The Nightgarden: A Tale of Loss and Courage

The Nightgarden is a story about missing the people we love, about taking chances and following one’s heart… The Nightgarden is also about what can happen if one does not do so, and how it can feel, for better or worse, when the heart breaks.

Extract from the book:
Almost without Julius having noticed, his grandfather had come into the pavilion as well.
“I thought I should light the fire for you. It’s starting to get cold outside.” Grandfather shivered and tapped his nose lightly with his finger. “It smells like snow. It will be here soon, winter. It’s surprisingly early. But I know its smell.”
“I’m telling Julius stories about Valentina and the night garden,” said Grandmother, and Grandfather nodded.
“It’s an exciting story, I won’t disturb you then,” he said and walked on toward the pavilion’s small fireplace.
Julius saw how Grandfather quickly piled up wood and bits of paper and set a match to them. Soon, the fire was sparking and crackling.

Do you know what a nightgarden is? Julius doesn’t know either. He has lost his voice and is spending his fall break with his grandparents, while his mother is away on a long work trip, almost all the way across the other side of the world.

Grandmother tells Julius stories about her own mother, the Soviet ballerina Valentina, and her magical but difficult life story. Julius has seen pictures of Valentina many times before in his grandparents’ living room but, to be honest, he thinks they’re creepy. He tends to close his eyes and speed past them when he’s in there.

Later that same night, Julius is visited by someone he would rather not meet. He is whirled into yet another exciting adventure, in which he meets both new and old acquaintances. He will again need courage and good friends in order to find the answers he is seeking. But along with his voice, his faithful companions from the Pearl Whisperer have disappeared…

Will he find them again? And what do his great grandmother and the night garden have to do with Julius? What even is the night garden? And how can it help him stop missing his mother when she is away? There are many questions to answer, and Julius feels small and lone.



From reviews:
Magical! They have outdone themselves with The Nightgarden; author Cathrine and illustrator Petter. When I read The Nightgarden, it touched me deeply and brought tears to my eyes....I love this book! It’s incredibly beautiful and has a magical quality to it. (Stjernekast bookblog)

A wise children’s book about love and longing....Despite the adventurous and exciting stories, these children’s books exude a wise and thoughtful calm. Reading them is a delight... This is a beautiful book, with great depth and wisdom. And it has as much to offer to adults as it does to children. (Bokvrimmel bookblog)

About the book

In The Nightgarden, follow Julius as he navigates a world of mystery and emotion during his autumn break with his grandparents. With his mother far away on the other side of the world, Julius is grappling with the loss of his voice and the unsettling presence of his grandmother’s old portrait of Valentina, a Soviet ballerina with a haunting past.

When Julius is drawn into a new adventure by a figure he fears, he finds himself on a quest filled with old friends and new challenges. Without the support of his faithful companions from The Pearl Whisperer, Julius must muster his courage and rely on his growing understanding of his grandmother’s story and the elusive concept of the "Night Garden."

The Nightgarden explores life after divorce from a child’s perspective, capturing the pain of separation and the longing for a missing parent. It is a story about the ache of missing loved ones, the bravery required to take risks, and the emotional journey of following one’s heart. The book delves into the consequences of not seizing opportunities and the bittersweet experiences of a heart that learns to cope with loss.

The Nightgarden is the second book in the series about Julius. The first book in the series is called The Pearl Whisperer.

Written by Cathrine L Wilhelmsen
Illustrations by Petter Winther