Life for six-year-old Annie Dorawa on Winding Valley Farm—just down the road from the Pellowskis’ “first farm in the valley”—is busy and happy. Then one day, Annie hears her father speak about not planting that year, but instead moving into town. Is it really possible that they might leave their beautiful farm? What could her father be thinking about? This new anxiety, along with that inner imp of mischief always threatening to get her into trouble (and which finally does when brother John is killing chickens at the chopping block), hover over Annie as she works and plays with her sister and five brothers immersed in the vigorous life of their American-Polish community. Despite the discovery that life is not always easy or as she’d like it to be, Annie begins to realize what warm security is to be found in a hardworking family rooted in faith and love. Wisconsin, 1908 RL4.5 Of read-aloud interest ages 5-up Anne Pellowski (1933- ) was born in Pine Creek, Wisconsin. She is a graduate of the College of St. Teresa in Winona, Minnesota, and Columbia University, and has traveled widely throughout the world. A renowned storyteller and recognized authority on international literature as well as non-print media for children, Ms. Pellowski created and was for many years the Director of the Information Center for Children's Cultures of the United States Committee for UNICEF in New York City. She has spent time preparing for and carrying out workshops in developing countries, on creating books in the local languages of those countries.  This work has been done as a volunteer with the organization International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY).  Ms. Pellowski was a nominee for the prestigious 2010 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award.             Based on the childhood experiences of Ms. Pellowski's great-aunt, First Farm in the Valley: Anna’s Story is one of a quartet of books tracing four generations of a Polish-American family. Winding Valley Farm: Annie’s Story recounts some of the experiences of Ms. Pellowski’s mother; Stairstep Farm: Anna Rose’s Story is based on the author’s own childhood and takes place in the 1930s, a time in which strong family ties and traditions are thriving in the context of an established American identity; and Willow Wind Farm: Betsy’s Story is based on that of her sister Angie’s daughter. In addition, a fifth book, Betsy’s Up-and-Down Year relates further important discoveries in Betsy’s life. There are more than 800 descendants of Frank Pellowski alive today. ON THE MORNING of April 25, 1908, in the kitchen of a farmhouse in Wisconsin, a little girl was watching her mother sort out seed packets. Her name was really Anna Pelagia, but because her mother was also an Anna, she was called Annie. Over in another corner of the kitchen, Annie’s older sister, Sally, was helping the three youngest boys get washed and dressed. Roman was five years old, Leo was four and August was two, but they looked so much alike, with their red curly hair, that sometimes Annie had to look twice before she was sure which was which. They were giving Sally lots of trouble that morning because they did not want to get washed behind the ears. “Behave yourselves, boys,” said Annie’s mother in Polish. Sometimes she spoke in Polish and sometimes in English. Usually when she was scolding them she did it in Polish. “Should I put on their flannel shirts, Mother, or the cotton ones?” asked Sally. The children always called their parents “Mother” and “Father” when they answered in Polish, but in English they called them “Ma” and “Pa.” “I guess you can use the cotton ones. The weather has turned so nice it’s more like summer than spring.” The door burst open and Annie’s two older brothers came in from doing their chores. Joe was fourteen, the oldest, and John was eight and a half, exactly two years older than Annie. Sometimes she wished John were a girl; then maybe they wouldn’t argue so much. “Wash up quickly, boys, and get dressed for church.” “Oh, Ma, do we have to?” complained Joe. “Can’t we stay here and do some planting or something? It’s not a Sunday.” “Not go to church on spring Rogation Day?” Ma’s voice sounded shocked. “Whatever are you thinking of? You should know we would not do any planting without getting the seeds blessed.” Annie could see Ma gently shaking her head at Joe and John. “Won’t the seeds grow if they aren’t blessed?” she asked. “Of course they’ll grow,” answered Ma. “But we don’t want anything to happen while they are growing. A blessing asks God to protect them. And we have to thank the good Lord that we have seeds to plant at all.” They heard the sound of feet scraping on the step outside the door. “Have you got your seeds ready, John?” Ma directed the question to Pa as he came in the kitchen door. At first Pa did not answer. Then he turned around slowly and spoke: “I was wondering whether it’s worth the trouble.” Ma was speechless. Joe and John looked as though they couldn’t believe,