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

by Philip Pullman, Chris Wormell (Illustrator)

Overview

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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780593652190
Publisher:	Random House Children's Books
Publication date:	11/14/2023
Series:	His Dark Materials Series
Pages:	176
Sales rank:	386,606
Product dimensions:	7.30(w) x 9.90(h) x 0.90(d)
Lexile:	940L (what's this?)
Age Range:	10 - 12 Years

About the Author

PHILIP PULLMAN is one of the most acclaimed writers working today. He is best known for the His Dark Materials trilogy, which has been named one of the top 100 books of all time by Newsweek and one of the all-time greatest novels by Entertainment Weekly.
The Book of Dust, Pullman's eagerly anticipated return to the world of His Dark Materials, will also be a book in three parts. It began with La Belle Sauvage and continues with The Secret Commonwealth.
Pullman was knighted for his services to literature in the 2019 New Years Honours. He lives in Oxford, England.

CHRIS WORMELL is a celebrated illustrator and print-maker. He has written and illustrated many wonderful picture books including the New York Times Best-Illustrated book, Teeth, Tails, and Tentacles. He has also created the jackets for many books, notably Philip Pullman's La Belle Sauvage and The Secret Commonwealth.

Hometown:

Oxford, England

Date of Birth:

October 19, 1946

Place of Birth:

Norwich, England

Education:

Exeter College, Oxford University

Website:

http://www.philip-pullman.com/

Editorial Reviews

★ "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

From the Publisher

★ 09/01/2023

Gr 5 Up—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. Set many years before the events of the original series, readers meet 24-year-old Lee, who has just won his first hot air balloon in a poker game. He and his daemon Hester have landed on an island called Novy Odense, and he's hoping to find work there. Lee quickly notices bears hanging about; some working, some sleeping, but the townspeople mostly ignore them. He's never seen such a thing, and after striking up a conversation with a stranger at lunch, learns that the town is abuzz with the impending mayoral election. The front-runner is a candidate named Poliakov who is running on an "anti-bear" platform, painting bears as a scourge on society. Poliakov sees that Lee carries a firearm, and offers him work protecting a piece of his property. But when Lee sees another of Poliakov's hired guns, he recognizes him from his past, and knows he needs to keep his guard up. A short but rip-roaring adventure follows as Lee and Iorek team up against Poliakov and lots of other bad guys. Lee's characteristic wry humor is on full display here, and Hester is as sassy and endearing as ever. Lovely, full-color artwork is interspersed every few pages of text and truly enhances the beautifully written story. VERDICT Pullman's "His Dark Materials" is a modern classic, and this is a sweet addition to that world. It's a must-have for libraries.—Mandy Laferriere

School Library Journal