This is the story of Anna and her mother, living in the aftermath of World War II. The war has ended, but the stores are empty, there is little food, and no one has any money. Anna has outgrown her winter coat that she has worn for years, so her mother devises a plan to provide her with a new one. With patience, hard work, sacrifice, and one long year of waiting, Anna and her mother finally succeed, making wonderful friends along the way. Author, Harriet Ziefert based A New Coat for Anna on the true story of Ingeborg Schraft Hoffman, M.D., whose mother, Hanna Schraft, actually began with a few belongings and ended by providing her daughter with a beautiful, new coat. Setting: Europe, 1940s Guide: 22 pages; 7 sections