A Christmas memory
(Book)

1967. For young Richard it is a time of heartbreak and turmoil: his brother Mark is killed in Vietnam, his father loses his job and moves the family from California to Utah, and his parents decide to separate. When he's run down by bullies at his new school, Richard is rescued by Mr. Foster, an elderly neighbor. The man inspires Richard's love for books; Foster's dog, Gollum, becomes his companion. As a grim Christmas approaches, Richard learns for the first time what truly matters about the spirit of the season: that forgiveness can heal, and that love endures long after the pain of loss subsides. -- adapted from jacket.