Young Claus

by James Magnuson

Before Santa Claus was Santa Claus, he was a boy, and this is his story. Young Claus is an origin story and a fable for both adults and children, in the tradition of The Little Prince and The Last Unicorn. Young Lars Claus loses his father in a logging accident and, with his mother and grandmother, has to move to a strange land in the Far North, a land of exiles, outcasts, and survivors. Here he encounters a school where the children only laugh at the misfortunes of others; where no one has ever seen a tree; where small, bizarre tomten are imprisoned beneath a fish-liver-oil factory; and where his widowed mother is courted by the malevolent Mayor Wolfpaw. This is a wild romp of a book that soars into the skies and plunges deep beneath the permafrost. It is a book filled with marvels and ghosts, a book where Lars, with the aid of invisible helpers, will learn to carve; where he will discover sorrows as deep as his own, and eventually, the healing powers of gifts. It charts the journey of a boy beset by grief who will, after many trials, fashion a vision of generosity that will encompass the entire world.

334 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 14, 2023

About the author

James Magnuson is the author of eight previous novels and the recipient of multiple fellowships and awards for fiction. He currently directs the James A. Michener Center for Writers at the University of Texas. He lives in Austin.

Reviews

[Faye · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this book until I LOVED it. I’m so glad it fell into my hands. Magnuson does a beautiful job illuminating and unleashing compassion for our human complexities, and tells a story unlike any I’ve heard before. Such a perfect wintertime read.

[Mickie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful!

Have you every wondered where Santa Claus came from? How he grew up to be the fellow we all know? This book has lots of answers, lots of stories, and just as you might expect, the stories are just as unexpected and remarkable as befits the man.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adore this book - well written and paced perfectly. It’s a creative origin story and the right book to read in December.