Echo Valley

About the Book

Spending two weeks at a dude ranch is a dream-come-true for Karen, 17. She delights being at Credenda Ranch, and the reader will enjoy all the details of her stay. What makes the story intriguing is the legend that surrounds this ranch, the “Tale of Echo Valley”. Every evening the first week, old Hank unfolds a little more of the legend and its poem. It is about a girl and a horse:

Have you ever seen Echo Valley, in the best of its glory? Have you ever listened to its tale, of a great love story?

Karen’s first summer “on her own”, she learns a great deal about life and herself. She begins to live the legend and similar things happen: she, too, saves a horse, and she, too, finds romance.

About the Author

Growing up in California, with a father working in agriculture and the national parks, Joan lived “under the redwoods” in her early years. During school years in Kansas, she enjoyed riding her mare along country roads and hearing meadowlarks sing. Joan has contributed articles to Western Horseman and Country magazines, is a former parent-helper of the 4-H Horse program and was a docent at Sunol Regional Wilderness in California. She is the author of horse books for teens, Echo Valley and Dan; books for young children, Marigold and One Little Heifer. A book of short stories, Smiles, is due out in 2008. The author believes, teach beauty and brotherhood rather than horror and destruction. Joan and her husband, Dave, had two children, Mark and Rebecca. (Becky illustrated Green Eyes.) They now live in Montana near Becky’s ranch; Mark died in 2003.