Plot Synopsis

Based on the book by Kenny Rogers & Donald Davenport. In Canaan, Texas widower Daniel Burton is doing his best to raise his three children during the Civil Rights Movement. His 10-year-old son, DJ, has made an enemy of his classmate, Rodney, simply because Rodney is black. In an attempt to remedy the situation, Daniel and Rodney's grandmother decide to force the boys to spend time together. When the boys come upon a wounded puppy, their shared compassion pushes any racial tensions aside, and a lasting friendship is forged. The boys remain friends through their teenage years, and when grandma dies, Rodney goes to live with the Burtons. With money tight Daniel tries to find a way to make Christmas special but when racial tensions rise in Canaan, the Burtons' white neighbors try to destroy the hope Rodney and the rest of the black community have built up. As he comes to understand the true meaning of family, Rodney soon has to decide where he belongs and what to do with the inspiration the Burtons' have given him.