Gr 6 Up-The first book of Pullman's acclaimed "His Dark Materials" series, The Golden Compass , appears in a well-told and well-drawn graphic format in this volume, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the book's publication. The graphic novel adaptation divides the first book into three volumes, with this first volume following Lyra up until the time that she sails for the North with the gyptians. With Lyra, readers will overhear plots in Jordan College; suffer the loss of her friend, Roger; and receive the mysterious alethiometer. They will escape from Mrs. Coulter and join the gyptians in their camp in the fens, all the while hoping to reunite with her uncle, Lord Asriel, who has gone to the North. The artists' interpretation of the work pairs well with the story. The somewhat muted color scheme reinforces the Dickensian feel of the novels. The characters and their backdrops are drawn in a style reminiscent of a child's hand, albeit with a sophistication and level of detail not expected of a child. VERDICT Whether this is a reader's first experience with the tale or they are already familiar with the story, they should be delighted by this rendition. Eric Norton, McMillan Memorial Library, Wisconsin Rapids, WI

This graphic-novel adaptation of Pullman's wildly popular The Golden Compass (1996) takes readers through about the first third of the novel. Raised by the academics of Jordan College in Oxford, Lyra is a bit of a wild child. Her uncle, Lord Asriel, announces a discovery that could shake the foundations of the Church, and then he disappears on an expedition to the North. Meanwhile, Lyra learns some troubling things: the truth about her parents; her caretaker Mrs. Coulter's responsibility for the predatory Gobblers; and her own destined, pivotal role in a mission to rescue the gyptian children. Originally published in French, this adaptation boasts an accessible translation and European-style artwork in a subdued, appropriately old-fashioned color palette. The small and detailed but very clear panels are full of expressive faces, discernible action, and moody shadowing. Readers familiar with Pullman's novel will appreciate this artistic adaptation, as will readers who simply prefer graphic novels to prose. Two forthcoming volumes will complete the adaptation of the first novel in Pullman's series.