Parents' Guide to

Once Upon a Time in the North

By Matt Berman, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 9+

Brief, action-packed prequel to popular series.

Book Philip Pullman Adventure 2008
Once Upon a Time in the North Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

See all

There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.

What's the Story?

Decades before Lyra's birth, a young Lee Scoresby pilots his recently acquired balloon to the Arctic, where he gets involved in a deadly confrontation between the government, an oil baron with a private army, a crooked politician, a ship's captain, and a hired killer from Lee's past. Teaming up for the first time with armored bear Iorek Byrnison. Lee risks his life to help the captain. Includes a board game, \"Peril of the Pole.\"

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

This, like its predecessor, Lyra's Oxford, is a brilliant author at play. Having created one of the greatest fantasy epics, His Dark Materials, both Pullman (like Tolkien before him) and his many fans are reluctant to leave the vivid world and marvelous characters he created. So here he offers a little backstory: the first meeting of two of readers' favorite characters: aeronaut Lee Scoresby and armored bear Iorek Byrnison. The series is so rich that there is a possibility for many such little tales, as many as the author cares to make.

In addition to the rip-roaring, action-packed story, the book itself is a pleasure. A hardcover the size of a paperback, it fits comfortably in the hand or coat pocket. Creamy paper bound in rough cloth is filled with little woodcut illustrations, documents, news articles, and even a related board game tucked into an envelope attached to the back cover. The care that went into creating this shows -- it's a gift for Pullman's devoted readers.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Lee's actions. Why does he get involved in this situation? Why does he help the captain, at such great risk to himself?

Book Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate