The Compass of the Moon and Stars Books in Order

The Compass of the Moon and Stars opens a children’s fantasy series that sits slightly apart from Ian McEwan’s adult novels. It follows siblings Max and Lottie, who move to the village of Rosslyn to live with their grandfather after a family tragedy.

Rosslyn’s ancient chapel, surrounding forests and stone‑strewn hills make it feel steeped in old stories even before anything magical happens. When a mysterious, beautifully worked compass arrives in the post, the children soon realise it doesn’t just point north—it reacts to starlight and to something hidden in the landscape.

That small object quietly rewires their entire world.

Guided by their enigmatic Grandpa Ben, Max and Lottie set out to discover what the compass wants to show them. Its pull leads them far beyond their village, toward the prehistoric stone circles of Stonehenge and a web of clues left by ancient druids who understood the rhythms of sky and earth.

Along the way they face puzzles, coded scrolls and trials that test nerve as much as cleverness. The series leans less on combat and more on curiosity: each challenge asks the children to notice patterns in the stars, weather and landscape, and to decide what kind of guardians they want to be for the knowledge they uncover.

Running underneath the adventure is a quieter story about grief and belonging. Living with their grandfather forces Max and Lottie to renegotiate what “home” means, and the Order of the Hidden Compass—a secret group sworn to protect druidic wisdom—mirrors their need for a new, chosen family bound together by trust.

Across the planned sequence, readers can expect British settings they might recognise, a gentle streak of humour and a sense that ancient history is never as distant as it first appears.