Juniper’s Christmas

The Juniper Lane Adventures #1

by Eoin Colfer

From the acclaimed, mega-bestselling Eoin Colfer comes a joyful, heartwarming Christmas the perfect gift for readers of all ages who believe in the power of hope, kindness, and holiday magic.Eleven-year-old Juniper Lane is thrown into a Christmas adventure like no other when she seeks the help of a mysterious woodsman living in her local park, who she suspects is Santa himself, and accidentally gets exposed to North Pole magic. Join a boisterous cast of characters—including a neighbor who always believed in Santa, a young reindeer in training, and a cutthroat crime boss out to steal Santa’s magic—on an unpredictable journey bursting with Eoin Colfer’s signature exuberance and merriment. Complete with cheerful, festive illustrations, this is a beautifully packaged tale of wonder, sure to delight readers and inspire the Christmas spirit in the whole family.Celebrate the holidays with a story of joy, magic, and saving Santa Claus, from a celebrated author beloved for his spirited storytelling. Juniper’s Christmas is the perfect holiday read, year after year.

Genres: Christmas, Middle Grade, Fantasy, Holiday, Fiction, Audiobook, Childrens

385 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2023

About the author

Eoin Colfer (pronounced Owen) was born in Wexford on the South-East coast of Ireland in 1965, where he and his four brothers were brought up by his father and mother, who were both educators.

He received his degree from Dublin University and began teaching primary school in Wexford. He has lived and worked all over the world, including Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Italy. After the publication of the Artemis Fowl novels, Eoin retired from teaching and now writes full time. He lives in Ireland with his wife and two children.

Reviews

[Mai H. · Rating 1 out of 5]

Christmas in July

I don't hate this because it's woke. (I hate the term woke, and I am very much so.) I hate it because it's boring. I should've known Eoin wasn't for me after HIGHFIRE, but I like to give authors second chances. He won't be getting a third.

🎧 Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Young Listeners

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Terribly charming! A missing Santa, after he suffers a personal loss. A young girl and her mother, grieving their own loss. A van full of frustrated elves. A park full of people, who need shelter, or just something to believe in again. All of these people come together, at Christmas, in the sort of spritely adventure that only Eoin Colfer can write!

[Alissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Eoin Colfer's writing style. He was always a favourite author of mine growing up and an auto-buy author so i was excited to see he'd realised a Christmas story. Once again i loved his writing style. I do enjoy that he always seems to have some kind of underground criminal element in his books and that he somehow managed to fit that into a Christmas story is just very typical of Colfer.

This gave me Christmas Chronicle vibes to begin with, only in this story Santa doesn't want to be Santa anymore since the loss of his wife and this will be his tenth Christmas since he's absconded. Grief plays a big role in this story because little Juniper has also lost her father and is trying to figure out how to celebrate Christmas without him.

I think the story was a lot of fun. I really like the characters and i liked how grief was a central theme. I'm not sure the grief really had a good strong resolution in the way that it did in the Christmas Chronicles movie. I enjoyed the magical elements, i mean Juniper gets to ride a reindeer - awesome. But aside from this, once again i felt like there was something lacking in terms of the Christmas portion of this book. I think the final climax just wasn't Christmassy enough for me and centred a little too much on Santa finding joy in someone else instead of learning to be Santa even in the absence of his significant other.

[Samantha · Rating 1 out of 5]

I’m not sure that Mrs Claus dying and Santa being too depressed about it to deliver presents is a great way to kick off a children’s book.

And indeed, the tone of the entire book is a real miss for a Christmas novel for children. Theres some decent adventure and some attempts at humor, but it lacks the magic needed for a kids holiday novel. Or any holiday novel, for that matter.

But the bigger problem is that the book just doesn’t feel very Christmasy. It’s missing the magic, the sparkle, and the atmosphere, and tries to substitute for that with a wonky, tech-heavy magical system that feels contrived and goofy. I got a lot of secondhand embarrassment from the more try-hard elements of it, and found the rest to be unengaging at best.

My kids thought the book was boring, and while I thought the more action-driven sections were more fun than they did, I have to agree that none of us were impressed by this. Add in the fact that the ending is a pretty close copy of Elf and…well…there are a lot of kids Christmas books out there. Pick a different one.

*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely an imaginative take on the whole Santa Claus modus operandi but I struggled to finish it. Maybe a little bit too much happening.

[Brok3n · Rating 3 out of 5]

A chaotic jumble of making it up as we go along

I have occasionally found myself admiring Eoin Colfer's writing (Public Service Anouncement: the first name is apparently pronounced just like "Owen"). I was entertained by most of the Artemis Fowl books and liked his urban fantasy dragon novel Highfire very much. Thus when Amazon informed me that he's just released a second book in his Juniper Lane series, I decided I ought to check it out. By "it" I mean the series, since I had not previously read even the first book.

The first book is Juniper’s Christmas. Now that I've read i, I will not be getting the second book, either. I was disappointed. by Juniper’s Christmas. It's a mixed-up jumble of making-it-up-as-we-go-along.

Now, I hear you saying, "Do you not understand the concept of fiction? Of course it's made up -- that's the whole idea." Yes, I do get it. I don't even mind when an author makes up the plot as he goes along. Roger Zelazny pulled his plots out of his fingers as he wrote, and he's one of my favorite authors. But I don't think it works well for world-building. In Juniper’s Christmas the magic just does or fails to do whatever Colfer wants it to do at the moment. I prefer a more stable world in which things that happen at one point in the story have consequences that can't just be made to vanish by saying "magic."

Blog review.

[Corrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This could potentially be the next big Christmas movie!

This was so well written, full of adventure, magic and emotion. I couldn't put it down and thoroughly enjoyed Junipers journey.

This is a great read for any one that enjoys a book filled with Christmas spirit!


I received a free E-ARC from Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, Roaring Brook Press & Netgalley for my honest review.

[Reading_ Tamishly · Rating 2 out of 5]

I felt really uncomfortable reading this book and I had to stop reading it.

[Susa · Rating 3 out of 5]

+ 1 ⭐️ because the cute drawings

[Jessica Kellogg · Rating 2 out of 5]

Did not love this book.
The was so much extraneous information it could have easily been 100 pages shorter.
The level of violence was high enough we skimmed parts.
The 11 year old main character was shockingly unconcerned that her mom was missing.
Overall the plot was just a little weird

[Karin Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 This was a cute middle grade Christmas book! It’s a little confusing in some parts, but overall I thought it was cute!

[Luis Guerra · Rating 1 out of 5]

Didn’t feel like a Christmas novel, especially one geared towards children. Of course it was sprinkled with “woke”magic and that definitely didn’t add to the overall appeal of this book.

[XOX · Rating 4 out of 5]

Juniper is a girl who is a happy child. It is until her father died. She and her mom Jenifer are still very kind and always try to help other people. 

One day Jennifer didn't come home. 

Juniper is going to find her. 

Santa retired around ten years after his wife died. He is a bit lost and hides himself in the woods. Juniper found him and wants his help. The magic of Christmas transfers to her and she can ride a flying reindeer. It is an okay read. A bit more about magic and stuff that I found a bit distracting. 

4 stars read. 

[Nadine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful feel good Christmas story brought up to date with the realities of current time including blended families, greed, homelessness and belief and good actions that overcome negativity

[Faith Elizabeth Hough · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are those in my home who await a new Eoin Colfer title the way some kids wait for Christmas. When we saw that he had a new book coming out and it was a Christmas book, I can only tell you that the squealing around here was epic.

My thoughts: Juniper’s Christmas was SO MUCH FUN. It had all the cleverness and fast-paced action we’ve come to expect from the author of Artemis Fowl, with a little more focus on the heart as well. 

I also wanted to add that my kids have loved/are loving this book. I know sometimes reviews from teachers and librarians and writers are only so helpful—because we’re adults. We may be able to give you a good idea of whether our fellow adults will like a book—but will kids? Luckily, I happen to have a full range of readers living in my home, so when I can I will pass on their opinions to you as well! My sixteen-year-old zipped through Juniper’s Christmas before I got a chance, and she enjoyed it so much that she started reading it aloud to her younger siblings. The humor is lost a little on the 3- and 6-year-olds (and it’s a little scary for their tastes), but everyone eight and up is enthralled.

Finally, a word to my Christian readers. I know some of you have varying opinions on books about Christmas and Santa Claus. So let me clarify for you: Juniper’s Christmas is a story in the vein of Tim Allen’s The Santa Clause; Santa is a magical elf, not a saint or even a human. There is no mention made of Christ’s birth that I can recall (other readers, please correct me if I’m wrong). On the other hand, the book does an excellent job (like so many other stories from A Christmas Carol to The Grinch) of using a secular story to highlight certain themes that are very much a part of a Christian’s understanding of our Holy Season, and it allows those important themes to reach a wider audience. In Juniper’s Christmas, the primary one would be a reflection on how we treat the homeless and outcast. And yet it tackles that heavy topic with other seasonally-appropriate themes of wonder, faith, joy, redemption, and sacrificial love. You may not find an explicit mention of God here. But you will certainly find Juniper’s Christmas imbued with one of the messages we believe He came into the world to teach us: love your neighbor as yourself.

[Therearenobadbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love a Christmas /Santa Story. This one is an energetic and wholesome Santa Claus modern story of restoring Christmas Magic and Spirit to the world with an amazing cover. Brings awareness to the greed of corporation capitalism to focus on the real help people require and so much of our modern society we tend to daily ignore. Brought to us by Eoin Colfer, the author well-known for the Artemis Fowl series.

Juniper's mom is missing and she is desperate for help. Juniper ends up searching for a benefactor among friends in the Park. A grumpy Niko has been taking care of the people in the park who have nothing and need all the help. But this benefactor? a.k.a Santa Claus has lost the Christmas spirit, disappointed with the wishes of children for superficial stuff, and since his wife passed he abandoned his role as Santa. There is more at stake than just finding Juniper's mom. The magic can disappear forever if nothing is done.
Great characters, even the "baddies" add charm, fun, and tension to this story.

Juniper who is a giver and never a quitter takes matters into her hands. She needs to find and save her mom but in doing so she will bring back more than kindness and magic to the world.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this eARC.

[DaNae · Rating 3 out of 5]

Granted, it is not ideal to read a Christmas book in February, but it was worth the wait for my hold to come in. Colfer has spun a unique tale. A grieving Santa, who has quit to help the homeless living rough in a park. Juniper, the daughter of the caretaker accidentally imprints on a young Reindeer and is embed with Santa magic. An excellent villain Crime-boss in Intrude steals most every scene she is in. The writing could have been tighter, but it did bring the magic.

Popsugar24: #46 - A book in which a character sleeps for more than 24 hours

52 Book Club24: #18 - An apostrophe in the title

RATL24: Europe, Ireland

[Andrea · Rating 2 out of 5]

There are elements of this book that I really loved, but it was largely belabored and repetitious. I think the book could have been halved and been something really lovely and meaningful, but honestly the message got lost along the way.

[Pavitra (For The Love of Fictional Worlds) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclaimer: A physical copy was provided via Harpercollins India in exchange for an honest review. The Thoughts, opinions & feelings expressed in the review are therefore, my own.

Eoin Colfer is one of my top favourite authors - love his Artemis Fowl series and I honestly have binge read it multiple times; so when I found out that he has written a children’s book all about Christmas; I just knew I had to pick it up!
•
And I absolutely adored it - Juniper is a young girl whose mother ends up missing; and to find her she will have to take the help of the enigmatic man who lives in the park and takes care of the park.
•
Love love loved the illustrations that followed the story; the mystery of the conspiracy and the romance that was a cute part of the plot 🥰
•
If you adore children’s genre; the optimism that follows this genre; plus the fact that you, as a reader, get to save Christmas is just the icing on the cake - Eoin Colfer’s heartwarming story is for all seasons 🥹🤌🏼
•



For more reviews visit For The Love of Fictional Worlds :)
Do come join us at For The Fictional Worlds Facebook Page | Twitter | Instagram  | Goodreads  | Amazon |

[Shauna · Rating 3 out of 5]

A broken hearted Santa has retired. A young girl's mom has gone missing, and a homeless woman called Duchess thinks a mysterious helper named Niko might be able to help find her.

I enjoyed this cute story. There is a plot line about the mother that seems like the author just REALLY wanted to include it, but felt completely out of step with the rest of the story. Otherwise, a good Christmas read.

[Deea MC · Rating 4 out of 5]

Juniper's Christmas feels like a classic Christmas tale infused with the realities of the modern world. The story of a young girl teaming up with Santa Claus is beautifully interwoven with serious and poignant themes such as homelessness, illegal immigration, state guardianship, and grief. These elements are handled with care, seamlessly blending into the narrative without feeling forced or overly heavy.

It’s a heartwarming tale with all the makings of a classic Christmas children’s book. Centred on themes of good overcoming evil, redemption, and second chances, it captures the magic and moral heart of the holiday season.

[Kari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect Christmas read, full of adventure, magic, and compassion.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Juniper’s Christmas is an absolute delight of a story. I will fully admit, this was another one of my ‘Oh wow, that cover is stunning’ moments when I requested this arc and I’m genuinely happy I did. I had a string of middle of the road reads and I picked this up and what a love shot of Christmas spirit this was!

This follows Juniper who is looking for her Mom who seems to have gone missing. The two have been going through the grieving process for her father who passed away and they seem to have just made it into the light as it were and her Mom vanishes. From there Juniper enlists the help of a friend who lives about the park her mother manages and from there she becomes entangled in Santa magic. The most important part to remember is that Santa has been disillusioned and has stopped being Santa for nearly 10 years now.

The idea of a disillusioned Santa was honestly something I’ve not seen in a book before but Eoin Colfer did it well without making it too much. The story built naturally and I loved how the narrator switched from character to character, and the tone throughout. It was genuinely heartwarming at times and I adored the mechanics of the Santa magic in this world. It’s been a long time since a Santa story really enchanted me the way this one did but I loved it. Truly.

I highly recommend this for my Christmas or Middle Grade fans. I would love to see a sequel or even a movie of this. It was so fun and packed full of the spirit of the holidays for those that enjoy it.

[Marina Marcello · Rating 4 out of 5]

Juniper’s Christmas is the story of a girl rediscovering the joys of friends and family, both old and new, during the holidays after the loss of her father. Despite what might seem a somber theme, the story is told with a lot of humor and a playful tone that bends the fourth wall.

As a kid, I loved Eoin Colfer’s Artemis Fowl and the fairies, so as an adult it was fun to rediscover his writing and follow along with Juniper, the daughter of a Ghanaian immigrant and a London local, on her adventures through the fictional Cedar Park of London with none other than Santa Claus!

I think the magic system in the story gave a lot of depth to and answers for Santa Claus and his reindeer. I loved the Nordic inspiration as well as the addition of elf magic. I especially loved that essentially anyone can become a Santa!

This book was a lot of fun and a lovely, non-denominational Santa Claus story about a girl who becomes a Santa and saves the day! I definitely recommend this book to readers of all ages!

[Adeena Crouch · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eoin Colfer’s writing is wonderful, and some aspects of the story were charming and captivating. Overall there were many storylines that just didn’t feel significant to the outcome of the story, and actually took away from the more impactful characters and events.

[Liz Ferguson · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5 stars. A delightful middle grade Christmas story.

[Taryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute cute cute cute cute!
I just adore a good Christmas story, especially something like this that takes the Santa legend and makes it unique.
So ... here's the synopsis for Juniper's Christmas.
Juniper Lane lives with her mother in Cedar Park, where her mother and her late father were caretakers for the park, keeping it tidy and safe, but ultimately making it a place for anyone to come if they needed it. But when Juniper's mom doesn't come home one night, Juniper, at 11 years old decides that she might have to find her herself ... with the help of Santa Claus. And let me tell you, this is NOT the Santa you know. This one is a bit ... grumpy. Lol. It leads them on a grand adventure around London; there's magic, spangles (you'll find out), reindeer, bad guys (Irish mafia and local government), and elves.

I do have to give you a trigger warning for the beginning, though. It is like Disney's Up level of sad at the beginning of the book. I was already in tears and it was just the PROLOGUE.

In this story, I loved Juniper's determination and stubbornness. She's willing to do scary things to find her mum and it just kinda also shows kids that just because you're brave, it doesn't mean that you aren't scared too. I thought this book was perfect for the holiday season too because you just feel the warmth of Christmas on every page.
Now, you want to know my favorite character besides Juniper, herself. It's Skara, the young reindeer. He was so goofy and silly, and I love how he honks to get her attention. I can't picture it any other way now. Whenever I see a deer now, I'm going to imagine it honking.
Another favorite character? Niko. Or Santa, himself. This was a grumpy, Viking-looking Santa. He stomped in thick boots, could wield a sledgehammer, carry immense heavy loads, but had a heart as soft as taffy. Beneath all the bluster was grief and sorrow and a sweet nature that could only belong to a Santa Claus.

Lastly, I listened to the book as an audiobook, but I need this in a physical format now. It needs to be on my shelf as a permanent member of my Christmas collection.
Now, you might be wondering why I only gave it 4 stars out of 5 with such a rave review ... well you'll have to read it to understand ... let's just say that one person seems to get away with some wrongdoing and that made me a little cranky.
Either way, this book makes my Christmas and I think it'll make yours too.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

[Carla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Juniper's Christmas is a fantasy story about the real Santa, the time he quit giving presents to all the boys and girls in the world and a young girl, who found him and brought Santa back to everyone. When Niko's wife dies, he hangs up his Santa suit and moves into a park to take care of the homeless people living there. When Juniper's mom disappears, she goes looking for her and finds Niko and a few others who she wants to help her find her mom, but also take care of her. Juniper and her mother, Jennifer always gave to others, so when she refuses to believe that her mother is gone, she stumbles upon Niko's secret. Not only does she want to find her mother, but also bring back kindness and Christmas magic to the world. With the help of a flying reindeer, she gives it her all.

This was a fun story about finding Christmas magic, restoring it to the world, and a retelling of the Christmas Santa story. Of course there are some villains who try to stop Juniper from getting anyone to believe her, and they are actually rather comical. With a Santa that is disillusioned with Christmas, greed and selfishness, this was a different take on a story that I have not seen before. The story is narrated by several characters, and because I listened to this one, it was difficult to follow at first, but once I got into the rhythm of the story, I was fine. This is a fun story written by the author of the Artemis Fowl series, so I was not surprised. The narrator, Olivia Forrest, did a great job with the story and voices, but I think I would recommend doing a read/listen or straight listen for those who do not normally listen to audiobooks due to the number of narrators in the story.

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story follows Juniper Lane who lives with her mother until one day out of nowhere she goes missing. Eagerly to find her safe and sound, Juniper seeks help of Niko, the mysterious man who loves in local London park with Christmas-y vibes like that of flying reindeers. However Santa Claus has not appeared for Christmas for ten years now and he has abandoned his duties, could this lead to somewhere along that road?

When a rude ambitious park keeper threats to disrupt the little acts of kindness, Juniper has actually fast and keeping her wits without digressing from her main goal of finding her mom.

A magical story of finding your own reindeer, bringing back the Christmas spirits and the warmth of family and friendship, kindness and courage. This story will stay with you for long time for sure.

Reading a Christmas themed book in April definitely raised some eyes however as someone who believes in the magic of Christmas all year, I was absolutely looking forward to reading this book. And it didn't disappoint at all. I loved the storyline and characters. This book certainly lives upto its hype and I loved the way the author chose to unwind the elements of surprises and curiosity while infusing humour and present circumstances of reality.

If you are looking for a well written narrative and magical explored book then this is a perfect book for all right reasons.

[Brandee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Juniper’s Christmas by Eoin Colfer is a middle grade fantasy about a young girl trying to save Christmas. This is the story of eight-year-old Juniper Lane. But it is also the story of Santa and how their stories intertwine. Juniper’s mother is missing, and she believes the only person who can help is Santa. But Santa has been MIA for nearly ten years. Juniper has a strong suspicion that the “angel” taking care of the homeless in the park is Santa, and she is determined to prove it.
This book has several characters with back stories. These back stories are important to the character development, but make the story feel slow at times. However, once the action picks up, the book is hard to put down.
I felt like the disappearance of Juniper’s mother was a catalyst for the real story of saving Christmas. (Which is fine-- it was a delightful story!) But it was like the explanation of what happened to her mom was an afterthought. This made it feel rushed and a bit distracting at the end. I don’t think this will take away from enjoyment of the intended audience.
I would highly recommend this to students in 3rd grade and up.