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A Dog Named Christmas #0.5-1
A Dog Named Christmas / Christmas with Tucker
Equal parts Marley and Me and The Christmas Box , a special 2-in-1 collection of inspiring and heartwarming Christmas stories about the McCray family and their trusty and loveable dogs.
A Dog Named Christmas , a New York Times bestseller, touched hearts when it was published in the fall of 2008. In 2009, the beloved novel was made into a successful Hallmark Hall of Fame TV movie seen by more than 14 million viewers. Now, in this special 2-in-1 paperback edition, author Greg Kincaid brings together that book as well as it's prequel Christmas with Tucker, two novels of endearing characters and charming dogs who remind all of us of the power of Christmas.
A Dog Named Christmas , a New York Times bestseller, touched hearts when it was published in the fall of 2008. In 2009, the beloved novel was made into a successful Hallmark Hall of Fame TV movie seen by more than 14 million viewers. Now, in this special 2-in-1 paperback edition, author Greg Kincaid brings together that book as well as it's prequel Christmas with Tucker, two novels of endearing characters and charming dogs who remind all of us of the power of Christmas.
384 pages, Mass Market Paperback
Published October 3, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
December 5, 2025
A Dog Named Christmas follows Todd McCray, a young man with a developmental disability and an enormous capacity for love. When the local animal shelter launches a holiday foster program, Todd convinces his reluctant father to allow their family to participate. They bring home a lovable Labrador retriever he names Christmas. As Todd bonds deeply with the dog, the family—and even the whole town—begin to experience unexpected joy and healing. But when Christmas must be returned to the shelter after the holidays, the McCrays must decide what “home” truly means and whether they can let go of the dog who has changed their lives.
A Dog Named Christmas embraces the very essence of the holiday season. The story beautifully shows that when we give to those in need—whether human or animal—we often receive far more in return than we ever expected. I found this story incredibly sweet and deeply touching. It reminds us that sometimes a dog truly chooses its family, not the other way around.
What resonated most is the message that miracles don’t simply fall from the sky—they grow from acts of kindness, compassion, and the quiet generosity of strangers. This book is a gentle, heartfelt reminder of the power of love, service, and connection during the Christmas season.
Christmas with Tucker is set on a Kansas farm in 1962, the story follows 13-year-old George as he navigates grief, responsibility, and growing up—with the help of a remarkable dog named Tucker, who becomes both his companion and his guide through a life-changing winter.
Christmas with Tucker gave me all the feels from the very first chapters. There are so many life lessons woven through the pages that at times it felt like my own grandparents were speaking directly to me through Greg Kincaid’s writing. The characters are beautifully developed, each carrying depth, warmth, and purpose, and the emotional complexity of the story shows just how talented Kincaid is as a storyteller.
This book truly felt like a Christmas classic—one of those stories that stays with you. It balances heartache, hope, and healing in a way that feels timeless, comforting, and incredibly human.
December 26, 2023
Fun December read that hits the spot. A little formulaic (you KNOW the boy will end up with the dog on Christmas), but it's that time of year when predictably sweet feels good.
Two stories in one; I think I enjoyed the first one a little more. The narrator has grown children, and his youngest son has special needs. He decides that all the dogs in the local shelter need to have homes for Christmas, so he mounts a campaign amongst family and friends to foster a dog over the holidays. He names his dog "Christmas" and is well aware -- because Dad asks many, many times -- that the dog must go back to the shelter on Dec. 26. Dad is a war vet who has lingering issues.
The second story features the dad from the previous as a young boy trying to get on with life after the sudden tragic death of his beloved father. The family lived with his paternal grandparents on the dairy farm in Kansas. When Dad dies, Mom can't cope and decides to move back home to Minnesota and her family. Son George is left with the grandparents because even Mom can see that severing him from the only life he's ever known would be too much of a disruption. So George comes to love living on the farm, and his grandparents ably step into the role of pseudo-parents. Neighbor Frank Thorne is a drunk, who thoughtlessly chains his beautiful dog in his yard. When Frank is arrested and thrown in jail, the dog is just left. Grandpa does the right thing, and takes the dog home with him to the farm. He thought George might like caring for him. George, not knowing the dog's real name, calls him Tucker.
Of course, similar to the first story, George knows that Tucker must be reunited with Thorne upon his release from jail. But, of course, this is a Christmas story. Thorne gets his life in shape, lands a job in another town, and Tucker becomes George's dog forever. All's well that ends well!
Two stories in one; I think I enjoyed the first one a little more. The narrator has grown children, and his youngest son has special needs. He decides that all the dogs in the local shelter need to have homes for Christmas, so he mounts a campaign amongst family and friends to foster a dog over the holidays. He names his dog "Christmas" and is well aware -- because Dad asks many, many times -- that the dog must go back to the shelter on Dec. 26. Dad is a war vet who has lingering issues.
The second story features the dad from the previous as a young boy trying to get on with life after the sudden tragic death of his beloved father. The family lived with his paternal grandparents on the dairy farm in Kansas. When Dad dies, Mom can't cope and decides to move back home to Minnesota and her family. Son George is left with the grandparents because even Mom can see that severing him from the only life he's ever known would be too much of a disruption. So George comes to love living on the farm, and his grandparents ably step into the role of pseudo-parents. Neighbor Frank Thorne is a drunk, who thoughtlessly chains his beautiful dog in his yard. When Frank is arrested and thrown in jail, the dog is just left. Grandpa does the right thing, and takes the dog home with him to the farm. He thought George might like caring for him. George, not knowing the dog's real name, calls him Tucker.
Of course, similar to the first story, George knows that Tucker must be reunited with Thorne upon his release from jail. But, of course, this is a Christmas story. Thorne gets his life in shape, lands a job in another town, and Tucker becomes George's dog forever. All's well that ends well!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 4, 2020
This was a lovely cozy Christmas read with enough drama to keep things interesting. Loaned from my Mom (thanks, Mom! ) I will ask to borrow it again next year. The dogs are so well formed that you want to cuddle them both. I'm not sure which of them I'd rather spend time with... Probably both. The main character in the first story is developmentally delayed, I guess, and is a charmer. I love the fact that the story is about him without only being about his disability. Tucker's story is the most complex and isn't a picture perfect ending but that's fine because life. Loved this book!
December 29, 2017
If you love dogs and like Christmas stories, this is 2 cute stories that makes you happy for the holidays.
November 23, 2018
No five stars because of how sad it is. LOL. But both books are well written, uplifting and shows the power of love/self sacrifice dogs have. I recommend, but keep the tissue handy.
December 17, 2019
Very good but a little sad
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 7, 2023
The author deserves 5 stars, but there was just too much sorrow, with very little hope or joy in the second story. The dogs in each story are beautiful, faithful, loving dogs.
December 25, 2023
Such a sweet book! I laughed, I cried and I hugged my dog straight away ♥️
January 22, 2025
The dog does NOT die. This is a cute wholesome story that made me cry.
March 30, 2026
Loved these 2 stories about wonderful pet dogs!
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews