Captain's Christmas

When old Captain Drake finds out little Matilda will be home on Christmas with no tree, no lights, and no cheer, he comes up with a plan to bring joy to her season. He and his squirrel Skipper host a Christmas celebration for the entire harbor on his boat! A warm Christmas story about the power of creating joy and cheer for others Once upon a time, Captain Drake and his ship's crew braved a thousand adventures on the sea. Now, it's just him and his friend Skipper the squirrel living on his boat all alone. He tells Skipper, It's a good thing we are spending Christmas on our own. One less thing to fuss over. This is Matilda's first Christmas without Papa. He's gone to sea and she and Mama will have to spend it at home without him. So she's decided not to celebrate Christmas at all. When Captain Drake finds out little Matilda will be home on Christmas with no tree, no lights, and no cheer, something about it doesn't sit right with him. Even though he's grumpy and a little rough around the edges from spending years all by himself, a little girl like Matilda shouldn't feel that way especially at Christmastime! In the flick of a mermaid's tail, Captain Drake comes up with a brilliant plan to bring joy to Matilda's season. A Christmas celebration for the entire community on his boat! . A cheerful story about community and how when we help others we end up helping ourselves along the way . A nautical retelling of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens . Set in a picturesque seaside town during Christmastime . Deals with a child celebrating a major holiday without one of her parents AGES: 6 to 8 AUTHOR: Mathilde Tourbillon was born in Cornwall, England, where she began her acting career at the world-famous Minack Theatre. After an initial training in theatre, she moved to Italy for love, where she discovered children's literature and surrounded herself with children's books. Beatrice Cerocchistudied illustration in Macerata, Italy, and holds degrees in both architecture and illustration. She discovered her love of art at an early age and has continued drawing ever since. Her gouache and pastel works have been featured in several magazines and picture books, and her work has been selected for illustrator exhibitions at international children's book fairs in Bologna, Shanghai, and Beijing. She has also illustrated Barefoot BooksAmazing Places. She lives and works in Rome, Italy SELLING POINTS: . CHRISTMAS: A festive Christmas story that focuses on the joyful community celebrations that occur during the season. . RETELLING: A nautical retelling of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens . COASTAL SETTING: A unique coastal setting for a Christmas story . COMMUNITY: Shows a close-knit seaside community that supports its community members. . SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING: Captain Drake and Matilda learn that leaning on community helps them work through feelings of loneliness. . FAMILY SEPARATION: Shows a child dealing with celebrating a major holiday without one of her parents