This story is very inventive and I love the play on a typical Christmas story, especially the throw backs to previous Christmas classics scattered throughout. The characters are well thoughtout and enjoyable, except for the father. While he does redeem himself at the end to an extent, for the first half of the book he comes off more emotionally abusive and neglectful then a just a man dealing with grief. You don't see a single moment of remorse or him struggling, just straight up accusing his daughter of things without merit, even a simple frame or two showing him upset or distraught or sighing or something of that sort would have made his arc more believable and made his character more appealing and understandable. It's really unfortunate as otherwise this book is enjoyable.

4 stars

This is a great holiday read, but it'll warm your heart any time of year.

Virginia has lost her mom in an accident, and her dad has a plan to relocate to Denver so that the two of them can live with his sister - Virginia's aunt - and reestablish the sense of family that they've seemingly lost in their grief. On the way, Virginia has an unexpected encounter with Donner of reindeer fame!

As Virginia attempts to acclimate to her new home, she meets new friends, makes new nemeses, and works through some of the lost or not yet made connections. All of this happens against a snowy, festive backdrop, and because it is set in the mid '50s, there's a real sense of nostalgia here, too.

This is an extremely charming read, and the illustrations are on point. Rather than the loud colors of Christmas, the focal point is that brilliant blue on the cover. There's a lot of excitement, but there's also a sense of peace that pervades the pages and, ultimately, the characters, as they go on an incredible adventure (Virginia especially) and come out the other side with a lot of learning and a lot of hope to show for it.

I'll be recommending this one and enjoying at least one re-read at a more seasonally appropriate time (than July)!

Thank you to NetGalley and First Second Books for providing an e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

This was a nostalgic Christmas story set in the 50s, addressing friendship, grief, life changes that younger ones sometimes need to navigate through, and believing in magic. The reindeer, especially, is adorable, and the art is charming reminding of older comics.

I'd recommend this graphic novel to any parent with children in middle school as a Holiday read, and to classroom libraries.

North for the Winter so effortlessly weaves together a story of grief, big life changes, friendship, magic, modern history, and Christmas. I was immediately drawn into the story and found myself wanting to know what would happen next. Benny added some humor to the story while also helping Virginia for no other reason than that she is his friend. The reindeer hunter raises the stakes a little and I liked his backstory and opportunity for redemption. This is the perfect story to read around Christmas because it is ultimately about family and believing in the magic of the season.

I know it’s not the holiday season yet, but I always get that itch right after July 4. Once the school supplies are purchased, let’s just move on to sweaters, scarves, and nights reading by the fire. (Also, Christmas Eve is just 167 days away.)

So if you’re shopping early (I hear quite a few places are having big sales this week), consider a pre-order of North for the Winter. It would be the perfect holiday story to read with your family! It’s suggested reading age is 8-12, but I guarantee your kids 4-100 will enjoy this heartwarming graphic novel about Virginia and Donner (yes! THAT Donner! Santa’s Donner!)

Virginia and her dad have had a difficult year—the death of Virginia’s mother has rattled their spirit—so they head to Denver to stay with Virginia's aunt right before Christmas. On the way, Virginia happens to bump into Donner and accidentally takes something really important to him. When he can't find his way to Santa, all sorts of trouble ensues. But thanks to Virginia’s persistence, the help of a few brave (and magical) friends, and a lot of Christmas spirit, you can guarantee Christmas is saved (and your belief in Santa might also be renewed).

Written and illustrated by Bobby Podesta (a star Pixar animator), the story feels familiar for the whole family. I wouldn’t be surprised if it finds its way to a small screen at some point. And a few readers may pick up on the storyline of “The Santa Colonel,” Harry Shoup. If you have older kiddos who may think they know “the secret,” this is worth investigating!

I know it’s only July, but if you’re already dreaming of a White Christmas or early holiday shopping, add this one to your list!

Thank you Netgalley and FirstSecond Books for an e-galley to review!

I LOVE EVERYTHING that First Second publishes and this was not an exception!

A fun holiday story about meeting a reindeer, gaining a new friend, and what those two things bring to young Victoria! It is a great ride, great story and a perfect fit for you and your family's holiday reads!!

In 1955, Virginia Kay and her father move from Arizona to Denver, Colorado. On the trip, the father (who was a pilot during the war) narrowly misses an animal on the road, and has to change a flat tire. Virginia goes off into the woods in search of the animal, and encounters a flying reindeer. When the animal sniffs her, she accidentally grabs a medallion of its collar. Her father isn't happy that she ran off, since they have recently lost her mother. Arriving at Aunt Frances' apartment, Virginia doesn't feel at home, but soon comes to terms with her cozy bedroom in the pantry, and makes friends with neighbor Benny Alvarez. In alternating scenes, we also see the men working at the Continental Air Defence Command Center (CONAD). Benny takes Virginia on a tour of Denver, including Gisser's Department Store, where his sister Gloria works in the toy department. Virginia is obsessed with the reindeer, and talks Benny into investigating the woods with her, and he even gets Gloria to drive them. The medallion is a compass, and Virginia ends oup flying with the reindeer. They show up on the CONAD radar, and almost get hit by a plane. Arriving back at the department store, they are met by manager Mr. Albright, who along with workers Joy and Noel are actually elves. Mr. Albright knows Donner, and tells Virginia that since she has the compass, Donner doesn't know where to meet up with his team to pull Santa's sleigh. If Santa doesn't make his deliveries, children will stop believing in Santa, so it's important that Virginia fix things. Unfortunately, she has to deal with a man they call the Tracker, who is trying to capture Donner. It's a tricky situation, and Virginia and Benny drive Benny's family car to the cabin (even though they are about 12!). Things escalate with the Tracker, and get pretty dark. With CONAD on high alert because of the odd radar sightings, will Virginia be able to save Christmas?
Strengths: In my mind, the 1950s are the Golden Years of Christmas, so it makes perfect sense to set the story during this time. I loved the note at the end about the serendipity of Colonel Harry Shoup and CONAD tracking Santa! The illustrations, including the color palette, have enough details from that time period to really sell the setting; the clothing, the cars, and the decorations at the department store. This gets a little dark, which is perfect for middle school readers; the Tracker seems like a real threat, and at one point Virginia jumps of the roof of the department store, just trusting that Donner would magically arrive and safe her. (He does. Whew.) Virginia and Benny, aided by a reluctant Gloria, are a wonderful detective team. The mix of history and fantasy reminds me a bit of Walsh's Red Scare: A Graphic Novel. My favorite part has got to be the description Joy and Noel give about Santa's marketing, brand strategy, and decentralization of manufacturing and staff!
Weaknesses: This is one book where the mother REALLY didn't need to be dead. Couldn't the entire family have just moved to Denver for someone's job? I loved Aunt Frances, but can't we even have HOLIDAY books without all the middle grade parents dying?
What I really think: I'll probably buy this one because the demand for Christmas books is high, and this one had a cinematic, quirky middle grade approach to Santa and his reindeer. You could not pay me enough to have this in an elementary library. Another reviewer thought it would be great for grades 2-4, but I think the dark tone of this one better suits children who have already decided that Santa does not exist. Because I told my daughter from a young age that I didn't believe in Santa, she was crushed to find out that I was right all along. When she was in 6th grade! Not my fault, but I wouldn't want to have to explain this one to any tender youth.

This was delightful! From the stunning, warm art design to the relatable themes, this graphic novel is filled with so much magical adventure, friendship, and the rediscovery of what family truly is. I love how nuanced the story is as well as the refreshing modernization of the narrative, whilst still keeping the nostalgic feel of the 1950s setting.

Note: I received a DRC from NetGalley in exchange for a review.


“From Pixar star animator Bobby Podesta comes a middle-grade classic holiday story about Virginia, a girl who must help one of Santa’s reindeer back to the North Pole before Christmas.

What would you think if you saw a reindeer fly? When this happens to Virginia, she isn’t sure what to do – she’s just lost her mom, she’s in a new city, and everything seems so hard. But when she reluctantly confesses what she saw to her neighbor, Benny, he’s convinced that flying reindeer can only mean one thing: this is Santa business.

In this stunning graphic novel debut from Pixar director Bobby Podesta, two kids and a lost reindeer go up against obsessive hunters, suspiciously convincing department store elves, and radar operators for the Continental Air Defense Command Center. No matter the odds, Virginia’s going to get Christmas back on track!”

I’m a sucker for a good old Christmas story, and this book was no exception. The art is beautiful and stunning, the characters were great, and the plot was amazing as well. This is a fantastic book as a whole, and I would highly recommend it for anyone who wants to read a great Christmas story around the holiday season.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

It is December 1955, a few days before Christmas, and Virginia has just had her mother die. Her father doesn’t want to talk about it. Instead, he packs them up and they drive to Colorado, to live with his sister.


But before they get to her aunt’s house, they have a minor traffic problem, and while her father changes the tire, Virginia wanders off, and meets a reindeer. And not just any reindeer, but Donner, who should be with Santa Claus, getting ready for the flight around the world, in a few days time.


Her father doesn’t believe it, doesn’t want to talk about it, and just wants to not talk at all. But Virginia has accidentally stolen Donner’s compass, and now he can’t get home.


Meanwhile, the CONAD (The Continental Air Defense Command Center) keeps picking up Donner flying around, looking for Virginia and his compass.


This is a cute story, based, very loosely on the fact that NORAD, the current name for CONAD, tracks Santa’s flight every year, and has been doing so since 1955, when this story takes place.


And since this is a middle grade graphic novel, it is also full of feelings. Friendship feelings, with her new neighbor,and feelings of missing her mother, and feelings of wanting to be believed for what she saw.


Cute story. I do like the interactions at the CONAD headquarters, as well as when Virginia’s father finally realizes what is going on.


Thanks to Netgalley for making his book available for an honest review. This book is being published the 2nd of September 2025.

Really cute holiday book for young readers! Definitely will be one to order up for the holiday season. Love the old timey comic strip design. Virginia was a sweet character, and while I wished there was more time in the plot to cover her emotional arc, I felt it wrapped up nicely with a candy cane bow on top.

I absolutely love the illustrations in this graphic, which makes perfect sense for a Pixar illustrator. The best part about this book is the story is as good as the illustrations. I absolutely loved reading Virginia's adventures and giggled several times throughout. The kids in my library are going to love this one.

North for the Winter is a cute Christmas story that will appeal to a middle-grade and younger audience.

The book is visually interesting with a charming, fun art style, muted colors, and a variety of panel layouts.
The story is easy to follow with moments of action that are not too distressing. I agree with a lot of readers that it read very cinematically.
I don't think this book is doing anything groundbreaking story or artwise that makes it a must-read for kids, but it is enjoyable.

Content warning: Nothing too worrisome: Firearms (the Tracker character often shoots at Virginia with a net gun), Grief, peril (Virginia jumps off a building and is rescued by Donner the reindeer)

Im sure many children and adults as well will enjoyed this heartwarming Christmas graphic novel. This entertaining story has magic, action and humor. Virginia, the main character is a brave and determined girl who will go thru any danger to resolve the mysterious appearance of a flying reindeer and save Christmas Eve. It’s an easy read and the art has a unique style that reminds me of old comic strips. Although I enjoyed it, I give it three stars since the last half didn't have the same excitement and intensity as the beginning.

I would love to see more from this author.

This is fun graphic novel. It is a 1950s era story. While her dad is changing a tire on the side of the road Virginia wanders off into the woods. There she finds a magical reindeer. Unfortunately, she gets trapped in a net that was meant for the reindeer. This is a middle grade adventure of a little girl dealing with the loss of her mother. Adding a little magic to her life is just what she needs.

North for the Winter was both a fun and entertaining graphic novel while also being deep and moving. I loved seeing how Virginia was struggling with the shift in her family and how it also impacted her father. I thought the relationship between her and her aunt and neighbor was refreshingly sweet while also funny. The art was beautiful and added to the story. I would definitely recomment this to my students not only during the holiday season but also during the whole year

As a middle school librarian, I have truly embraced the graphic novel genre and read my fair share of them. Bobby Podesta's North for the Winter is a perfect addition to this genre. The 1955 setting makes all the events that take place that much more powerful and believable. Readers will enjoy this tale of mystery, magic and friendship. Adding it to my fall purchase list now!

This was a delight to read. Covering hard topics while also feeling cozy and safe, Pedesta told this story so well.

This graphic novels follows Virginia, a girl who recently lost her mother. They travel across the country to live in Colorado in 1955. Virginia needs to help Donor get back to Santa in time for Christmas. This would be an excellent St. Nick stocking stuffer for a young reader who enjoys graphic novels. It was extremely fun and easy to read and gets you in the spirit of Christmas. The book recommends readers ages 8-12.

Thank you to NetGalley and First Second Books for the advanced reader copy.

This book will be appealing to graphic novels fans. The storyline is familiar and easy to follow. The illustrations are very well done. There’s a comment made by the aunt at one point about men that is unnecessary and is the reason for the three star rating.
Overall, cute story.