THE LITTLE COW AND THE TURTLE

A farm story with a U. S. background- perhaps Michigan- where Mr. DeJong moved from Holland with his family when he was quite young- is a marvellous character sketch of a cow with a definite personality. The little white cow, as she is called all the way through the book, lives with a potato farming husband and wife. Though she only among their their thirteen cows does not give much milk, she has other attributes- an adventurous spirit, a fascination with her surroundings and an ability for deep friendship. Her actions actually make humans see things differently. She gets acquainted with three hoboes at their camping spot near the farm and when they leave she introduces some children to the pretty place. Then after a dry summer a big snapping turtle the farmer had once played with when he was a boy comes wandering slowly on his way to another pond. The turtle's is a perilous journey for he must cross a road and some railroad tracks, but the little cow stays with it all the way and so will you as the suspense mounts.