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Summary
Summary
Perfect for fans of Jerry Spinelli and Gary D. Schmidt, this heartfelt coming-of-age story will make you believe in the power of second chances.
Eleven-year-old Sam Brattle is already having the worst Christmas ever -- his dad's bakery is going bankrupt and his mom is spending the holidays with her new family. To make things worse, Nickel Bay Nick, the anonymous Good Samaritan who leaves hundred-dollar bills around Nickel Bay at Christmastime, is a no-show, so this year the rest of the town is as miserable as Sam. When he stumbles upon the secret identity of this mysterious do-gooder, Sam is stunned to learn that he might now be his town's only hope. But before he can rescue Nickel Bay, Sam has to learn the skills of a spy and unravel some even darker secrets that will change his life forever.
Author Notes
Dean Pitchford (www.deanpitchford.com) is the author of Captain Nobody and The Big One-Oh and also an Oscar®-winning songwriter. He wrote the lyrics to the Oscar®-winning song "Fame," and the screenplay and lyrics for the hit movie Footloose. Most recently, he has been involved with the stage musical version and new film adaptation of Footloose as well as the new Broadway revival of the musical, Carrie .
Reviews (4)
Horn Book Review
Sam Brattle, eleven, has already had a heart transplant, lost touch with his remarried mother, and managed to make his mark amongst Nickel Bay's juvenile delinquents. But when he's forced to work for a mysterious neighbor, he figures out how to put his questionable talents to good use. Detailed characterizations, humor, suspense, and a surprise ending make this story memorable. (c) Copyright 2014. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Booklist Review
This has got to be the Worst. Christmas. EVER! declares 11-year-old Sam Brattle. He has a swelling police record and no respect for anyone or anything. His mother left before his heart transplant at age 3 1/2. His friends are older delinquents. His father's business is failing. On top of that, Nickel Bay Nick the secret benefactor who leaves 45 $100 bills around his deteriorating town before Christmas has disappeared. When Sam damages part of Herbert Wells' house, he is blackmailed into service to help cover the repairs. The job isn't what Sam expects because Herbert, whose leg is broken, reveals he is Nickel Bay Nick. To become Herbert's operative before it's too late, Sam has no choice but to listen, obey orders, and accept responsibility. The often-thankless execution of the distributions changes his perspective about friends, family, and community. With a genuine feel for adolescent pain and emotion, Pitchford offers a comical but forthright coming-of-age story that will make readers cheer for Sam. Hand to fans of Louis Sachar's Holes (1998) or Gary D. Schmidt's Okay for Now (2011).--Fredriksen, Jeanne Copyright 2010 Booklist
School Library Journal Review
Gr 4-7-Eleven-year-old Sam, puny after the one-two punch of a heart transplant and his mother's abandonment of the family, is one bad move away from juvie. He freely expresses his anger toward his father and the world with bitterness and vandalism. On Christmas night, he damages the house of a rich recluse, and, to avoid arrest, Sam and his father agree that he will work to pay for his destruction. It turns out that Mr. Wells, confined to a wheelchair by a broken leg, has been the anonymous benefactor of the depressed town of Nickel Bay, handing out $100 bills each Christmas. This year, the residents have sorely missed the visit of "Nickel Bay Nick" and it is Sam's mission to become his town's secret St. Nick. To succeed he must follow orders, see the world from others' perspective, and earn the respect of his new mentor. Told with wry humor, this fast-paced novel will appeal to fans of Louis Sachar's Holes (Farrar, 1998) and Gary D. Schmidt's Okay for Now (Clarion, 2011). In the best tradition of Christmas stories, it's a bit of a tearjerker as Sam discovers just why Mr. Wells cares so much about him and learns to forgive his own parents. This is a Christmas book that can be enjoyed year-round.-Anne Connor, formerly at Los Angeles Public Library (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
A kid discovers the identity of his depressed town's anonymous benefactor and ends up learning some secrets about himself. Eleven-year-old Sam Brattle, embittered at having the lousiest Christmas ever--and with a heart transplant and extensive history of larceny behind him--is blackmailed by his mysterious neighbor into taking on the role of Nickel Bay's homegrown secret Santa, the titular Nickel Bay Nick. Wealthy Mr. Wells has stealthily been distributing $100 bills around town at Christmastime for years, boosting the spirits and fortunes of its economically discouraged citizens. This year, laid up with a broken leg and possessing a weighty dossier of Sam's crimes, which threaten to remove Sam from his struggling single dad's care, Mr. Wells needs someone crafty and nimble-fingered to do the deed for him--i.e., Sam, who can't afford to refuse. What ensues adds up to a fast-paced adventure, narrated by Sam in the first person, that's filled with humor, excitement, some shady characters, secrets, Sam's growing maturity and some deep emotional pain. There's a real cinematic feel here--Pitchford also writes for the screen and stage--and there's a certain amount of implausibility, predictability and coincidence, yet these contrivances don't mar this well-written tale. Sam's a great, well-realized kid, and readers will root for him every step of the way. A surprising, poignant twist at the end explains Mr. Wells' true motives for involving Sam and brings about a satisfying, uplifting finale. Crime does pay off--to the benefit of others--in this enjoyable novel. (Fiction. 9-12)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
