McCray Family

In this heartwarming novel, Greg Kincaid, the bestselling author of A Dog Named Christmas, revisits the early life of one of that book's protagonists and brings us a holiday tale of redemption, hope and forgiveness. It's 1962, and as Christmas approaches so does one of the worst snow and ice storms in Kansas history. Without utilities and emergency services, it is a dangerous time for the residents of Cherokee County. For the McCray family, it is even worse. Big Bo McCray is the county road maintainer, and it is his duty to keep the roads clear-but all tasks seem more difficult to Bo and his wife Cora due to the recent death of their only son, John. Losses begin to pile up for the family like the snow on their rural roads. John's wife and two daughters move off the McCray family farm and return to Minnesota, leaving the youngest member of the family, twelve-year-old George, behind with his grandparents. Young George has been hit hard by his father's death and hangs on to the farm, the only thing left to connect him to his father. As George retreats into his grief, Bo and Cora's focus shifts to their struggling grandson. Then, when an alcoholic neighbor does a stint in the county jail, someone must care for his dog, Tucker, an Irish Setter. Tucker comes to the McCrays with his own pain yet learns to trust George as boy and dog form a bond that helps George begin to deal with his grief and helps him take the first steps into manhood. Prologue Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Chapter 30 Chapter 31 Chapter 32 Chapter 33 Chapter 34 Chapter 35 Chapter 36 Chapter 37 Chapter 38 "This simple but strong story celebrates the beauty of everyday things, the power of love and humility, the singular grace that is a good dog, and the mysterious ability of that grace to transform the human heart. A perfect Christmas read." "I don't own a dog-but after reading this book, I have an irresistible urge to go out and get one. Christmas with Tucker is simply that poignant and lovely." "It was the bleakest of Christmas seasons that year: blizzards followed by ice paralyzed the entire county. No one would have blamed the thirteen-year-old boy for taking the easy way out, or expected the aged grandfather to single-handedly pull off a miracle. Stirred into author Greg Kincaid's wondrous crucible are an empathetic grandmother, a sorrowing mother, a shy earliteen girl, a sodden alcoholic neighbor–oh yes, and an Irish setter named Tucker, with a heart filled with love for all of them. Taken all together: a Christmas story for the ages!" "Cute, hopeful, and residing on the safe side of saccharine, this heartwarming…tale should appeal especially to younger readers."

The touching sequel to the beloved novel A Dog Named Christmas On Sunday, November 29, 2009, more than 12.5 million families fell in love with the television adaptation of the novel A Dog Named Christmas. Within forty-eight hours after the Hallmark Hall of Fame movie aired, the initial run of twenty thousand DVDs sold out. Two years later, whenChristmas with Tucker, the prequel to the McCray family stories, was released, it was described by Dean Koontz as "a perfect Christmas read," by A. J. Jacobs as "lovely and poignant," and by Publishers Weekly as "cute, hopeful, and heartwarming." Now, the much-anticipated third installment, A Christmas Home, will prove to be yet another holiday classic. Watching their children move out and live independently is a difficult task for many parents-but for George and Mary Ann McCray, it's nearly impossible. Even though Todd, their disabled son, is in his twenties, George and Mary Ann fear that he cannot thrive without their support and supervision. But Todd is determined to be his own person-and he has a dog named Christmas and an entire community ready to help him find his way. Prologue: Early November Chapter I: One Year Later Chapter II Chapter III Chapter IV Chapter V Chapter VI Chapter VII Chapter VIII Chapter IX Chapter X Chapter XI Chapter XII Chapter XIII Chapter XIV Chapter XV Chapter XVI Chapter XVII Chapter XVIII Chapter XIX Chapter XX Chapter XXI Acknowledgments "In A Christmas Home, Greg Kincaid again treats us to a story rich in the courage of people who, in overcoming their own limitations, teach us a lesson in how to prevail, no matter the odds, no matter the trials." "For those seeking a slight, uncomplicated tale that can be read cover-to-cover in about a weekend and won't leave the reader searching for some deeper meaning, this book fits the bill and then some." "Fans of Kincaid's A Dog Named Christmas will welcome another story featuring the McCray family and their rescue dog, Christmas…Dog lovers and anyone looking for a heartwarming Christmas story will enjoy Kincaid's latest."