about the book
After suffering a heart-transplant and surviving the emotional gut-punch of his mother leaving the family, eleven-year-old Sam feels very puny and very angry. He expresses that anger to his father and to the world through bitterness, but soon turns to vandalism as an outlet. On Christmas night, he damages the home of wealthy, elderly Mr. Wells, who has a great secret.
Mr. Wells is Nickel Bay Nick!
Over the years, the lower class town of Nickel Bay has had an anonymous benefactor, named Nickel Bay Nick (after St. Nick, or Santa Claus) who leaves $100 bills in people’s homes every Christmas. And Sam has damaged his home! This year Mr. Wells is laid up in a wheel chair with a broken leg, but he has been watching Sam, and, like Santa, keeping a list of all his naughty activities.
To avoid juvenile detention, Sam agrees to become Mr. Well’s replacement this Christmas. Sam will learn how to go unnoticed and leave Mr. Well’s gifts to the poor. To do so, Sam will have to learn to see the world through eyes other than his own bitter ones. He will learn there is still goodness to be seen.
about the author
If you recognize Dean Pitchford’s name, it is probably for his talents as a songwriter, actor, singer, screenwriter, dancer, director… and now children’s author!
Born in Honolulu, Dean spent his childhood performing anywhere he could. He sang and acted for youth and community theaters, and performed with the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra. At Yale, he was in several drama groups, including one that worked with recovering addicts and alcoholics. While in college, Dean got a dream job updating travel guides and a summer job on Broadway acting in “GodSpell.” That led to the Broadway lead role in “Pippin.”
In the meantime, he sang and danced in hundreds of commercials. He was approached to write music for a one-man show that led to his big break…writing three songs (including the title song) for the stage play “Fame.”
Dean wrote music and lyrics for numerous major recording stars. All the while, he was also writing the play and co-writing the music for “Footloose.” It was a top grossing movie and acclaimed international stage production. His songs, films, and musicals have earned him an Academy Award and a Golden Globe as well as numerous nominations for Oscars, Globes, Grammys, and Tonys. He sold over 70 million records. Makes you wonder how he finds the time to write children’s books!
Dean currently makes his home in Los Angeles, California.
Sources:
Author website
Book reading: Nickel Bay Nick
Also by Dean Pitchford:
Captain Nobody. Putnam Publishing. 2009.
The Big One-Oh. Putnam Publishing. 2007.
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