Julia and the Northern Lights – A magical Christmas story about courage, dreams and cooperation

Julia and the Northern Lights is a magical and heartwarming Christmas story about courage, belonging and the power of dreams.

Read a free excerpt here

🌟 Said about Julia and the Northern Lights

✨ "Warm, wise and full of heart - Wilhelmsen's stories are as magical as they are real. »
✨ "A beautiful children's book that takes children's emotions seriously and at the same time gives adults great insights."
✨ “Julia and the Northern Lights captures a rare balance – magical wonder woven together with moving realism.”
✨ "A magical December adventure from Wilhelmsen and Paulsen."
✨ "A heartwarming story about being the youngest – and discovering the magic along the way."
✨ "A wonderful children's book that opens up conversations and brings the magic of December to life."

It's Christmas Eve, and Julia is finally old enough to join her father, Santa Claus, and her six siblings on the annual sleigh ride. For years, she's watched longingly as the others set off into the night, while being told she was too young to help. But this year, she's ready. Yet, just as the sleigh is about to depart, Julia is delayed—and left behind.

Alone in the snowy courtyard, Julia feels forgotten and too small to matter. Until she meets Ola, a mysterious boy who takes her to the land of the North on a flying snowflake carpet. There she discovers sparkling ice cities, strange and wonderful snow families – and not least the majestic Queen of the Northern Lights. The Queen entrusts Julia with a luminous leather bag, filled with Santa Claus’s forgotten childhood dreams – dreams he has lost in the hustle and bustle of adulthood.

Now it's up to Julia to bring the bag back and remind her father of who he once was. With determination, courage, and a touch of magic, she discovers that even the smallest child may hold the key to saving Christmas.

Beautifully illustrated and full of wonder, Julia and the Northern Lights is more than a Christmas story. It is a story of family bonds, resilience, and the unseen magic of imagination—a reminder to readers of all ages that when we listen to our dreams, there is always enough magic for everyone.

"It's always fun when Cathrine L. Wilhelmsen comes up with a new children's book. The previous books have all been good, warm and wise, and this book is no exception. Once again, Wilhelmsen takes children's feelings and experiences seriously, and offers adults great insights into both being an adult and being a parent. A children's book about Christmas and Santa Claus quickly sounds both pleasant and magical, Christmas and Santa are both, but "Julia and the Northern Lights" is so much more. There is actually a particularly nice contrast in this children's book, between the magical and the realistic, which I really enjoyed." - Read the full book review here:

Julia and the Northern Lights: Magic and Realism in Elfland

🌟 Why readers love Julia and the Northern Lights

Heartwarming Christmas story – A magical fairy tale about courage, belonging and the power of dreams.
Recognizable heroine – Julia, the youngest in the pixie family, shows that even the smallest can make a big difference.
Rich Universe – A journey to the Nordic lands, with sparkling ice cities, snow families and the majestic Queen of the Northern Lights.
Universal Themes – Explores family bonds, resilience, and the importance of holding on to childhood dreams.
Beautiful illustrations – Christoffer Paulsen's illustrations bring warmth and wonder to every page.
Perfect for Christmas – A timeless picture book to read together during the Christmas season or on any winter evening.
For young and old readers – With multiple layers of meaning and emotion, the book is just as rewarding for adults as it is for children.

🌟 The book is particularly suitable for

Children aged 4–9 who like magical and adventurous stories.
Parents, grandparents and teachers who want a book to read aloud and talk about around the Christmas season.
Families looking for a heartwarming Christmas book with both magic and recognizable emotions.
Adult readers who appreciate multi-layered adventures – both for the child's imagination and the adult's reflection.
Perfect as a gift book in December and as an annual reading-aloud tradition.

Julia and the Northern Lights is also available as an e-book .

Written by Cathrine L Wilhelmsen with illustrations by Christoffer Paulsen.