His Dark Materials: The Golden Compass (Book 1)

Set in a richly imagined fantasy world, the story follows Lyra Belacqua, an orphan living at Oxford's Jordan College. Her life is disrupted when her uncle, Lord Asriel, reveals a mysterious phenomenon called Dust and hints at alternate universes. After being taken in by the enigmatic Mrs. Coulter, Lyra embarks on a perilous journey to rescue her friend Roger from the sinister "Gobblers," who are conducting horrific experiments on children. Armed with a truth-telling compass, she uncovers dark secrets involving both her guardians.