Kingsbury, whose novella Gideon's Gift struck a fervent chord with readers last year, offers this second story in the "Red Gloves Series": as one character declares to another, "Red is the color of giving." The plot is eerily similar to Gideon's Gift, complete with a lonely widower whose life is turned around by a remarkably sweet and mature eight-year-old child. (The child is a boy this time, however, and his mom is a lonely widow. See what's coming?) Although the formula could not be more predictable, the melodrama is largely overdone and the ending requires a huge suspension of disbelief, readers will find themselves caring deeply about the winsome characters. Kingsbury's note to readers at the end of the book includes several suggestions for "Red Gloves" service projects to aid children. (Oct. 14)
