Jake is looking forward to Christmas - presents, sleepovers, fun and games. However, when his mom accidentally breaks her leg, things change. It gets a little more weird when Granddad moves in for a while to take care of him. This is a story about how great family really is.
Morality
Quite a few of the characters smoke, and it is mentioned often throughout the book.
When Jake's mom falls, a crowd of people, particularly an old lady, gather to assist her and Jake. At the verge of tears and shocked by the occurrence, Jake wishes that someone else could have broken their ankle.
Spiritual Content
Christmas is the setting of this book, but Jesus is not mentioned at all.
Violence
Jake's mom's accident is described as being numbing and painful and very cold. Her face is pale and contorted.
Drug and Alcohol Content
Granddad and Aunt Ginny smoke a lot.
Sexual Content
None.
Crude or Profane Language or Content
None.
Conclusion
Aside from the smoking and the omission of Christ from Christmas, this story was nice in that readers see how Jake and his stranger of a grandpa start to bond with each other. At the end, Jake, his mom, Granddad, and neighbor Mrs. Buttermark become a tighter family than ever.
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