Description

Newport, Rhode Island, 1915. Ten-year-old Petie Cottrell wishes the warmth of Christmas could last all year.

But the months ahead bring changes she cannot fully understand. Her father’s illness threatens his work at the family store on Thames Street. Money grows uncertain, relatives impose their expectations, and her Norwegian-born mother, Marie, must make difficult choices to keep the household steady.

Through school days, ferry crossings, summer parades, and the familiar comforts of her mother’s kitchen, Petie begins to recognize the courage behind ordinary acts of care. A cherished silver pin, a welcoming table, and a woman’s determination to stand up for herself acquire meanings she could never have found beneath a Christmas tree.

Written by Faith and Tracy Connors, Christmas on Catherine Street is a historical novel based on the Cottrell family’s story, drawing on recollections Petie later shared with her daughter, Faith, and illustrated with family photographs and historical images.

Set among Newport’s year-round residents and the shores of nearby Jamestown, it follows a family facing hardship while preserving the traditions and affection that sustain them. As another December approaches, Petie discovers how much of Christmas has been with her through every season.

Other works by the author that offer enjoyable reading experiences: Pee Wee of Clark’s Hill Rhode53Island Flavors of the Fjords