While coming to terms with his dad departure in a tractor collision, 13-year-old George McCray is living with his grandparents on the Kansas farm. There's the promise of their reunion at xmas, although george misses his mom, Jill, who has proceeded to Minnesota to deal with her despair. George feels comforts his grandmother Cora and needed onto the farm as he helps his grandfather Bo with chores. He has made friends and eventually become attached to Tucker the McCrays simply take in when his distressed owner Frank Thorne lands .