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Philip Pullman


UK flag (b.1946)

Philip Pullman was born in Norwich on 19th October 1946. The early part of his life was spent travelling all over the world, because his father and then his stepfather were both in the Royal Air Force. He spent part of his childhood in Australia, where he first met the wonders of comics, and grew to love Superman and Batman in particular. From the age of 11, he lived in North Wales, having moved back to Britain. It was a time when children were allowed to roam anywhere, to play in the streets, to wander over the hills, and he took full advantage of it. His English teacher, Miss Enid Jones, was a big influence on him, and he still sends her copies of his books.

After he left school he went to Exeter College, Oxford, to read English. He did a number of odd jobs for a while, and then moved back to Oxford to become a teacher. He taught at various middle schools for twelve years, and then moved to Westminster College, Oxford, to be a part-time lecturer. He taught courses on the Victorian novel and on the folk tale, and also a course examining how words and pictures fit together. He eventually left teaching in order to write full-time.

His first published novel was for adults, but he began writing for children when he was a teacher. Some of his novels were based on plays he wrote for his school pupils, such as The Ruby In The Smoke. He is best known for the award winning His Dark Materials series, consisting of Northern Lights, The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass
 

Genres: Young Adult Fantasy, Children's Fiction, Young Adult Fiction, Fantasy
 
Series
Sally Lockhart
   1. The Ruby in the Smoke (1985)
   2. The Shadow in the North (1986)
     aka The Shadow in the Plate
   3. The Tiger in the Well (1990)
   4. The Tin Princess (1994)
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His Dark Materials
   0.5. Once Upon a Time in the North (2008)
   0.6. The Collectors (2015)
   1. Northern Lights (1995)

     aka The Golden Compass

   2. The Subtle Knife (1997)
   3. The Amber Spyglass (1999)
   3.5. Lyra's Oxford (2003)
   3.75. Serpentine (2020)
   The Imagination Chamber (2022)
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His Dark Materials Graphic Novel
   1. The Golden Compass The Graphic Novel (2015)
     aka Northern Lights Graphic Novel
   2. The Golden Compass Graphic Novel, Volume 2 (2016)
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Novels
   The Haunted Storm (1973)
   Galatea (1978)
   Count Karlstein (1982)
   How to Be Cool (1987)
   Spring-heeled Jack (1989)
   The Broken Bridge (1990)
   The White Mercedes (1992)
   The Firework-Maker's Daughter (1995)
   Clockwork (1996)
   The Butterfly Tattoo (1998)
   I Was a Rat! (1999)
   The Scarecrow and His Servant (2004)
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Collections
   Magic Beans (2011) (with others)
   Grimm Tales (2012)
   The Golden Key (2012)
   Fairy Tales from the Brothers Grimm (2012)
   Four Tales (2019)
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Novellas and Short Stories
   Imaginary Friends (2017)
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Anthologies edited
   Detective Stories (1998)
   Whodunit? (2007)
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Series contributed to
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Plays show
 
Picture Books show
 
Graphic Novels show
 
Chapter Books show
 
Non fiction show
 
Omnibus editions show
 
Philip Pullman recommends
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Wolf Road (2023)
Alice Roberts
"A fine storyteller."
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The Choice (2023)
Michael Arditti
"I enjoyed it enormously. The story is so interesting, the theme so important and pertinent, and the fluency and lightness of touch so engaging to read."
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Murder Before Evensong (2022)
(Canon Clement Mystery, book 1)
The Reverend Richard Coles
"Murder Before Evensong has all the elements that make up a classic detective story: a pitch-perfect setting, a genuine puzzle, a gruesome murder (or more) and engaging characters. I enjoyed it very much."

More recommendations 


Anthologies containing stories by Philip Pullman
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First Light (2022)
A Celebration of Alan Garner
edited by
Erica Wagner
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Thirteen More Tales of Horror (1994)
edited by
A Finnis

Awards
British Fantasy Society Best Novel nominee (1995) : Northern Lights
Carnegie Medal Best Book winner (1996) : Northern Lights
World Fantasy Best Novel nominee (2001) : The Amber Spyglass
YA Book Prize Best Young Adult nominee (2018) : La Belle Sauvage


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