In central Texas in 1899, eleven-year-old Callie Vee Tate is instructed to be a lady by her mother, learns about love from the older three of her six brothers, and studies the natural world with her grandfather, the latter of which leads to an important discovery.

"When Travis discovers an abandoned baby skunk, he can't help but bring it home and take care of it. Stinky, as Travis names him, settles in pretty well. But when Travis discovers Stinky's litter-mate, Winky, who is in need of some help, things get complicated around the Tate house"--Provided by publisher.

In rural Texas in 1901, thirteen-year-old Callie nurses a butterfly with a broken wing and delivers a baby lamb, despite her mother's disapproval of Callie's "unladylike behavior."

Calpurnia and her grandfather rescue a barn owl from the river and, with the help of Dr. Pritzker, dead mice, and some detective work, nurse it back to health.

"Callie and Travis need sheep for the town Christmas pageant. Travis is playing the shepherd in the Nativity scene, and what's a shepherd without his flock? Unfortunately, Fentress is low on sheep--but not on goats. When Callie and Travis decide to borrow two goats from their neighbor, they don't know what they're in for. As it turns out, the main trouble with goats is that they'll eat just about anything. This will be one Christmas pageant Fentress...