SuitabookHis Dark Materials series
Philip Pullman
- Reading
- Consider reading alongside the child, especially around the experiments, deaths and religious ideas. Pause to distinguish what happens from whether the narrative approves of a character’s choices.
- Themes
- Identity and humanity: Humans have animal daemons described as part of their souls, sharing feelings and communication with them. The book presents this mainly as information or explanation.
- Courage, loyalty and protection: Lyra lies and gets into trouble, but is described as using cunning to protect herself and others; friendships support her during a rescue mission. The book presents this favourably.
- Knowledge, power and religion: The story is described as opposing harm to innocent people in pursuit of knowledge and as engaging with dogmatic religious thought, especially later in the series. The book’s stance on this remains unclear.
- Worth knowing
- Pay particular attention to the treatment of children being taken and experimented on, including deaths and graphic injuries. Underage drinking and smoking, mild profanity and a passionate kiss also occur.