I’m Alice, and I’m the storyteller behind the Rancho El 7 stories.

Many of these stories have grown out of my own experiences and many years of journaling about life on our ranch in northern Chihuahua.

I’ve always believed that some of the best stories are found in the simple, everyday things around us—a windmill pumping water, cattle moving across the pasture, making bread in the kitchen, watching a storm roll down from the mountains, or discovering something old and forgotten.

Through Sofia and her grandparents, Don Enrique and Doña Susana, I invite children into a world that many of them may never have the opportunity to experience firsthand. Chaquira, Sofia’s faithful red heeler, is always close by for the adventure too.

The Rancho El 7 stories are based on real experiences, with a little imagination added along the way. I want children to have fun reading the stories, but I also want them to become curious. I want them to stop and ask, “Why does that happen?” or “How does that work?” and then discover the answer for themselves.

That is why many of the stories include things children can look at more closely, questions they can explore, and simple activities they can try. I believe that children learn best when they are having fun and when learning feels like an adventure.

I also want these books to share something of the life, traditions, and values that are important to us—the connection between generations, taking care of the land and animals, learning practical skills, and appreciating the little things that are often overlooked. I didn’t set out to create a world of fantasy. I simply started writing down the stories that were happening around me.

And I discovered that the ranch was full of them.

My hope is that when a child reads a Rancho El 7 story, they will not only enjoy Sofia’s adventure, but perhaps look a little more closely at the world around them and realize that you don't have to go far to find an adventure. Sometimes the most wonderful discoveries are waiting right outside your door.