The Boat of Dreams: A Christmas Story

by Richard Preston, George Henry Jennings (Illustrator)

Stumbling upon a rugged, ornery, somewhat smelly old man watching TV in the trailer they call home, Lila and Will Foster, who have recently lost their father in conflict in Vietnam, begin to realize that their visitor is Santa Claus, here to grant them a special Christmas wish in the form of their father's beautiful lobster boat, the Sarah Ann. 125,000 first printing.

Genres: Christmas, Fiction, Holiday

111 pages, Hardcover

First published October 28, 2003

About the author

Richard Preston is a journalist and nonfiction writer.

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.

Reviews

[Mamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love to curl up with a cup of tea and a warm Christmas story. This book embodies that perfect moment. I cared very much about the family and wanted them to come through their trials and find grace. A grumpy, disheveled Santa who may or may not be God Himself- brilliant!

[Clarabelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short but heartwarming story.  The characters are very relatable. I may have had an eyelash or two fall in my eyes. The writing style is the only reason it's not 5 stars, it wasn't choppy but it wasn't as fluid as I would expect from such a short novel.

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was written for the author's dying friend, and proceeds go to charity, so I don't want to be too negative, but it is not the heartwarming story I was expecting. A family of four living in a trailer on the Maine coast face hardships when Dad doesn't return from Vietnam. With Mom working a lot, the two children are left alone more than usual. They think their trailer is haunted when a large, grumpy man shows up to watch TV. The man turns out to be a surprise, as does the subsequent plot. Quite an unusual, non-Hallmark Christmas story!

[Anna Wiley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I remember this story being much more magical when I heard it read aloud as a child. I think as an adult, I found the ending a bit too easy (though perhaps it's just a sad casualty of "growing up" that I was dissatisfied with a predictably happy ending). I did enjoy revisiting it, especially since I didn't remember it very clearly, but I'm also not sure I can fully get on board with the story from a theological perspective.

[Gregory Pedersen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars. This was a warm, albeit, unique Christmas story of love and belief. It tells the fictitious story of s family struggling to survive the holidays following a terrible loss, and they are saved by the more cranky spirit of Christmas. It definitely provided a feel-good conclusion that one would expect from a holiday themed book.

[Helen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I just don't know what to say about this book. I appreciate the author's intentions on writing this story. In my mind it was somewhat of a jumbled blur that did not make much sense. It wasn't a terrible story, but it just left me feeling like "Alright then...". In a spiritual context it was charming.

[Susan · Rating 1 out of 5]

It started out as a believable story, then became weird fantasy, and Santa became God. I just didn't get it at all.

[Megan Henderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s an odd little story but I liked it.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fiction

[Nancy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was okay, a little predictable. A quick read. Nice Christmas story.

[Misty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love the surprised ending!!

[Tanya Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute quick read about why we never stop believing!

[Cindy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a down east Tale but I do not think it is a great story for young people.

[Justin Duckett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christmas is 2 months away, but it feels like it's tomorrow.

The Boat of Dreams: A Christmas Story is a story about a family that has nothing to do for Christmas and lost their father in the war. They have to find a way to make their season worth while and have fun without their father. But, there's some competition for their father's lobster boat, and the family doesn't want to sell it. But, one morning they awoke and found the Christmas spirit sitting in their living room. Together, the children, Will and Sarah Ann have to help make the world's Christmas better to get theirs better.

I loved this book! It put me in the Christmas spirit and made me want to read more of these books for some reason. It was a very heartwarming story with lots of climatic points. The plot was well thought out and detailed, which is hard to find in some books. Also, the characters grew on to you and one could actually have sympathy for the characters as the story went on.

In the beginning, it introduced the characters. Will, a 13 year old boy who has a sense for adventure, but just had news of his father being KIA. Sarah Ann, Will's younger sister, is not very familiar with the things going on around her, and she is confused a lot. As the story goes on, we learn that Will really cared for his father, but he loves his mom and sister just the same. The characters really grew on me as the author used tone words to show how they feel and what the experience. I think the author used tone to plot the story in a way that sticks to you and gets you feeling the way he wants you to.

The plot in this story opens up in a small area off the coast of Maine where a family of 3 are in a small trailer. The author, Richard Preston, uses a great deal of intriguing words to describe the atmosphere, the tension, and the characters. Words like "densely grey" and "peculiarly." This story was one of a kind, different than any other Christmas story. It consisted of an original plot with a very vibrant and eccentric twist to it. I was surprised to find out what they did with the lobster boat and that they didn't have Santa, but the ghost of Christmas. The descriptions and detail were stunning!

Normally in stories like this, there is a lack of detail and very little descriptions. But, this one had loads of details. The way the author described the lobster boat in words was like handing a photograph to my brain. That's how well I pictured most things in my brain. From the spirit's red and brown suit to the way the lighthouse shone through the foggy, snowy ground. I do believe Mr. Preston did an excellent job composing this story!

Overall, Richard Preston is an outstanding author in this novel. I couldn't put it down and I read whenever I had the chance. I completed it in a mere 2 days and would read it at least 5 more times. And I know that I will continue to read books by Richard Preston, simply because he is a great author. For all the details and greatness, this story is worth a 5 out of 5.

[Katelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

My dad gave me a copy of this book last year, pointing out the author (I really enjoyed Preston's books on infectious diseases) and told me to read it. I didn't get a chance until this morning, after a restless sleep waiting to hear news about my dying grandfather. Perhaps my current emotional state helped me connect to this tale of two children who just want their dad to come home, seizing on the idea of sharing dreams as a way to escape reality. Quite a nice little read, all in one sitting. Definitely teared up at the end.

I love how Preston vividly characterizes figures in both his fiction and non-fiction works. Some of my favorite bits from the book: when the children are shouting dreams, Willie says "I dreamed you found the most valuable treasure on Earth!" And Santa continues, "And the treasure you found was the Earth. I'm dreaming of red-tailed hawks, the way they stream south along the ridges! I'm dreaming of sequoia trees, thrusting their ancient spires at the moon! I'm dreaming of canyons, deepening imperceptibly with every droplet of rain! I'm dreaming of whales, the way they breach and throw the sea off their backs! I'm dreaming of prairies, ignited with flowers from horizon to horizon! For twelve billion years I have dreamed! Such a long time to dream, yet it was no time at all! I dreamed that time did not register its flow! I dreamed that what registered in the end was only love, for love is the only power strong enough to shake time to it core and make it loosen its grip! What is wrong with you people? Have you forgotten how to love?"

Possibly my favorite bit is when Willie says "You did a nice job making the universe, Sir." And Santa replies, "It's just a cobbled rig to hold the dreams." And, of course, a line my own father says often that perhaps he got from this book: "I guess I should have said at the beginning that this is a love story."

Great gift for Christmas.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Boat of Dreams by Richard Preston is a heart-warming tale of hope and love, which was originally written for his friend who was dying of breast cancer. This is a wonderful story to share with the entire family, especially during the holidays.

Preston brings Santa to life in a very `realistic" way, much to both the horror and delight of thirteen-year-old Will and his six-year-old sister, Lila. "Santa" teaches Will and Lila to dream their biggest dreams, allowing their love to flow for everyone, as they transverse the world on Christmas Eve in their departed father's beloved lobster boat. Magic and miracles are in the air as Will and Lila have the adventure of their life on this unforgettable night. They learn that things are not what they seem and that love does indeed create miracles.

It brings laughter, surprises, and tears and tells through an unforgettable story how love is the one power that can overcome all.

[Joanna · Rating 1 out of 5]

I've read all of Richard Preston's other books, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend any of them (with the possible exception of The Cobra Event just because it has some disturbing gore--not that his other books don't, but they didn't seem as bad). This book was a major disappointment in every way--from the writing style and implausible plot to the crude, spiritless Santa who ended up being God. Awkward at best, offensive at worst. I wanted to like it because I liked the characters (even though they weren't very well-developed), but if it had been a longer book, I wouldn't have bothered finishing it.

[Terri · Rating 3 out of 5]

2024: So much for reading every Christmas. It must have got lost in a book case, and just found again. Really enjoyed the story. Will try to remember for next Christmas....but any time of year will work.

2013:Loved the story. A new book to read and re-read every Christmas. A young boy trying to get through Christmas without his Dad who was lost in a rice paddy in Vietnam. He and his sister get home from school one day to find a dirty, smelly old spirit in their home. Of course, it's a feel good book, but well worth the read. And it does make you feel good and warm and teary inside.

[Anne Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a short Christmas story about a family in Maine who lived in a trailer and had an old lobster boat in the meadow. The boat belonged to the father who was thought to have died in Vietnam. An old man, supposedly Santa, takes the kids on a ride with the boat all over the world, thinking of dreams to give to everyone.

[Cara Kelly Merrill · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was recommended to me, and I'm glad I read it. The plot pulls every emotion out of you: fear, happiness, sadness, anger, and more. However, it's the 'unknown' in this book that really makes you think. Strange, weird, odd, unpredictable...but very good little book!

[Susie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read only Christmas books between Thanksgiving and Christmas. This one was fanciful and fun.

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a nice Christmas book to read during the holidays.

[Vicky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good Christmas book, with a great surprise ending.

[Teresa · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was a rather odd story but the ending redeemed itself!

[Hapzydeco · Rating 5 out of 5]

With Christmas but 6 months away this story made me appreciate that our dreams are real.

[Lawrence Doggett, Jr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful story of love, hope and life by the same man who can scare the pants off you. After reading The Hot Zone I never would have expected this from him. Nice to see he's got balance.

[Lavonne · Rating 3 out of 5]

A so-so Christmas story, although I did love who "Santa" turned out to be in the end.

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

A heart warming story about the power of love.

[Baley Whary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a good Christmas book to read when you're by yourself. Be prepared with tissues. Really, though, this is a very touching story and really gets to the heart of Christmas.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

if you love sweet story this is good one