The Golden Compass, Book One of the Dark Materials Trilogy, is a very well-developed introduction to the book, and grips you, the reader, from the first chapter. It also provides you with multiple plot lines which are developed throughout the remaining 2 books, and is a good challenge for high-reaching tweenagers. In addition, this book is not anti-God. It never mentions religion as being bad, that is just a myth. Also, even if it did, it provides you with an interesting viewpoint. I would highly recommend this book to everyone from grades 4th and up.