, this edition is a wonderfully gift-worthy production.

★ "Two of the most beloved characters from Pullman’s “His Dark Materials” trilogy, Lee Scoresby and Iorek Byrnison, get their own novella, giving readers a glimpse into their initial meeting and friendship. Lovely, full-color artwork . . . truly enhances the beautifully written story." —School Library Journal, starred review

★ "Pullman is as fine a writer as there is for young people, and this book is a small gem." —Booklist, starred review

"An action-oriented mini masterpiece." —Kirkus Reviews

ISBN 9780593652190 (Hardcover)
Published on Nov 14, 2023
Published by Knopf Books for Young Readers
Pages 176
Dimensions 7-3/8 x 9-13/16
Age Range 10 and up
Grade Grade 5 & Up
Reading Level Lexile: 940L | Fountas/Pinnell: Z

ISBN 9780593652206 (Ebook)
Published on Nov 14, 2023
Published by Knopf Books for Young Readers
Pages 176
Age Range 10 and up
Grade Grade 5 & Up
Reading Level Lexile: 940L | Fountas/Pinnell: Z

Philip Pullman

Philip Pullman is one of the most acclaimed writers working today. He is best known for the His Dark Materials trilogy (The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass), which has been named one of the top 100 novels of all time by Newsweek and one of the all-time greatest novels by Entertainment Weekly. He is also the author of another trilogy set in the same world, The Book of Dust (La Belle Sauvage, The Secret Commonwealth, and The Rose Field) as well as numerous other much-loved novels, a collection of fairy tales, and a volume of essays and speeches on writing. He has won many distinguished prizes, including the Carnegie Medal, the Whitbread (now Costa) Award, Parents’ Choice Gold Awards, and the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award. Pullman was knighted for services to literature in the New Years Honours 2019. He lives in Oxford, England.

Chris Wormell

Chris Wormell was the winner of the Ragazza Prize at Bologna in 1991. His book Two Frogs was shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal and was awarded the Nestlé Smarties Book Bronze Medal Prize for Ages 5 and under.

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