Judy Van der Veer

A sixteen-year-old Mexican youth goes to California to earn money for his needy family.

The author relates her experience raising and training with horses beginning with an old gray mare.

Forty one short and leisurely paced chapters about life (animal, vegetable and human) on the author's small, remote ranch in a high valley in the California hills. The change of season, dry spells, the blessing of rain, daily chores, the growth of a wide variety of farm animals and pets, character sketches of the more notable people and animals, the pleasures and problems of ranching form the subject matter of this day to day record of ranch life. Unpretentious, sincere, observant, this has a ready-made market in the readers of Miss Van Der Veer's previous books.

A California Indian girl lets her desire to make a special statue of St. Francis interfere with her friendship with the new white girl at school.

Doreen's determination to help keep alive a three-legged deer has beneficial results for all who aid her.