• Age: 5 to 8
• Grade: k to 3
• Reading age: 5 to 8

Anna the cow comes into the world on a northern prairie farm in late August. She spends her early days drinking her mother's milk and sleeping in a cozy stall. But a mother Holstein's milk is too valuable to waste on a baby calf, so only two weeks later Anna finds herself for sale at a busy auction barn. Nobody wants to buy the young animals, until beef farmer Victor Sullivan finally takes pity on them and makes a bid, not suspecting that one of the calves is a female.

Young Jan Sullivan, however, is thrilled with the latest additions to Big Bear Farm, especially when Victor agrees to let him have Anna for his own. As the months pass, Jan and Anna experience all the trials and joys of life on a busy farm. Always life is dictated by the seasons -- the deep freeze and blizzards of winter, muddy spring thaws, summer droughts and brush fires, fall thunderstorms and hailstorms -- all punctuated by gatherings and holiday celebrations with family and friends.

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