The Captain's Christmas

"Without dismissing the Captain's and Matilda's sadness, this festive title uses a gentle tone to convey the message that sometimes the best way to help yourself is to help others" - Booklist

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."

But when he learns that his old shipmate Willie has gone back to sea, leaving his young daughter Matilda to spend Christmas without him, Drake knows what he must do. How can a lonely old sailor throw a celebration grand enough to raise Matilda's spirits?

• 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

Mathilde Tourbillon is the pen name of Maria Pia Secciani, who creates books for children as both an author and a series editor. Her books combine imagination, rhythm, and wit, creating lively stories that invite children and adults to share the joy of reading aloud.

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