Sunday I caught a matinee of Rascal Children’s Theatre’s production of Judith Lynn: A Story of the Sea. Former Rascal artistic director Dan Foss has adapted Annie Hamilton Donnell’s 1906 children’s book into a compact 30-minute fable of sisterly love and unselfish sacrifice.

I wanted to take this show, put it in my pocket, and pet it. It’s that adorable.

Judith Lynn is about tomboy Judith (the scrappy Marissa Cowsill) and her quest to catch some lobsters so she may afford a boat trip across the sea to meet a Dr. who will help her crippled baby sister Blossom (a darling Amanda Bobbitt) walk.

It’s a touching retelling of this out-of-print short story, and director Elizabeth Hope Morgan even inserts some classic fisherman tunes (played by the charming Brett Lee on guitar) to liven up the tale. Grab a kid and go see it.

(However, you might want to give the little snappers a quick introduction as to what the show’s about, as the expository information is brief and quickly delivered. A kid could get lost. But after that, it’s smooth sailing.)

Judith Lynn: A Story of the Sea has two more performances: October 31 and November 7 — both at 1pm. Location: The Side Project at 1439 W. Jarvis Avenue in Rogers Park. For more information, go here.