Philip Pullman
Philip Pullman is a British author. On Five Books, his book The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ has come in for special attention, but he is the best known for His Dark Materials trilogy, an epic written for young adults. It is also highly recommended on our site. In 2018, Pullman published the first book in another trilogy, a prequel (and sequel) to His Dark Materials, called The Book of Dust. So far two books in that trilogy have been published, La Belle Sauvage, which takes place when Lyra, the heroine, is a baby, and The Secret Commonwealth, which is set during Lyra’s student days at Oxford.
Books by Philip Pullman
Northern Lights - The Graphic Novel: Volume One
Philip Pullman, adapted by Stéphane Melchior, illustrated by Clément Oubrerie, translated by Annie Eaton
“It’s very original and very well written. You really get into the world of those characters, and there is lots of adventure…The novel is not necessarily a children’s book although the main character is a child. Having it as a graphic novel really helps to make it an easier read, so you can give the story to younger children. It’s quite a complicated story. You need less imagination to read the graphic novel, so unless you have a very good imagination it’s a bit more escapism to read it. The art is very good. They put the story into a graphic novel really well, much better than most that were not originally a graphic novel. And the characters are well represented according to how the author described them and their personalities in the book. The illustrator has to make artistic choices but that doesn’t mean you should completely change the characters’ appearance, but quite a few graphic novels do. This graphic novel is a great alternative to reading the book, especially for 10-13 year olds.” Read more...
The Best Graphic Novels for 10-12 Year Olds
Harald, Children
The Secret Commonwealth: The Book of Dust Volume 2
by Philip Pullman
The Secret Commonwealth is the second book in the long-awaited Book of Dust trilogy, written by Philip Pullman for children but in reality appealing to children and adults alike. It follows the spectacular success of His Dark Materials, the fantasy trilogy about Lyra Belacqua, a young girl from Oxford (where Pullman himself lives) and recommended multiple times on Five Books. The Book of Dust goes back in time to when Lyra is a baby. In the first book of the Book of Dust trilogy, La Belle Sauvage, we followed hero Malcolm and baby Lyra as they escape Oxford by canoe and we left them in London. What will happen next? We eagerly await the next installment.
This is a great series to read out loud at bedtime with children of 'tween' age. But like Harry Potter, there is no real age limit to enjoying them. If you haven't read any of these Philip Pullman books yet, get ordering and get reading.
His Dark Materials
by Philip Pullman
Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials is the name of a fantasy trilogy comprising three books: Northern Lights, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass. Although it's a children's book (11+), adults will also love it.
“Jesus is the good man who believes in the non-institutionalism of religion, who says that my religion is a religion of love, there will be no institutions, no insiders and no outsiders, no money, no authority. His brother is the scoundrel Christ who, to me, is modeled very much on St Paul. He is not a bad man” Read more...
The best books on The Role of Religion
Selina O'Grady, Journalist
Interviews with Philip Pullman
Five Favourite Books, recommended by Philip Pullman
The author Philip Pullman—creator of the beloved His Dark Materials trilogy, and one of the world’s greatest storytellers—recommends five of his favourite books: from a fragmentary masterpiece by Fernando Pessoa to P. G. Wodehouse’s comic triumphs.
Interviews where books by Philip Pullman were recommended
The best books on The Role of Religion, recommended by Selina O'Grady
Religion has an ability to create groups and communities that has yet to be surpassed, argues Selina O’Grady, author of And Man Created God: A History of the World at the Time of Jesus.
The best books on Morality Without God, recommended by Mary Warnock
Which comes first, morality or religion? And what happens when religious dogma clashes with the morality it purports to uphold? British philosopher Mary Warnock recommends the best books on morality without God.
Fierce Girls in Tween Fiction, recommended by Kiran Millwood Hargrave
Books like Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls popularise the many different ways women and girls can be strong, and as strong as they need to be. Award-winning children’s author, Kiran Millwood Hargrave, talks us through some of her favourite strong female characters in children’s fiction.
The best books on Humanism, recommended by Andrew Copson
Humanist ideas are not a recent phenomenon, but have been around for millennia, says Andrew Copson, chief executive of Humanists UK. He explains why it’s worth making a positive choice to be a humanist and recommends a great humanist reading list.
Editors’ Picks: Children’s Books, recommended by Sophie Roell
Five Books editor Sophie Roell selects the best children’s books of 2019, after intense discussions with her family about which books should make the list.
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1
Persepolis
by Marjane Satrapi -
2
The Legend of Sally Jones
Jakob Wegelius, translated by Peter Graves -
3
Mysteries of the Quantum Universe
Thibault Damour, Mathieu Burniat, translated by Sarah-Louise Raillard -
4
Kariba
by Daniel Clarke, Daniel Snaddon & James Clarke -
5
Northern Lights - The Graphic Novel: Volume One
Philip Pullman, adapted by Stéphane Melchior, illustrated by Clément Oubrerie, translated by Annie Eaton
The Best Graphic Novels for 10-12 Year Olds, recommended by Harald
The Best Graphic Novels for 10-12 Year Olds, recommended by Harald
Even as kids become old enough to read books without pictures, reading a graphic novel is a great way to relax or get a grasp of a complex subject (like quantum physics). 11 year old Harald, an avid reader, recommends some of the best ones he’s read that other kids his age might also enjoy.
