It's here! Browse the 2024 Penguin Christmas gift guide
The Dark is Rising

The Dark is Rising

Summary

Enter the magical world of Susan Cooper. Perfect for fans of His Dark Materials.

It's Christmas-time in the Stanton family house: presents, carol singing, good cheer. But for eleven-year-old Will Stanton, something sinister has begun, inching round his subconscious, shouting silent warnings he can't decipher. Then on Midwinter Day, Will wakes up to a different world: silent, covered in snow and ancient forest, a world of another time. A world where evil lurks.

Because Will is not the ordinary boy he always thought he was. He is the last of the Old Ones and the power to vanquish the evil magic of the Dark lies within him.

Includes exclusive material: In the Backstory you can read an interview with the author and discover the ancient beliefs that inspired the story.

Reviews

  • A writer of great integrity and skill, whose influence and importance in the field of children's fantasy will be felt for a long time
    Philip Pullman

About the author

Susan Cooper

Susan Cooper is a world-renowned author of children's books. Born and brought up in England, she worked as a journalist before moving to America, where she now lives. Her classic The Dark Is Rising sequence has won the Newbery Medal and was twice shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal. Her Boggart titles have won the Scottish Arts Council Children's Book Award and been shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal and the Smarties Prize. King of Shadows was also shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal. As well as writing novels, Susan Cooper has written for the theatre and for television. Her website is at www.thelostland.com and her Facebook is at www.facebook.com/SusanCooperFanPage
Learn More

Sign up to the Penguin Newsletter

For the latest books, recommendations, author interviews and more