9780743406246. New condition. Hard cover. Language: English. Pages: 256. Sewn binding. Cloth over boards. 256 p. Contains: Illustrations. In the tradition of The Gift of the Magi comes a heartwarming holiday novel to treasure... During the hard times of the Great Depression, newlyweds Peter and Lucy Thompson move to New York City, determined to create a life together filled with love and joy, if not riches. But Peter's promised job is not waiting when he arrives; it has been lost to the financial hardships gripping the city and the nation. As Christmas approaches, the young couple's meager savings have all but disappeared. However, Peter -- filled with childlike wonder, love for Lucy, and faith in the magic of Christmas -- never loses hope. Suddenly, on Christmas Eve, Peter makes an extravagant gesture of his love for Lucy, but just as quickly, tragedy strikes before he can deliver it -- and before Lucy can deliver her own gift...news of a baby. One year later, the penniless young mother -- despondent and bereft of hope -- makes the painful decision to leave her carefully bundled child on the steps of an orphanage. But Lucy's desperate act on Christmas Eve will set the stage for a miracle so remarkable that it will restore shattered hope and renew faith in the mysterious loving kindness that touches our lives when we least expect. A magical tale filled with gentle humor and genuine, heart-tugging emotion, Little Ellie Claus is a gift of love and hope for this season and beyond.