Juniper's Christmas

August 15, 2023
When her loving mum, Jennifer, goes missing, 11-year-old Juniper calls on Santa Claus for help. The strategy isn't as unlikely as it might seem. Nicholas Claus is currently hiding out in a nearby London park, having left the North Pole workshop nearly a decade ago, after the death of the love of his life. He now helps homeless residents build better shelters but resolutely avoids all contact with children. A movie version of this story would practically make itself. Colfer weaves a love story with numerous characters, including a stray reindeer calf, a ruthless crook intent on getting her hands on Santa's magical sack (much larger on the inside than the outside), a crew of elves out to find their boss and put him back in harness, and grinchy bureaucrats out to quash a holiday charity event. The story centers on the determined efforts of Colfer's perceptive and big-hearted young protagonist to find the grumpy, grieving gift giver and extort his reluctant cooperation in her search. On the way to a thoroughly heartwarming ending, the author also supplies perfectly reasonable explanations for where Santa gets all those presents and why and how he delivers them in one night. In Prabhat's rare but appropriately twinkly illustrations, Juniper--the brown-skinned child of a white mother and a kindly, deceased, much-missed father from Ghana--joins select cast members posing in festive, or at least cold-weather, garb. A soaring flight fueled by joys, sorrows, and deeds both ill and good. (Fantasy. 8-12)

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September 1, 2023

Gr 3-7-Santa Claus stopped delivering presents to children after his wife died eight years ago. Since then, he has lived undercover in England as Nicholas. He and his reindeer do good deeds for people, but try their best not to be found by the Christmas elves. Without Santa Claus to bring Christmas cheer, Juniper's father developed his own tradition of helping those in need and filling the holiday season with good tidings. When he died, Juniper and her mom were too miserable to carry on the Christmas tradition. This year, when they finally feel up to celebrating, Juniper's mom disappears. Juniper is heartbroken and begins searching for her mom. Through a family friend, Duchess, Juniper makes contact with Nicholas. She learns that Nicholas is Santa Claus in hiding at the same time that she and Duchess find out that the local constables want to shut down the holiday food and clothes giveaway. As this fast-paced story races to a conclusion, Juniper thwarts the constables and their criminal helpers, and eventually finds her mom. Duchess falls in love with Nicholas, whom the elves finally locate. Christmas is saved. Colfer is a master storyteller. The voices of both Juniper and Nicholas shine through and will keep readers engaged, while Prabhat's beautiful illustrations help to convey the personalities of each character. VERDICT A delightful tale. Readers will enjoy the imaginative story filled with lush prose and a heartwarming ending.-Charla Hollingsworth

Copyright 2023 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from August 28, 2023
An 11-year-old seeks the help of Santa Claus, retired to modern-day London following his wife’s death, in a warmhearted Christmas novel from Colfer (the Artemis Fowl series). To honor her late, Ghana-born, London-park-keeper father, Juniper Lane hopes to continue the tradition he started: holding an annual Santa Vigil in the park. But when her white mother, the park’s new keeper, vanishes before the event, a desperate Juniper enlists the aid of reclusive handyman Niko—previously Santa—who spends his days building wooden shelters for the park’s unhoused residents, and whose retirement eight years ago has left a generation of children without faith in Santa Claus. He reluctantly agrees to assist after Juniper is imbued with polar magic of her own, but when a criminally inclined businesswoman seeks to gain control of the Claus powers, the two find themselves in a race to save Christmas. A congenial, omniscient narrator supplies a fresh spin on familiar holiday themes, including forgiveness, healing, and hope. Final art not seen by PW; secondary characters cue as white. Ages 8–12. Agent: Sophie Hicks, Sophie Hicks Agency.