The Christmas Mystery

Fifty years ago a girl called Elisabet Hansen disappeared from her home in Norway. She ran after a lamb - and found herself travelling right across Europe to Palestine and back through 2000 years to meet the Holy Family in Bethlehem. As she ran she met angels, shepherds, wise men and other biblical characters who joined her on her pilgrimage; and she heard of many of the things that happened in the world in the last 2000 years.

In present-day Norway, a boy called Joachim acquires a strange old Advent calendar. Hidden in each of the windows is a tiny piece of paper unfolding Elisabet's story. And it is because of Joachim that we learn what happened to Elisabet and that she returns to Norway at last.

“'an enchanting tale of children in two different times. It is quirky, magical, and full of the kind of repetitive jingles that children like to learn and repeat, as well as being studded with little pearls of wisdom.'”

-- Kathleen Marshall THE SCOTSMAN

Jostein Gaarder is the author of Sophie's World, the bestselling book in the world in 1995. It has been translated into 55 languages and has sold over 30 million copies. He is the author of many other bestselling, beloved novels including The Solitaire Mystery, The Christmas Mystery, Vita Brevis, Through a Glass Darkly, Maya, The Ringmaster's Daughter, The Orange Girl and The Castle in the Pyrenees. In the UK and Commonwealth alone, his books have sold over 2.5 million copies. He was born in Oslo in 1952 and lives there now with his wife and two sons.

Fifty years ago a girl called Elisabet Hansen disappeared from her home in Norway. She ran after a lamb - and found herself travelling right across Europe to Palestine and back through 2000 years to meet the Holy Family in Bethlehem. As she ran she met angels, shepherds, wise men and other biblical characters who joined her on her pilgrimage; and she heard of many of the things that happened in the world in the last 2000 years.In present-day Norway, a boy called Joachim acquires a strange old Advent calendar. Hidden in each of the windows is a tiny piece of paper unfolding Elisabet's story. And it is because of Joachim that we learn what happened to Elisabet and that she returns to Norway at last.

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