Max, the caretaker of an animal preserve in Ukraine, must keep secrets from the occupying Nazis, including hiding a girl named Kalinka. When Kalinka expresses a desire to see her parents, Max devises a plan to send the horses to retrieve them. The horses are able to find Kalinka's parents and bring them back, though they are wounded by Nazi gunfire on the way. Kalinka's parents, a vet and nurse, are then able to help care for the wounded horses. The family finds refuge together in Max's hut in the preserve until the end of the war, after which they build a bigger house and continue caring for the animals.

2. It will soon be another cold winter in the Ukraine. But it‘s
a war time, and things are different this year. Max, the
devoted caretaker of an animal preserve, must learn to
live with the Nazis who have overtaken this precious land.
He must also learn to keep secrets—for there is a girl,
Kalinka, who is hiding in the park.

3. One morning Max was walking about the preserve and looking at the
animals. He brought them some food. Kalinka saw him and ran up to him.
She was very lonely and unhappy. She said:
-“I want to see my parents, I miss them. Will you please help me find
them? I’m afraid of going back home. There is so much killing and
shooting.”
-“But, dear, it is dangerous you know. The Nazis are everywhere. We
should make a good plan how to bring them here.”
Suddenly he cried out, “I have great idea. I will send the horses to your
parents’ house, they will find it easily as your parents helped me to look
after them from time to time and they will bring your parents here. I
hope the Nazis will not shoot the horses”

4. Next day the horses went to
Kalinka’s parents. They lived
at the edge of the town
where the Nazis lived.
Everyone in the town was
scared of them because they
killed everyone who they saw
in the streets. Luckily,
shortly after the horses
came back with Kalinka’s
parents but the poor
animals were wounded. The
Nazis shot at them too.

5. Then, Max knew that Kalinka’s father was a vet and
mother was a nurse. They saved the horses’ lives.
They stayed in the animal preserve with Max and
Kalinka in Max’s small hut. But they were happy now.

6. Finally, the war ended.
Everything was getting
well. Kalinka, Max and the
parents lived together.
They built a bigger house in
the preserve and looked
after the animals for many
years.

7. Online sources of the photos:
• http://cdn.morguefile.com/imageData/public/files/k/Koan/11
/l/141520075120utj.jpg
• http://cdn.morguefile.com/imageData/public/files/g/greyerb
aby/11/l/1384658673qcbtf.jpg
• http://cdn.morguefile.com/imageData/public/files/m/mette
m/preview/fldr_2008_11_28/file0002027919923.jpg
• http://cdn.morguefile.com/imageData/public/files/b/butkovi
cdub/01/l/1390741307yu3x3.jpg
• http://www.morguefile.com/img/share_pinterest_window.p
ng