Ten-year-old Jake has his life turned upside down when his mom breaks her leg and ends up in the hospital a few days before Christmas. Jake turns to his kind neighbor, Mrs. Buttermark, but has no family available to care for him, and so his estranged grandfather shows up to help out. Jake and his grandfather work together to keep the house running, getting to know one another all the while. What was looking like possibly the worst Christmas ever starts to look like it might not be so bad after all.

This wholesome and endearing story is a speedy holiday read. Jake is a rather sheltered boy who has just his mother and a few friends in his life. Having to make do without her and lean on other people forces him to grow up a bit and to expand his horizons. Jake's father has passed away years prior and his mother is a single parent. His relationship with the grandfather he has never known becomes a close and warm one. Jake's grandfather is a smoker, as is a fringe character. A nice message is conveyed about family including neighbors and friends who are close to us, and a supportive community comes together in a time of need. This heartwarming story would be an excellent choice to read as a family.

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