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The Christmas Bus
Worried that the Trustees will oust her as director of Peaceful Valley Orphanage, Mrs. Frump tries to make Christmas unforgettable for the eight orphans known as The Hooligans, while a singer from a nearby town must decide between staying home and seeking his fortune.Mrs. Frump, the director of the Peaceful Valley Orphanage, tries to make Christmas unforgettable for the eight orphans known as The Hooligans, while a singer from a nearby town must decide between staying home and seeking his fortune.
- GenresChristmas
77 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2006
22 people want to read
About the author
Robert Inman
34 books43 followersRobert Inman’s new novel, The Governor’s Lady, is available now from John F. Blair Publishers. Drawing on his a career as a journalist and creative writer, Inman has crafted the story of Cooper Lanier, a determined woman fighting to establish her independence in the tumultuous world of male-dominated politics.
The Governor’s Lady is Inman’s fifth novel, following Home Fires Burning (1987), Old Dogs and Children (1991), Dairy Queen Days (1997), and Captain Saturday (2002), all published originally by Little, Brown and Company, and now available in popular e-book formats. He is also the author of a collection of non-fiction work, Coming Home: Life, Love and All Things Southern, and an illustrated family holiday book, The Christmas Bus.
Inman has written screenplays for six motion pictures for television, two of which have been “Hallmark Hall of Fame” presentations. His script for The Summer of Ben Tyler, a Hallmark production, won the Writers’ Guild of America Award as the best original television screenplay of 1997. His other Hallmark feature was Home Fires Burning, a 1989 adaptation of his novel.
Inman’s first stage play, the musical comedy Crossroads, had its world premiere in 2003 at Blowing Rock Stage Company, a professional theatre in Blowing Rock, NC. His playwriting credits also include The Christmas Bus, Dairy Queen Days, Welcome to Mitford, A High Country Christmas Carol, The Christmas Bus: The Musical, and The Drama Club. Inman wrote the book, music and lyrics for Crossroads and The Christmas Bus: The Musical. Inman’s plays are published by Dramatic Publishing Company.
Robert Inman is a native of Elba, Alabama, where he began his writing career in junior high school with his hometown weekly newspaper. He left a 31-year career in television journalism in 1996 to devote full time to fiction writing.
He is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of The University of Alabama with Bachelor of Arts and Master of Fine Arts degrees. He has been selected as Outstanding Alumnus of the University of Alabama College of Communication and Information Sciences, and was inducted into the Alabama Communication Hall of Fame.
He is a member of the Authors Guild, Writers Guild of America, Dramatists Guild, PEN American Center, North Carolina Writers Conference, North Carolina Writers Network, and Alabama Writers Forum.
Inman and his wife, Paulette, live in Conover and Boone, North Carolina. They have two daughters: Larkin Ferris of Breckenridge, CO; and Lee Farabaugh of Atlanta.
Author's web site: www.robert-inman.com.
The Governor’s Lady is Inman’s fifth novel, following Home Fires Burning (1987), Old Dogs and Children (1991), Dairy Queen Days (1997), and Captain Saturday (2002), all published originally by Little, Brown and Company, and now available in popular e-book formats. He is also the author of a collection of non-fiction work, Coming Home: Life, Love and All Things Southern, and an illustrated family holiday book, The Christmas Bus.
Inman has written screenplays for six motion pictures for television, two of which have been “Hallmark Hall of Fame” presentations. His script for The Summer of Ben Tyler, a Hallmark production, won the Writers’ Guild of America Award as the best original television screenplay of 1997. His other Hallmark feature was Home Fires Burning, a 1989 adaptation of his novel.
Inman’s first stage play, the musical comedy Crossroads, had its world premiere in 2003 at Blowing Rock Stage Company, a professional theatre in Blowing Rock, NC. His playwriting credits also include The Christmas Bus, Dairy Queen Days, Welcome to Mitford, A High Country Christmas Carol, The Christmas Bus: The Musical, and The Drama Club. Inman wrote the book, music and lyrics for Crossroads and The Christmas Bus: The Musical. Inman’s plays are published by Dramatic Publishing Company.
Robert Inman is a native of Elba, Alabama, where he began his writing career in junior high school with his hometown weekly newspaper. He left a 31-year career in television journalism in 1996 to devote full time to fiction writing.
He is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of The University of Alabama with Bachelor of Arts and Master of Fine Arts degrees. He has been selected as Outstanding Alumnus of the University of Alabama College of Communication and Information Sciences, and was inducted into the Alabama Communication Hall of Fame.
He is a member of the Authors Guild, Writers Guild of America, Dramatists Guild, PEN American Center, North Carolina Writers Conference, North Carolina Writers Network, and Alabama Writers Forum.
Inman and his wife, Paulette, live in Conover and Boone, North Carolina. They have two daughters: Larkin Ferris of Breckenridge, CO; and Lee Farabaugh of Atlanta.
Author's web site: www.robert-inman.com.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
December 29, 2024
As a book, it's cute enough. But my library has this shelved as an "Easy" book in the children's picture book holiday section. If a mom grabbed this to read to her toddler or preschooler, it would be quickly rejected. It's quite long, divided into chapters, with a LOT of words on each page. I think a child would probably need to be at least 8 to enjoy even hearing it read.
I still have questions... The kids didn't want to be distributed to other families for a few days, and nothing in the story happened to change their minds. Yet they still got taken to other families for a couple of days, and then the story jumped to them being successful adults. I felt like I was missing something, until I realized it was originally a play. It didn't translate well. A lot can be forgiven in a play; it needed some serious editing to be made into a decent children's book.
I still have questions... The kids didn't want to be distributed to other families for a few days, and nothing in the story happened to change their minds. Yet they still got taken to other families for a couple of days, and then the story jumped to them being successful adults. I felt like I was missing something, until I realized it was originally a play. It didn't translate well. A lot can be forgiven in a play; it needed some serious editing to be made into a decent children's book.
December 20, 2020
When I am in a production I like to read the source material. This book aligned well with the play though I felt it lacked the heart the play has in the loss of the music. As a children's book I felt it was entirely too long, lacked a real good vs. evil battle, and had a rushed conclusion. But as an adult I enjoyed all 75 pages (right? A children's book, remember) and I treasure having a memento of our show.
January 2, 2021
An older reader picture bus that will probably be enjoyed in more than one sitting. If only everyone could have a Frump as a friend. A wonderful portrayal of kindness from the youngest to the older folks.
January 22, 2022
Robert Inman's "The Christmas Bus" is the sweet story of an orphanage director's relentless love for those in her care. Their childish hijinks do nothing to deter her from giving them the best, most adventurous Christmas on-board a rusty, old bus with a hitchhiking, love-sick, guitar-toting singer.
June 23, 2008
illustrations done by lyle baskin, my second father =)
October 26, 2009
Cute story. Easy read
June 7, 2016
This is a really cute play. It's got some really funny lines in there too. For example, "You know Mama and Daddy like to hear music while they're shelling butterbeans!"
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews