The Scallop Christmas - Islandport Press - Publishers of Northern New England Books and Media

ABOUT THE BOOK
Times were tough in the small New England fishing village where Marcie lived. No one had any money, and work was hard to find. So the villagers rejoiced one glorious fall when an unexpected bounty of scallops filled their little bay. For young Marcie, a week of harvesting scallops also brought an unexpected adventure and a lesson about love that she would never forget.

REVIEWS
"This nostalgic tale of a very special gift - not the special Christmas present itself but the love it symbolizes - is the first children's book by Jane Freeberg. Set in a Maine coastal village, the story of a family working together during the Depression provides a glimpse into the past with its description of scallop harvesting, as well as a good lesson about what really matters. Astrid Sheckel's watercolors create a strong sense of time and place."
– Elizabeth Kennedy, About.com Children's Books, Best Children's Books of 2009

"Once in a great while something different comes along that is truly absorbing and moving and tells this tale of the Christmas spirit in words and illustrations in a way that is both very familiar and very new. Such a book is The Scallop Christmas, by Jane Freeberg and Astrid Sheckels ... young readers will not only get a deep enjoyment from the happy ending of the tale, in the process they will have learned something about scallops, courage under pressure and the rewards of patience."
– Nan Lincoln, The Bar Harbor (ME) Times

"Sheckels adds color, vitality, a crispness and life to all 32 pages of her new book ..."
– The Greenfield (MA) Recorder

AWARDS
Honorable Mention, Children's Book Award Award, 2011 Maine Literary Awards
The Maine Literary Awards are awarded annually by the Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance

2010 Maine Lupine Honor Award for a picture book of outstanding merit
The Lupine Award is presented annually by the Youth Services Section Interest Group of the Maine Library Association, to recognize an outstanding contribution to children's literature of Maine. This award is granted to encourage the reading, writing and appreciation of children's books, and to foster pride in the state of Maine.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Author Jane Freeberg lives on Georgetown Island in Midcoast Maine and has lived in the state for thirty years. The Scallop Christmas is based on a true story told to her by her friend Marcia, who lived most of the story. "It rattled around in my brain for 35 years, and when it came to mind, I'd think, 'That's a great story. I ought to write it down,' " she said. "I'm so glad I did."

ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR
Illustrator Astrid Sheckels was born and raised in the farming town of Hatfield, Massachusetts. She cannot remember a time when she wasn't listening to, telling, or illustrating stories. Through her illustrations, she gives every story more depth and dimension, and her art is heavily influenced by her Scandinavian roots. The award-winning artist still lives, paints, and teaches in Western Massachusetts.

EXCERPT
“ After three days of scalloping, I had three shiny quarters – the most money I'd ever had in my life – with the promise of three more to come. But I wondered why Poppa needed the money so badly. Why did he continue to work so hard even though he was hurting so much? ”