Christmas with Tucker »

GREG KINCAID lives on a farm in eastern Kansas with his wife, two cats, and two dogs, including Rudy, adopted from a local shelter. When not writing, he is a practicing lawyer and pet-adoption advocate.

The touching prequel to the bestselling novel A Dog Named Christmas
 
The sleeper hit of 2008, A Dog Named Christmas became a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie a year later, seen by more than twelve million people in the United States alone. Now, in Christmas with Tucker, Greg Kincaid brings back one of that book’s most endearing characters, sharing the moving story of George, a young boy dealing with the loss of his father, and the dog that comes into his life to offer him hope and a touch of courage.

It is the winter of 1962, and Kansas is hit with one of the worst blizzards in its history. It is during this cruel season that twelve-year-old George is called upon to endure more than even most grown men could withstand—the death of his father and the upkeep of the family farm that is his legacy.

When his mother and sisters leave for Minnesota, George has only his grandparents and the companionship of Tucker, an Irish setter, to help him persevere through these most difficult challenges. Can he find the strength to walk the road that leads to healing, finding his true self and ultimately becoming a man? A coming-of-age story for readers of all ages, Christmas with Tucker is a classic Christmas story about a young man’s love for his dog, his family, and his farm.

Publishers Weekly

George McCray, the 12-year-old hero of this amicable holiday story, is wrestling with a lot: his father's died, his mother's left him with his grandparents on their dairy farm (where he's expected to pull more than his share of work), and he's reluctantly "inherited" a dog, Tucker, from the alcoholic next door. After a rocky start, Tucker soon becomes George's best friend and gives him the strength to take on his challenges and move into adulthood. Cute, hopeful, and residing on the safe side of saccharine, this heartwarming if unoriginal tale should appeal especially to younger readers. (Nov.)