Nan Sherwood's Winter Holidays

In Short

When a blizzard strands boarding-school chums Nan Sherwood and Bess Harley on their way home for Christmas, a simple journey turns into a series of unexpected rescues. Nan brings warmth, cleverness, and steady nerve to every trouble she meets, whether taming a lost puppy in a baggage car, tracking down runaway country girls in Chicago, or leading terrified theatergoers through a smoke-filled room during a projection-booth fire. Annie Roe Carr's early-twentieth-century juvenile novel endures as an affectionate chronicle of resourcefulness, steadfast friendship, and the quiet dignity of choosing kindness over prestige.

The Story

The winter term at Lakeview Hall on Lake Huron closes with toboggan runs down Pendragon Hill and cheerful calls across the ice to Isle of Hope. Boarding-school friends Nan Sherwood and Bess Harley head off for the holidays, looking forward to spending Christmas at home in Tillbury and then joining their friend Grace Mason in Chicago. Their travel plans are abruptly halted when a massive Michigan blizzard stalls their train in deep drifts. Instead of complaining, Nan and Bess inspect the frozen cars, discover an abandoned spaniel puppy in the baggage coach, and help the conductor secure milk from a local farmer, Si Snubbins, to feed hungry children in the smoking car.

At the Snubbins and Morton farmhouses, the girls learn that two local farm girls, Sallie Morton and Celia Snubbins, have run away to Chicago in pursuit of careers as moving-picture actresses. Touched by the distress of the parents, Nan promises to keep an eye out for the missing girls when she reaches the city.

After a brief, happy Christmas reunion with her family—where Nan learns that her father’s new automobile agency is threatened by the spiteful rumors of a local rival, Ravell Bulson—Nan and Bess travel on to Grace’s luxurious Chicago residence. The city brings both glamour and hardship. Nan meets a famous film actress, searches high and low for the missing farm girls, and rescues a street waif named Inez from the path of a skidding automobile. Inez, a proud flower girl fleeing a cruel aunt, proves difficult to track down, but Nan and her friends track her through cold tenement courts, ensure a sick neighbor gets medical care, and eventually take Inez into their protection.

Complications multiply when Nan encounters Ravell Bulson and his young, brace-wearing son, Junior, who happens to be the owner of the lost spaniel puppy. Despite the hostility of Bulson and the persistent malicious gossip of school rival Linda Riggs—who tries to publicly accuse Nan of shoplifting—Nan maintains her composure. Her bravery is put to the ultimate test when a fire breaks out in a crowded moving-picture theater. While panic sends the crowd into a dangerous stampede, Nan keeps her head, protects her friends and little Inez, and guides them safely clear of the flames.

Nan's persistence pays off completely: she locates Sallie and Celia at a film studio, where the thoroughly chastened girls are glad to give up their theatrical ambitions and return home to their families. Her father's business troubles clear up, and Nan takes little Inez back home to Tillbury to live with her mother as a cheerful companion. Nan returns to Lakeview Hall richer in friendships and satisfied in the knowledge that courage and quiet kindness are their own reward.

How It Unfolds

Stuck in the drifts A violent Michigan blizzard halts the northbound passenger train, freezing the pipes and stranding passengers in the bitter cold. Nan and Bess explore the dimly lit baggage coach, rescue a shivering spaniel puppy from his crate, and help the conductor procure fresh milk from nearby farms for the stranded children.

A promise to grieving parents Warmly welcomed into the snowbound farmhouse of Si Snubbins and Peleg Morton, the girls enjoy hot flapjacks and listen to the heartbreak of parents whose daughters have run off to the big city. Nan promises to search for Sallie and Celia as soon as she reaches Chicago.

City lights and shadow Arriving at the grand Mason residence in Chicago, Nan experiences luxurious living while pursuing her search through the city's streets and film studios. Her path crosses with a famous film director and a fierce little flower seller named Inez, whom Nan dramatically saves from an oncoming automobile.

Facing down malice At a festive gathering, bitter school rival Linda Riggs tries to ruin Nan's reputation by falsely accusing her of stealing a piece of jewelry in a department store. Nan quietly explains the truth of the misunderstanding, earning the deep respect of her friends while Linda's cruelty backfires.

Crisis in the dark While attending a moving-picture show, sparks from the projection box ignite the balcony draperies, causing a terrifying audience panic. Nan remains calm amid the falling embers, holds her friends back from the trampling crush at the main doors, and leads her group safely out of the smoke.

Reunion and homecoming Nan finally discovers the disillusioned runaways at a movie lot and brings them home, where their grateful fathers arrive to collect them. With the mysteries solved and Inez happily adopted into the Sherwood household, Nan looks back on her eventful vacation with a grateful heart.

The People

Nan Sherwood wants to protect her family's peace, help those in distress, and navigate boarding-school social dynamics with grace. She faces cold blizzards, false accusations of theft, urban poverty, and sudden life-threatening fires. Through every trial, her practical sense, steady courage, and warm empathy keep her grounded, earning her the lasting gratitude of farm families, street waifs, and school friends alike.

Bess Harley, Nan's loyal and spirited chum, wants fun, excitement, and justice for her best friend. She struggles against a hot temper and an impish streak when confronting school rivals or heartless adults, but her devotion to Nan and her eager helpfulness never waver.

Grace Mason wants to be a generous host and a good friend, but her innate shyness and fear of responsibility initially hold her back. Surrounded by Nan's example, Grace grows braver, eventually stepping into tenement houses and opening her home to needy children.

Walter Mason, Grace's warm-hearted brother, wants to protect his sister and support Nan. Standing up against petty gossip and guiding his companions through urban chaos, he becomes a reliable ally throughout their Chicago adventures.

Linda Riggs wants social preeminence and delights in humbling others. Her jealousy toward Nan drives her to spread false rumors about the Sherwoods' finances and accuse Nan of shoplifting, though her malicious outbursts ultimately alienate her from her peers.

Inez, a fierce, independent Chicago flower seller, wants only to survive without being forced back to her abusive aunt. Mistrustful of charity, she eventually surrenders to Nan's gentle kindness and finds a real home.

In Its Own Voice

"As long as we see anything funny in the situation, I guess we shall get along all right."

Nan offers this cheerful philosophy to her friend Bess while trapped inside a freezing, snowbound train car.

"Dey is a-groanin' an' a-takin' on powerful bad 'cause dey ain't no dining kyar cotched up wid us yet."

The Pullman porter vividly describes the grumbling of hungry passengers stranded in the Michigan snowdrifts.

"If you stayed here a month longer, Nan Sherwood, you'd have the house filled with waifs and strays."

Walter Mason good-naturedly tease Nan after she brings two rescued runaway farm girls back to his family's Chicago home.

What It's Really About

Beneath its lively adventure surface, the novel examines the contrast between genuine moral character and superficial status. Wealthy surroundings, like the grand Mason mansion or the glittering department stores of Chicago, are presented without cynicism, yet the story insists that true nobility lies in practical helpfulness rather than luxury or social posture. The narrative explores the perils facing young people—the alluring false promise of fame that lures country girls to the city, the isolation of street children, and the destructive nature of social jealousy represented by Linda Riggs. At its core, the book argues that calm presence of mind, combined with an unselfish concern for others, can transform ordinary domestic life into a series of heroic acts.

Why Read It Today

Annie Roe Carr's story offers a charming, fast-paced glimpse into early twentieth-century American youth culture, capturing a moment when automobile showrooms, silent film studios, and modern department stores were thrilling novelties. Readers who enjoy classic girls' adventure fiction—such as the Bobbsey Twins or the Dana Girls—will appreciate Nan's unflappable optimism and the cozy, bustling energy of the narrative.

The book does reflect the period attitudes and literary tropes of its era (published in 1916). Modern readers will notice heavy dialect spelling used for working-class, rural, and minority figures, alongside somewhat idealized portrayals of rapid philanthropy. The plot relies on comfortable coincidences—such as chance encounters on city street corners or finding specific dogs in wreckage—that belong distinctly to early series fiction. Yet what stays with the reader is Nan Sherwood's genuine warmth and steadiness. She is a heroine who does not seek out drama, but meets every difficulty with good humor, practical sense, and an open heart.