Book Review of NORTH: A Magical Friendship Story
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The Children’s Book Review
NORTH: A Magical Friendship Story
Written by J.R. Buchta
Illustrated by Erin O’Leary Brown
Ages: 4-6 | 40 Pages
Publisher: Warbucks, Inc. (2025) | ISBN: 979-8992032703
What to Expect: Christmas, magic, friendship, problem-solving, teamwork.
In this beautiful Christmas fairytale, readers will hear the story of how the toymaking elves of the North Pole were created.
The North Wind, the North Star, and the Northern Lights are the best of friends … but even with the company of all the Arctic animals, they sometimes still feel lonely. Then, they have a great idea—they’ll use their magic to make some new friends to keep them company. At first, their efforts don’t succeed, but when they all work together, something amazing happens—they create elves!
The elves are colorful and cheerful and delighted with their new existence and home, and soon they are busy filling the North Pole with their songs, their laughter, and the wonderful toys they make. The three friends are overjoyed—making new friends was hard work, but the joy and satisfaction they feel after their success is immeasurable!
The North Wind, the North Star, and the Northern Lights are majestic and magical characters, but that doesn’t stop them from having problems any young reader can relate to, from loneliness to the frustrations of figuring out a difficult task. The beautiful paint and pencil artwork brings the magic of the North Pole to life, juxtaposing the warmth and color of the elves to the icy whites and blues of the Arctic. The old-style method of illustration complements the classic winter themes and characters, resulting in a story that feels timeless and familiar.
Sure to be returned to again and again, NORTH: A Magical Friendship Story is the perfect addition to holiday traditions.
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About the Author
JR Buchta was born and raised in Philadelphia PA. As a youngster, he expressed an interest in music and spent most of his early life in the performing arts as a singer-songwriter. After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania, he entered the business world and made a career in marketing for various entrepreneurial ventures. Today, he resides in Bucks County PA with his wife.
His interest in writing took a turn towards children’s books when his grandchildren were born and he recognized the power of their imaginations and their enjoyment of reading. He is the author of Pop-Pop Smells Funny But We Love Him Anyway; Pop-Pop Says Yes To Almost Anything; and the award-winning book The Wonderful Once: A Christmas Story.
About the Illustrator
Erin O’Leary Brown is an illustrator specializing in children’s illustration and whimsical nature themes. She creates her work traditionally with paint on paper, often with some digital touches added at the end. The illustrations for North: A Magical Friendship Story were created with colored pencil line, acryla gouache and watercolor, with a bit of extra glow and sparkle added digitally.
When Erin is not working on illustrations for clients, you can find her drawing away in a sketchbook which is her favorite way to unwind and develop creative ideas. She lives in the woods in upstate NY with her husband, three studio dogs, and several roaming chickens (who are not allowed in the studio).
You can see more of her work on her website at eobrownart.com or on most social media under @eobrownart.
Dedicated Reviews allow authors and illustrators to gain prompt visibility for their work. This is a sponsored*, non-biased review of NORTH: A Magical Friendship Story. Learn more about getting a book review …
