In the heart of One True North, where magic flows from the ancient Lumistella Stone and Scout Elves fly beneath starlit skies, a question echoes year after year: How old is Santa Claus?

It’s asked by children around the world and sent to the North Pole in hope of an answer. It arrives folded into envelopes, sealed with stickers, and sometimes, just whispered and carried by the wind. And this time, it lands in the hands of Pippin Snowdae, a curious Scout Elf who sets out to find the answer.

Scout Elf Pippin Snowdae is holding a piece of notebook paper which has been sent as a letter to the North Pole asking How Old is Santa Claus

In How Old Is Santa Claus?, the newest Christmas picture book from The Elf on the Shelf Santaverse and HarperCollins Children’s Books, readers ages 3–8 are invited into a bright, imaginative adventure from the same world explored in The Rise of Nicholas the Noble, but through a lens designed just for them—one of wonder, play, and wide-eyed curiosity.

A Christmas Picture Book Set in the Kingdom of the One True North

The Kingdom of the One True North is vast, magical, and full of beings who protect the Spirit of Christmas. While The Rise of Nicholas the Noble opens the door to middle grade readers ready for epic origins and mythic stakes, How Old Is Santa Claus? welcomes younger readers into the same world through a simpler question with a determined hero.

Pippin Snowdae is a Mail Room Scout Elf responsible for replying to children’s letters. But when one arrives from a six-year-old named Sofi asking how old Santa really is, Pippin breaks from routine and begins a quest through the North Pole to find a better answer than his usual vague response: “Santa is ageless, timeless and eternally young at heart.”

Scout Elf Pippin shreds through the snow on his elf board while holding a letter from Sofi

His journey becomes a tour of One True North, and every step introduces children to new magic and memorable characters.

Meet the Scout Elves and Magical Creatures of Santaverse

On his adventure, Pippin encounters a lively and lovable cast of fantasy characters from the Santaverse:

Scout Elf Hollie from the North Pole Mail Room holds an envelope sent by Sofi

Hollie, a cheerful Mail Sorter who encourages Pippin’s search

A Gif featuring Noorah the arctic fox and Barry the Saint Bernard, two of Santa's oldest friends

Barry the Saint Bernard and Noorah, the magical arctic fox

Scout Elf Fisbee, wearing a medal in the shape of the Lumistella star, holds a large candy cane

Fisbee, the first Scout Elf ever adopted by a human family

Scout Elf Hollerdon, a brown-eyed elf with a goatee, wears a red hat and white trim and a purple robe

Hollerdon, an elder Scout Elf with timeless knowledge

Scout Elf Delshimerry smiles while holding a pomegranate, her favorite fruit

Delshimerry, a wise Arctic Elf who offers perspective

GIF of Little Grunt, alicorn, and the bogie Zaspar

Little Grunt, a SnoBiggie yeti; an alicorn, and Zaspar, a bogie

Each moment deepens the lore, offering a glimpse into the magical world of Santaverse with a story that is light, funny, and full of heart.

The Perfect Christmas Story for Ages 3–8

This beautifully illustrated holiday book is designed for early readers and young children. It supports:

  • Early literacy with repetition and rhythm
  • Cognitive development through story structure and imaginative play
  • Emotional growth by celebrating curiosity, resilience, and open-ended questions
  • Family bonding through cozy, shared storytelling

A young girl with black curly hair sits on the floor reading How Old is Santa Claus by Chanda A. Bell to her younger brother

Whether it’s read at bedtime, during family Christmas Eve traditions, or aloud in a classroom, How Old Is Santa Claus? is a holiday read-aloud children will want to return to year after year.

What the Story Reveals

Pippin gets close but never quite finds the exact number he’s looking for. Along the way, he considers that Santa might have been a pirate, a knight riding dragons, or even a prehistoric gift-giver on a sleigh pulled by tiny T. rexes.

A team of green t rex dinosaurs wearing red Santa hats with a white fuzzy ball on the tip

Each scene shows young readers that joy isn’t always found in knowing an exact answer. It’s in the wondering and imagining of possibilities that we grow and learn and make the impossible seem possible. Pippin ultimately realizes that some mysteries are part of what makes Christmas magical.

This idea is at the heart of Santaverse: belief and imagination keep the magic alive.

Tied to The Elf on the Shelf Tradition, Drawn into the World of Santaverse

Families who love The Elf on the Shelf will feel instantly at home in this story. Though it introduces new characters and expands the world, How Old Is Santa Claus? ties directly into the familiar framework—Scout Elves, Santa’s companions, and the wonder of the North Pole.

It also acts as a gentle bridge to larger Santaverse stories, including The Rise of Nicholas the Noble. For younger readers not yet ready for chapter books, this Christmas picture book provides an accessible entry point into a rich, evolving fantasy world.

A New Favorite in Holiday Picture Books

If you’re searching for:

  • Christmas books for preschoolers
  • Holiday stories to read aloud as a family
  • A magical picture book for ages 3–8
  • A giftable book that expands Santa lore and North Pole magic

…then How Old Is Santa Claus? is the perfect fit.

It’s fun. It’s heartwarming. And it’s wrapped in the magic of the Santaverse.

Available now wherever books are sold, How Old Is Santa Claus? is a magical holiday adventure for curious kids and the families who read with them. Begin your family’s Santaverse adventure today!

The cover of How Old is Santa Claus? by Chanda A. Bell, depicting a Scout Elf holding a letter

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