Books with title The Christmas Ship

It was November of 1912. With Captain Herman Scheunemann at its helm, the Rouse Simmons set off from the small Northern Michigan town of Manistique with its traditional load of trees bound for Chicago. The captain would sell the trees for 50 cents or $1.00 and even gave many away to needy families. The ship had been affectionately nicknamed the Christmas Tree Ship. Using stories she loved to hear her grandfather Axel Anderson tell, author Carol Crane weaves this heartwarming fictional tale based on the true events of the little schooner carrying up to 5,000 trees. Carol recalls Grandpa Axel sitting in his remembering rocker carving a wooden ornament just as he is in the Christmas Tree Ship as he tells his grandchildren of the storm that took the shipmen's lives, their festive cargo, and the Rouse Simmons down to its final watery resting place. True to the newspaper accounts Carol artfully explains and eloquently includes how Captain Scheunemann's wife, ever dedicated to her husband's memory, carries on his tradition of sailing schooners to deliver Christmas trees to the Chicago market. The grandchildren listen to Grandpa, spellbound, waiting for who will be chosen to hang the special schooner ornament this year. Beyond a Great Lakes tale, this is a timeless story for all who love Christmas, its traditions and stories, and especially stories of the sea, including the vast inland sea that is Lake Michigan.

When Father Christmas pays a visit on Christmas Eve, Sam's busiest time of the year gets even busier. The problem, as Father Christmas explains, is that he's running behind schedule and wants Sam to help him out.For Sam, who's facing the closing of his ramshackle shop, the task seems impossible. After all, he has no sleigh or reindeer. But that's where a little magic comes in. Before the wonderful night is past, Sam and his young friend Joey get the chance to make some unusual deliveries and, most importantly, share in the true spirit of Christmas.

On November 21, 1912, the schooner Rouse Simmons set sail from a small northern Michigan town across Lake Michigan. Affectionately dubbed the "Christmas Tree Ship," this was an annual trek for the Rouse Simmons. With its cargo of Christmas trees, the ship was bound for Chicago. There Captain Herman Scheunemann would sell the trees for 50 cents or $1.00 and even gave many away to needy families. But the schooner never makes its destination. The Rouse Simmons, with all hands and cargo, disappears into the cold waters. The ship's wreckage is not found until 1971. Drawing from stories told by her grandfather, author Carol Crane weaves a fictional tale based on the true events of the doomed schooner. And she explains how the captain's widow went on to continue his tradition of delivering holiday trees to Chicago. Carol Crane's many books for Sleeping Bear Press include the best-selling P is for Pilgrim: A Thanksgiving Alphabet and The Handkerchief Quilt. As a literacy advocate, Carol speaks at schools and conferences. She lives in North Carolina. Chris Ellison has illustrated children's picture books and adult historical fiction for nearly 20 years. His book Let Them Play was a 2006 Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People. Chris lives in Mississippi.