Nora arrives in the American prairie from Russia with her father, her mother, and little brother. Whereas they adapt to this rigorous new life, she grieves over the loss of the trees and hills of the old country. In order to console herself, Nora puts up pictures of Russia hoping they will lift her spirits, but they only remind her of what is gone.
Things go from bad to worse when her brother gets a dog as his companion. "I need something all my own," Nora tells her mother. When her father brings home some chicks and two geese, Nora convinces him to give them to her. She is pleased to have her own little community of friends that follow her around.
This edifying children's picture book for children 3 and up by Patricia MacLachlan and illustrated by Kathryn Brown gracefully shows how alive and happy some individuals can become when their nurturing instincts are aroused.
