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Nickel Bay Nick
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.
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.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published October 17, 2013
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375 people want to read
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February 23, 2015
Sam Brattle may only be 11, but he has had quite a life already. The recipient of a heart transplant as a baby, Sam's mother left and she has just remarried. Sam and his dad don't get along, and to make matters worse, Sam's best friends are older and wild. In fact, Sam has already acquired quite a list of offences. Luckily for him, the police are old friends of his dad and never press charges. But Sam's luck seems to run out on Christmas Day. After being chased by the police for breaking windows in the condemned railway station, Sam decides to lose them by climbing an evergreen tree in the yard of an unfriendly neighbor. But after the police passed him by, Sam slide down the tree after seeing a monstrous dog in a window, taking a lot of tree and Christmas decorations with him.
Now, Sam's life is about change. Mr. Wells, who lives in the house and is a bit of a recluse, makes Sam an offer he can't refuse - after all, he did cause a lot of expensive property damage. It seems that Nickel Bay is a pretty depressed town, with lots of closed businesses, even Sam's dad is having money trouble with his bakery. And this year, no one out hustling and bustling to get their Christmas shopping done. In the past, a Good Samaritan nicknamed Nickel Bay Nick had secretly left $100 for the town's residents just before Christmas, but this year there was not Nick.
It seems Mr. Wells was actually Nickel Bay Nick and he had broken his leg so he couldn't get around. His proposition to Sam: tell his father he is working off his debt by doing some filing for Mr. Wells. Meantime, Mr. Wells come up with the idea that for the 12 days of Christmas, between December 25th and January 6th, Sam with train and become that year's Nickel Bay Nick. Can such a preposterous idea really work? Maybe.
When I first started to read Nickel Bay Nick, I wasn't too sure I was going to like it. Sam seemed like a really unpleasant character and since the story is told in his voice, all the reader has is his perspective - not good with an unlikable character. But as I read along, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that this was really a fun book to read, after all, simply because things are not what they seem to be at first.
Sam is really not a bad kid, but is a misguided one. He has a lot to learn, but this is a coming of age novel, so, yes, he does learn the right lessons that change his life. But it is the process of coming of age that makes this such an interesting book. It is a well written book, with just the right balance of humor and poignancy, and in between that, there's plenty of excitement, especially when Sam goes out at night to deliver his envelopes of money.
As an adult reader, I found bits in this novel a little contrived, maybe there was just too much coincidence, and certainly, with all he has done wrong, there should have been consequences for Sam at some point regardless of past friendships but I know that as a kid reader I wouldn't have minded any of that, and I'm betting kids today won't either.
Nickel Bay Nick is a satisfying novel that not only entertains, but shows us the feel good benefits to helping others. After all, this is a book with a lot of heart - real hearts, transplanted hearts, kind hearts and misguided hearts.
This book is recommended for readers age 9+
This book was bought for my personal library
This review was originally posted on Randomly Reading
Now, Sam's life is about change. Mr. Wells, who lives in the house and is a bit of a recluse, makes Sam an offer he can't refuse - after all, he did cause a lot of expensive property damage. It seems that Nickel Bay is a pretty depressed town, with lots of closed businesses, even Sam's dad is having money trouble with his bakery. And this year, no one out hustling and bustling to get their Christmas shopping done. In the past, a Good Samaritan nicknamed Nickel Bay Nick had secretly left $100 for the town's residents just before Christmas, but this year there was not Nick.
It seems Mr. Wells was actually Nickel Bay Nick and he had broken his leg so he couldn't get around. His proposition to Sam: tell his father he is working off his debt by doing some filing for Mr. Wells. Meantime, Mr. Wells come up with the idea that for the 12 days of Christmas, between December 25th and January 6th, Sam with train and become that year's Nickel Bay Nick. Can such a preposterous idea really work? Maybe.
When I first started to read Nickel Bay Nick, I wasn't too sure I was going to like it. Sam seemed like a really unpleasant character and since the story is told in his voice, all the reader has is his perspective - not good with an unlikable character. But as I read along, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that this was really a fun book to read, after all, simply because things are not what they seem to be at first.
Sam is really not a bad kid, but is a misguided one. He has a lot to learn, but this is a coming of age novel, so, yes, he does learn the right lessons that change his life. But it is the process of coming of age that makes this such an interesting book. It is a well written book, with just the right balance of humor and poignancy, and in between that, there's plenty of excitement, especially when Sam goes out at night to deliver his envelopes of money.
As an adult reader, I found bits in this novel a little contrived, maybe there was just too much coincidence, and certainly, with all he has done wrong, there should have been consequences for Sam at some point regardless of past friendships but I know that as a kid reader I wouldn't have minded any of that, and I'm betting kids today won't either.
Nickel Bay Nick is a satisfying novel that not only entertains, but shows us the feel good benefits to helping others. After all, this is a book with a lot of heart - real hearts, transplanted hearts, kind hearts and misguided hearts.
This book is recommended for readers age 9+
This book was bought for my personal library
This review was originally posted on Randomly Reading
December 11, 2019
11 year old Sam is having a terrible year. Admittedly much of it is his own doing, but he hasn't had it easy and it's not hard to see why he's so screwed up. His town has not fared any better. Work is scarce and budgets are tight, but every year they get a boost of hope in the form of a secret Santa, known as Nickel Bay Nick, who blesses 45 people with $100 when they least expect it. This year that hope is absent. Nobody knows why, but after 7 years he's strangely absent. When Sam stumbles upon his secret identity, he's enlisted to set things right. Most people in town would assume Sam is the worst possible choice to save Christmas and bring hope back to Nickel Bay, but there are still a few people in his corner. Most of all, Sam must learn both to be trustworthy and to believe in himself if he's going to be able to pull off a Christmas miracle, or two, or 45.
Part caper, part coming of age story, Sam is a big focus of the story but not the only one. In lesser degrees we learn about Sam's father Dwight, Nickel Bay Nick, and the town of Nickel Bay itself. There's more than the occasional tug at your heartstrings as the author reveals the dire straights that the town and Sam's family are in. There's quite a lot of fun to be had at all of Sam's adventures. These two blend to make an exciting story with a heart and with hope. It moves along at a quick pace, with a few surprises to keep it from becoming too predictable.
My thoughts on Sam and his situation, which may or may not spoil some of the character development:
Part caper, part coming of age story, Sam is a big focus of the story but not the only one. In lesser degrees we learn about Sam's father Dwight, Nickel Bay Nick, and the town of Nickel Bay itself. There's more than the occasional tug at your heartstrings as the author reveals the dire straights that the town and Sam's family are in. There's quite a lot of fun to be had at all of Sam's adventures. These two blend to make an exciting story with a heart and with hope. It moves along at a quick pace, with a few surprises to keep it from becoming too predictable.
My thoughts on Sam and his situation, which may or may not spoil some of the character development:
January 29, 2024
One of our Christmas read-alouds just finished in January. We liked it!
December 24, 2014
So far, eleven-year-old Sam Brattle has been having the worst Christmas ever with his mom and dad divorced, his dads bakery going bankrupt, his friends encouraging him to steal and on top of all of that, Nickle Bay Nick is nowhere to be seen. When Sam is caught vandalizing public property, he crosses paths with a mysterious do-gooder and learns that he may be Nickle Bay’s only hope for a good year but before that, he needs to learn some spy skills. This book was probably one of the best books I have read by far, along with slept away, because of its great use in action when the author, Dean Pitchford, knew the story was starting to get boring. Even though he didn’t use as much description as I had hoped, he defiantly made up for it by how many twists there were towards throughout the whole book. He creates a plot that you believe would just be the whole story but it isn’t, instead Pitchford adds more plots, secrets and anxious endings that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The author purposely keeps putting Sam into exciting yet terrible problems with multiple answers that make the reader want to keep reading. The theme conveyed from this story was don’t judge a book by this cover because even if you hate Sam at the beginning or you hate the mystery do-gooder, one’s heart will be opened by the end of the story. Something the author also did a really good job on was to answer a readers question even before the reader could get frustrated and want to stop reading. I also liked the little hints the author put in there like how each chapter title was a metaphor for what might happen and how the front cover image is deceiving to readers. There are only a couple things that peeved me about how the author wrote the story and that would be making Sam have so much attitude towards everyone and all the sad things he put in there would give one a shocked and sad feeling inside but that was probably just to keep the story interesting and be able to add more action, which I will respect. I love how the author had everything organized in this book and always kept the characters and readers on their toes the whole way.
All I can say is this book is fabulous and I advise people that like mystery books, cliff hangers/twists and for people in grades 7th-9th graders.
All I can say is this book is fabulous and I advise people that like mystery books, cliff hangers/twists and for people in grades 7th-9th graders.
February 25, 2017
I just finished reading Nickel Bay Nick and it was very enjoyable. This story has a couple things going for it-the characters, the mystery of Mr. Wells, and the fact that it's one of the few-very few- christmas books out this year that is getting any sort of notice/traction. But it's also got a couple gripes, which I will get out of the way right now.
First gripe (also the biggest); The ending. Oh god, the ending. They have all this build up of this mystery that i won't spoil, and they reveal and explain every single thing in a single chapter! It's so hasty and by-the-books explained, and after that there's almost nothing else to tell except, "They all live happily ever after". I was expecting that the main character was going to, like, become the next Nickel bay Nick or something like that.
Second Gripe; The whole thing with the mom (Won't spoil, don't worry) is never really expanded upon in any meaningful way except that it's a plot device used to give the character a reason to be angry so that the story can go somewhere. But here's the crazy part-the story didn't NEED the mom-son thing to move the plot onward! It's just some meaningless thing they put in to try to make the character more "relatable".
Now as for the things I DID like, I have a few:
First Complement; I did enjoy the characters a lot, especially Mr. Wells(am I getting that right? Hope so). Although Sam could be a little annoying at times, he got better as the story went on. The dad character, although not as fleshed out as I would like him to be, felt like a real person. All the characters in general were strong in their own ways.
Second Complement; The mystery of Mr. Wells was intriguing, but as I mentioned I hated how they revealed it. I wished that he would have left some things unexplained instead of outright telling you every little detail.
Third Complement; This book was fun to read. Like, really fun. But it also knew when to slow down the excitement and tug at your heartstrings a bit. The pacing was also good until the end.
In conclusion I enjoyed this book more than I didn't and would certainly recommend it if it seems interesting to you, and I'm giving this one a 7/10 and a 4/5.
First gripe (also the biggest); The ending. Oh god, the ending. They have all this build up of this mystery that i won't spoil, and they reveal and explain every single thing in a single chapter! It's so hasty and by-the-books explained, and after that there's almost nothing else to tell except, "They all live happily ever after". I was expecting that the main character was going to, like, become the next Nickel bay Nick or something like that.
Second Gripe; The whole thing with the mom (Won't spoil, don't worry) is never really expanded upon in any meaningful way except that it's a plot device used to give the character a reason to be angry so that the story can go somewhere. But here's the crazy part-the story didn't NEED the mom-son thing to move the plot onward! It's just some meaningless thing they put in to try to make the character more "relatable".
Now as for the things I DID like, I have a few:
First Complement; I did enjoy the characters a lot, especially Mr. Wells(am I getting that right? Hope so). Although Sam could be a little annoying at times, he got better as the story went on. The dad character, although not as fleshed out as I would like him to be, felt like a real person. All the characters in general were strong in their own ways.
Second Complement; The mystery of Mr. Wells was intriguing, but as I mentioned I hated how they revealed it. I wished that he would have left some things unexplained instead of outright telling you every little detail.
Third Complement; This book was fun to read. Like, really fun. But it also knew when to slow down the excitement and tug at your heartstrings a bit. The pacing was also good until the end.
In conclusion I enjoyed this book more than I didn't and would certainly recommend it if it seems interesting to you, and I'm giving this one a 7/10 and a 4/5.
July 29, 2017
A troubled boy finds redemption spreading holiday cheer.
Sam is Trouble. It seems his decisions are primarily based on what will most bother his dad, without his getting caught by the cops (again). He hasn't been sent to juvie yet, but then again, he's only 11. There's still time.
This Christmas is already shaping up to be the worst ever. He won't even get to see his mom--she's spending Christmas with her new family. His dad is worried about money, since business has been very slow at his bakery. Not to mention practically the whole town is just grumpy, because the mysterious Nickel Bay Nick, an anonymous person who has made a tradition of leaving $100 bill for people to find around town, has not shown up this year. Nick the No-Show has not made anyone happier.
Then on Christmas Day itself, Sam has an unfortunate incident with Old Mr. Wells' Christmas lights...and gutter...and other stuff. Mr. Wells makes Sam a deal--if Sam will show up to help with some "filing" for the next 12 days, Mr. Wells will not press charges or make him pay for the damage. Filing is not really on the agenda. What Sam does is train to become the next Nickel Bay Nick. As it turns out, Mr. Wells was Nickel Bay Nick, but he broke his leg this year, so he needs a replacement. Someone with some ability to sneak around wouldn't be a bad thing. Sam agrees to do it, not realizing how much his life will change in the process.
* * * * *
I have to admit this book stressed me out a little bit, because Sam reminded me a whole lot of a foster son I had. Not a bad kid, just someone who made a lot of dumb decisions based on not-so-great reasoning skills. Anyway, all that aside, I think this book would probably appeal to 8-12 year old boys. In fact, my 9 year old read it before I did, so we got to talk about it some. Some of the stuff Sam does needs talking over--for instance, breaking windows at an abandoned building, just for kicks.
I really liked the idea that was brought out, that focusing on the happiness of others makes your own life happier and fulfilling. Also, the spy stuff was fun. Sam grew up and matured in satisfying and believable ways.
My son liked it more than I did, but then--he was the target audience for it, after all.
I blog at: www.ofbooksandblooms.com
Sam is Trouble. It seems his decisions are primarily based on what will most bother his dad, without his getting caught by the cops (again). He hasn't been sent to juvie yet, but then again, he's only 11. There's still time.
This Christmas is already shaping up to be the worst ever. He won't even get to see his mom--she's spending Christmas with her new family. His dad is worried about money, since business has been very slow at his bakery. Not to mention practically the whole town is just grumpy, because the mysterious Nickel Bay Nick, an anonymous person who has made a tradition of leaving $100 bill for people to find around town, has not shown up this year. Nick the No-Show has not made anyone happier.
Then on Christmas Day itself, Sam has an unfortunate incident with Old Mr. Wells' Christmas lights...and gutter...and other stuff. Mr. Wells makes Sam a deal--if Sam will show up to help with some "filing" for the next 12 days, Mr. Wells will not press charges or make him pay for the damage. Filing is not really on the agenda. What Sam does is train to become the next Nickel Bay Nick. As it turns out, Mr. Wells was Nickel Bay Nick, but he broke his leg this year, so he needs a replacement. Someone with some ability to sneak around wouldn't be a bad thing. Sam agrees to do it, not realizing how much his life will change in the process.
* * * * *
I have to admit this book stressed me out a little bit, because Sam reminded me a whole lot of a foster son I had. Not a bad kid, just someone who made a lot of dumb decisions based on not-so-great reasoning skills. Anyway, all that aside, I think this book would probably appeal to 8-12 year old boys. In fact, my 9 year old read it before I did, so we got to talk about it some. Some of the stuff Sam does needs talking over--for instance, breaking windows at an abandoned building, just for kicks.
I really liked the idea that was brought out, that focusing on the happiness of others makes your own life happier and fulfilling. Also, the spy stuff was fun. Sam grew up and matured in satisfying and believable ways.
My son liked it more than I did, but then--he was the target audience for it, after all.
I blog at: www.ofbooksandblooms.com
June 29, 2016
Nickel Bay Nick is the newest contribution from Dean Pitchford--whose Captain Nobody has become a staple in my read-aloud repertoire with middle grade students. Sam Brattle lives with his dad in Nickel Bay, a town hit hard by the economic downturn. A former firefighter (and local hero) Sam's dad is now struggling to keep his small bakery open in a town where many other small businesses are closing and the larger ones are moving away.
Sam's mother left when he was small, right before he got so ill he required a heart transplant to live. Sam is awash in the misery of feeling alone and abandoned and not quite whole within himself. Teased at school, he has taken to hanging around with Jaxon, an older boy with a penchant for shoplifting and vandalism. As a result, Sam has developed a reputation in the small community as a troublemaker.
When an accident on Christmas night throws Sam into contact with his elderly next door neighbor, Mr. Wells, Sam doesn't immediately realize he has a chance to change his future by making some different choices in the NOW.
Nickel Bay Nick has a lot of good intentions. The problem is that none of those good intentions ever really blossom into a well-plotted story. Sam almost achieves the genuine voice I am used to hearing in Pitchford's main characters but not quite; he never really emerges from the pages in any three-dimensional form. The same can be said of the other characters in the story--Mr. Wells, Jaxon, even Sam's father; they are all more ideas of characters than actual functioning beings in the story.
Surprisingly, I had a hard time getting through this one; I was often bored. Nickel Bay Nick has some nice moments--like the scene where Sam first encounters Mr. Wells and the escapades in the Four Seasons Mall at the end--but overall it is just an okay read.
Sam's mother left when he was small, right before he got so ill he required a heart transplant to live. Sam is awash in the misery of feeling alone and abandoned and not quite whole within himself. Teased at school, he has taken to hanging around with Jaxon, an older boy with a penchant for shoplifting and vandalism. As a result, Sam has developed a reputation in the small community as a troublemaker.
When an accident on Christmas night throws Sam into contact with his elderly next door neighbor, Mr. Wells, Sam doesn't immediately realize he has a chance to change his future by making some different choices in the NOW.
Nickel Bay Nick has a lot of good intentions. The problem is that none of those good intentions ever really blossom into a well-plotted story. Sam almost achieves the genuine voice I am used to hearing in Pitchford's main characters but not quite; he never really emerges from the pages in any three-dimensional form. The same can be said of the other characters in the story--Mr. Wells, Jaxon, even Sam's father; they are all more ideas of characters than actual functioning beings in the story.
Surprisingly, I had a hard time getting through this one; I was often bored. Nickel Bay Nick has some nice moments--like the scene where Sam first encounters Mr. Wells and the escapades in the Four Seasons Mall at the end--but overall it is just an okay read.
December 3, 2013
Sam Brattle was not a happy kid. His dad’s business is not working out, his mom left and Sam is pretty much miserable. One night when he was angry at his dad for not telling him that his mom remarried, Sam was out breaking windows at an abandoned warehouse. The police show up but Sam gets away by climbing into the neighbor’s yard. When he fell out of a tree he destroyed Mr. Well’s (the neighbor’s) Christmas decorations and Sam is forced to work to pay them off. Little did Sam know that he is about to be caught up in a seven-year-old secret involving the town’s legendary Christmas do-gooder Nickel Bay Nick who is strangely missing this year. Sam soon learns that the fate of the entire town rests on him.
For as much as I was looking forward to reading this book, I am happy to say, Mr. Pitchford did not disappoint! This is an awesome book! Sam is a great main character. He’s pretty cool and very sneaky. I love how Sam is a bad kid but he’s forced into doing something really good (let’s just say blackmail is involved). I like how Sam’s character changes in the story. The plot is full of action and Mr. Pitchford’s writing style is exciting with just he right amount of details. The book not only has the action and spy stuff a kid like me likes, it also has a great story with characters that I ended up caring about. This is a middle grade Must Read!
*NOTE* I got an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
For as much as I was looking forward to reading this book, I am happy to say, Mr. Pitchford did not disappoint! This is an awesome book! Sam is a great main character. He’s pretty cool and very sneaky. I love how Sam is a bad kid but he’s forced into doing something really good (let’s just say blackmail is involved). I like how Sam’s character changes in the story. The plot is full of action and Mr. Pitchford’s writing style is exciting with just he right amount of details. The book not only has the action and spy stuff a kid like me likes, it also has a great story with characters that I ended up caring about. This is a middle grade Must Read!
*NOTE* I got an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
September 25, 2014
I have been a fan of Dean Pitchford since I read his book Captain Nobody. I laughed out loud when I read The Big One-Oh and had to share the audiobook with my family. Discovering that Dean Pitchford also wrote the movie Footloose and co-wrote the songs for the movie with songwriters Eric Carmen, Michael Gore, Sammy Hagar, Kenny Loggins, Tom Snow and Bill Wolfer - plus he wrote the song Fame among even more others - only endeared him to me more.
Dean Pitchford's latest book Nickel Bay Nick is an adventurous and fun coming of age story. The main character Sam gets through his worst Christmas in a down-on-its-luck town only to have an even worse December 26th. It doesn't help that a local hero from past Christmases fails to show up to bring hope, inspiration, and Christmas spirit to the little town. Sam must learn spy skills and a few secrets to help his town and bring his family closer together.
Dean Pitchford's latest book Nickel Bay Nick is an adventurous and fun coming of age story. The main character Sam gets through his worst Christmas in a down-on-its-luck town only to have an even worse December 26th. It doesn't help that a local hero from past Christmases fails to show up to bring hope, inspiration, and Christmas spirit to the little town. Sam must learn spy skills and a few secrets to help his town and bring his family closer together.
May 16, 2015
Middle school troublemaker Sam is in for a much bigger world of trouble when he finds himself crash-landing underneath the Christmas display in Mr. Wells' front yard. Things in Sam's hometown of Nickel Bay aren't very good to begin with - the economy's downturn has hit the small town hard - but to make matters even worse, Nickel Bay Nick hasn't shown up this year. Every December, during the Christmas shopping frenzy, Nickel Bay Nick visits the town and leaves hundred-dollar bills in the oddest of places for residents to find. Tucked into books at the bookstore, even slipped right into someone's pocket... and yet he hasn't visited this year to lift the town's spirits.
But when Mr. Wells makes Sam work for him for the rest of winter break in order to pay for the display in his front yard, Sam soon learns why. Mr. Wells was in an accident that's confined him to a wheelchair, which makes him much more conspicuous than usual - not exactly ideal for carrying out Nickel Bay Nick missions. As Nick spends the next two weeks being Nickel Bay Nick, he just may find that there's more to his life than he thinks.
This was a great read, and unusual in that it's a kids' Christmas book that's centered around action-adventure. It would be a good seasonal read to recommend to kids who like heist type books. Loved that Sam the narrator was very flawed!
But when Mr. Wells makes Sam work for him for the rest of winter break in order to pay for the display in his front yard, Sam soon learns why. Mr. Wells was in an accident that's confined him to a wheelchair, which makes him much more conspicuous than usual - not exactly ideal for carrying out Nickel Bay Nick missions. As Nick spends the next two weeks being Nickel Bay Nick, he just may find that there's more to his life than he thinks.
This was a great read, and unusual in that it's a kids' Christmas book that's centered around action-adventure. It would be a good seasonal read to recommend to kids who like heist type books. Loved that Sam the narrator was very flawed!
June 14, 2015
Dan Pitchford has done a fantastic job creating a self absorbed, chip-on-his-shoulder, 11-year-old delinquent, who goes through a complete character transformation during the story.
Sam's mom left him and his dad when he was 3 1/5 years old - just a few months before Sam had to have a heart transplant. At about the same time, the town's main employer, a factory, burned to the ground. Fast forward 7 years and we find much of the town abandoned and the residents that are left struggling to get by. The town comes alive with hope only once a year when Nickel Bay Nick anonymously distributes 45, $100 bills at businesses, homes and to individuals around the town. No one has every been able to discover who Nick really is, but this year everything changes.
This would also be a good read aloud.
I loved this book. It is touching, hopeful and positive on so many levels. I would love to see this as a MHL Div 1 or Crossover.
Confidence does no good unless you apply it.
Bad things can happen to anyone, but the way we respond to those things is the power we always have in our hands.
Thinking more about others and less about oneself is a key to changing ones attitude.
Changing your attitude can change your life.
Sam's mom left him and his dad when he was 3 1/5 years old - just a few months before Sam had to have a heart transplant. At about the same time, the town's main employer, a factory, burned to the ground. Fast forward 7 years and we find much of the town abandoned and the residents that are left struggling to get by. The town comes alive with hope only once a year when Nickel Bay Nick anonymously distributes 45, $100 bills at businesses, homes and to individuals around the town. No one has every been able to discover who Nick really is, but this year everything changes.
This would also be a good read aloud.
I loved this book. It is touching, hopeful and positive on so many levels. I would love to see this as a MHL Div 1 or Crossover.
Confidence does no good unless you apply it.
Bad things can happen to anyone, but the way we respond to those things is the power we always have in our hands.
Thinking more about others and less about oneself is a key to changing ones attitude.
Changing your attitude can change your life.
November 14, 2016
11 year old boy named Sam who has already been picked up by the local cops many times stole his father's car keys and gave them to a 15 year old friend who steals the car. Sam had a heart transplant at age 4 but lives so recklessly. His friend Jaxon likes to shoplift. Sam has vandalized the teachers' lounge at school. He has a bad attitude, talks back to his dad, is mad he can't see his mom and says he would rather drink gasoline than go to Christmas dinner at his dad's girlfriend's house. His dad owns failing bakery business in town. Sam finds out his mom has remarried when he sneaks into his dad's room. Nickel Bay Nick is someone who gives out money around Christmas, but this year there is no sign of him. Everyone is poor. One night when Sam gets in a fight with his dad , he goes on a wild rampage and starts throwing asphalt at windows of a home and now the cops are after him again. There is just too much teenage drama. I would not buy this for elementary kids. I read two chapters/20 pages and that was ENOUGH for me! Not recommended.
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March 12, 2016Nickel Bay Nick was an amazing book. It is about a boy named Sam Brattle that gets involved in a lot of trouble with the law. Since his dad knows all the police men, Sam usually gets off the hook. Sam's dad owns a bakery that is slowly going bankrupt, so bills are hard to pay. In Sam's town, Nickel Bay, there is a person that comes around every Christmas and slips 100 dollar bills into peoples cars, pockets, and into things people buy. But this year, Nickel Bay Nick has not shown up and the town is very gloomy. No one knows who Nickel Bay Nick is but Sam. When Sam gets in trouble at Mr. Well's house and has to work to pay off his debt for all the broken things that need replacing, Sam soon finds out the identity of Nickel Bay Nick. Sam has to go on "missions" for Nick to teach him a lesson. Who is Nickel Bay Nick? Will Nick be trusted and be able to complete the missions? Read this amazing book to find out.
January 30, 2015
Nickel Bay Nick is a story of family, friends, love and second chances. Sam Brattle finds himself in big trouble with his next door neighbor and is forced to work to pay off his debt or face having charges pressed against him for destruction of property. He is not happy about having to work for his reclusive neighbor but his new work situation turns out to be a blessing in disguise. Mr. Wells teaches Sam a few things about how his behavior impacts others and why he should choose to do the right thing. This book had a good message without being overly preachy. I liked most of the characters in the book especially Mr. Wells, Dr. Sakata and Sam because of their sharp wit and comical interactions. I also liked the fact that the book shows that no matter a person's past or previous bad decisions you can always move forward and choose a better path.
February 22, 2019
This is a fun book to read with suspense while taking place during the 12 days after Christmas. Sam the main character. gets into trouble a lot and has anger issues relating to being abandoned as a baby by his mother. His father struggles financially. At the beginning of the story, he has been in trouble quite a bit for shoplifting and vandalism. But he messes up the lawn of a neighbor, who is a former spy and is wealthy. He has to pay him back for all the damage to the holiday decorations and ends up getting involved in a 3 phase covert operation which is top secret and fun. It takes place over the 12 days of Christmas and it involves getting $4500 in one hundred dollar bill increments secretly out to the townspeople. Lots of fun suspense, a unique and original story. I really liked it
August 16, 2016
Sam is a troubled kid. Ever since he had a heart transplant, things have gone downhill. His mom left and remarried, his dad's bakery is failing, his town is not doing well, and on top of that, he has become friends with some troublemakers who like to break the law. On Christmas day, Sam finds himself in quite a lot of trouble when he falls out of a tree and damages his neighbor's house. Mr. Wells then makes a deal with Sam that if Sam will work for him to pay off the damages, he won't press charges. But Mr. Wells has a secret that just may change Sam's life.
I really enjoyed this book about second chances. Even though Sam isn't perfect, he's likeable and he's willing to change, which I think is a great message for middle school readers. Definitely a must read--I'll be sharing this one with my daughters, niece, and nephews for sure!
I really enjoyed this book about second chances. Even though Sam isn't perfect, he's likeable and he's willing to change, which I think is a great message for middle school readers. Definitely a must read--I'll be sharing this one with my daughters, niece, and nephews for sure!
October 12, 2015
A sweet, sad story about Sam Brattle as he struggles to cope with growing up. Sam battles with his father and has a distant mother who has recently remarried and has a new family now. Sam turns more and more toward a life of crime and rebellion, until one night as he runs from the police, he winds up at his mysterious neighbors house causing chaos and major damage. In order to work off the debt of the damages he caused, he is forced into restitution over Christmas break. It turns out to be more than Sam bargained for, and in exchange, Sam learns that things are not always as they seem. I loved this book! Very reminiscent to me of Gary Schmidt's Okay for Now, and Louis Sachar's Holes; stories of boys teetering on the edge of making a choice in life from which there is no turning back.
April 29, 2014
This is the best middle school book I have read this year and could be a contender for the Newbery award! (I will be booktalking this one next year.)Eleven year old Sam is one unhappy boy. His mother left when he was young, he had a heart transplant, his father's bakery is going bankrupt and he hangs around with the wrong kids and is constantly getting in trouble with the law. One person can change that.....Nickel Bay Nick, the town Good Samaritan. Nick didn't grace the town with his $100 bills last year but can he find an accomplice in young Sam? Is he up to using his pickpocket skills for good?
February 10, 2016
This was a good book and a great read for Christmastime. My boys didn't like it at first because the character has a history of vandalizing and shoplifting and arguing with his dad. I talked with them about why Sam is angry and why could be doing these things. I think that was an important discussion, especially for a kid with autism. As the story continues, we get to know more of what Sam is thinking and we learn more about Mr. Well's past. The story has a good climax and great resolution.
December 12, 2016
The first couple chapters were very hard for me to read - the kid is a punk, vandal, a jerk to his dad... I'm thinking to myself, my son read this book and said it was good. Really good. That I should read it. All I can think about is how rotten this kid is and my son was reading about it! Yikes!
But I persevered. And I'm glad I did. It was a wonderful story. Bad kid messes up yet again, and has to work to make things right. And he learns about life in the process. And that's all I'll say, because I don't want to ruin it for anyone.
But I persevered. And I'm glad I did. It was a wonderful story. Bad kid messes up yet again, and has to work to make things right. And he learns about life in the process. And that's all I'll say, because I don't want to ruin it for anyone.
November 17, 2014
This book is a feel-good story. The missions are surprising and share a positive message for readers. Although Sam seems to be a sassy, pain in the butt, the missions allow his good qualities to shine. The author is able create a sense of mystery surrounding the old man and his missions. There's something the old man isn't saying, but readers may be able to guess it. This book is one of my favorites of this year.
January 2, 2015
An eleven-year-old boy from a broken family and a depressed town lashes out by vandalizing other people's properties and stealing with his other no good friends. After one close call from the cops, he finds himself working for his mysterious neighbor. Suddenly, he's part of a secret that he's not sure he can handle.
This festive middle grade novel is sure to charm readers who crave adventure and mystery with a touch of heart.
This festive middle grade novel is sure to charm readers who crave adventure and mystery with a touch of heart.
February 25, 2015
I grabbed this book from the library when I found out it was on the Cybils short list for this year's middle grade fiction. It is no surprise to me that it won the top spot. What an amazing book! So many different layers and relationships being explored. The over-arching themes of forgiveness and redemption were explored in a unique and different way. I loved the ending and was close in my guess as to what would happen, but not completely correct, which is always a nice surprise.
January 18, 2015
This book was amazing! It is about a kid who has problems with his dad, the cops, and basically everyone in Nickel Bay. But when he accidentally brakes some Christmas decorations, he gets drawn into a world of giving, and forgiveness. instead of picking pockets, he turns into a put pocket, where he slips 100 dollar bills into people's pockets. I would recommend this book to anyone, young, or old.
January 3, 2019
Really fun read, read aloud to the kids. They all enjoyed it and wanted me to keep going each time i stopped. The kid does not have a good family life (parents divorced, he doesn't talk appropriately to his dad, he hangs out with bad influences, they steal and lie...all good things to talk about). But, the story is cool, the theme is around Christmas, the kid learns a lot, and it's even a bit emotional. A lot going on in this fun and action packed book.
February 18, 2015
Eleven year old Sam Brattle is running out of chances. Vandalism is not a good way to relieve the stress of a failing family business, mom’s new family, dad’s new girlfriend, and the extra adult scrutiny that life after a heart transplant brings. Sam has one last chance to redeem himself by playing Good Samaritan in Operation Christmas Rescue.
(Reviewer #26)
(Reviewer #26)
December 3, 2015
Great Christmas story. A coming-of-age story with a surprise ending. If you like mysteries and/or Christmas stories this is a good one. It also is good for young people to see why choosing your friends is important. It deals with divorce and dad has a girlfriend. It's about turning yourself around and the importance of finding your true self and not listening to what "friends" think of you.
July 21, 2016
Instead of St. Nick, Nickel Bay, a small, economically depressed town has Nickel Bay Nick. No one knows who he is. Sam, a local troublemaker finds out when "Nick" uses blackmail to enlist his help this Christmas season. Sam will need all his troublemaking skills plus a few new ones (becoming a put-pocket) if he wants to remain anonymous.
January 5, 2014
Cole and I read this together. Coincidentally, the book takes place during Sam's Christmas vacation from 5th grade. The dialogue was very realistic. We both liked the different plot twists and the ending. I would recommend this book.
March 12, 2014
I read a lot of children's books and rarely add them to my list, but this one was outstanding. Well written, great characters, and a unique plot. I highly recommend for kids in grade 5 and up. Equally enjoyable for adults...check the author's credentials...he is not "just" a kids' author.
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