Susan Saunders

American author of children's novels. She grew up on a ranch in Texas where she learned to love horses and ride in rodeos. She is a prolific author of children's books on a wide range of subjects, including mysteries, fantasies, animal stories, book adaptations and non-fiction. She has written a number of books in the Choose Your Own Adventure role play series, the Sleepover Friends books and a number of other series, as well as many stand-alone titles.

Not surprisingly, given the author's horsy background, horses appear in quite a few of her books. She penned a short mystery series set on a dude ranch. One of her Choose Your Own Adventure titles was also set on a dude ranch, plus she has written three more traditional pony stories, two of which are part of the Treasured Horses Collection, an American pony library.

Double R Detective Series:
Short mystery series set against a ranch backdrop and involving cousins Roxie and Ross. I am not 100% sure of the reading order.

POSSIBLE READING ORDER:

1) THE CASE OF THE DUDE RANCH RUSTLER
(HARPER COLLINS PB [USA] 1995)
SUMMARY: Investigating the disappearance of Annabelle and Brownie, their two favourite horses, Roxie and Ross are unwilling to believe that one of their friends from the Double R Dude Ranch is a horse thief.

2) THE UFO MYSTERY
(HARPER COLLINS PB [USA] 1995)
SUMMARY: When Roxie and Ross hear of UFO sightings, Ross is convinced that a con artist is responsible, whilst Roxie is on the lookout for aliens. But it is Roxie's horse Skyrocket who is the one to solve the case!

Collector's Info:
Reasonably easy to find in the USA. Harder elsewhere, although it may be possible to buy cheaply from America if you live outside the USA.

Other Horse & Pony Books:

LIGHT ON BURRO MOUNTAIN
(BANTAM PB [USA] 1987)
ILLUSTRATED BY LESLIE MORRILL
EDITION PICTURED: Paperback
SUMMARY: Part of the Choose Your Own Adventure interactive role play type books. In this instalment you are staying on a dude ranch. You spot a mysterious light on the peak of nearby Burro Mountain and are soon plunged into an adventure involving ruthless outlaws, buried treasure and a ghostly cowboy! Not sure how much horse content.

KATE'S SECRET PLAN
(ERTL [USA] 1996)
ILLUSTRATED BY SANDY RABINOWITZ
Reprinted in paperback in 1998 by Scholastic.
Published in hardback by Gareth Stevens
Also a large print edition
EDITION PICTURED: Gareth Stevens hardback, paperback
SUMMARY: Part of the Treasured Horses Collection. Historical horse story set in Canada in the 1920s. Ten year old Kate lives with her family on a ranch. She is convinced that Chinook, the Quarter horse she receives for her birthday, can win the cattle cutting contest at the annual fair and determines to participate even though girls are not allowed to enter!

RIDING SCHOOL RIVALS
(ERTL [USA] 1996)
ILLUSTRATED BY SANDY RABINOWITZ
Reprinted in paperback in 1998 by Scholastic.
EDITION PICTURED: Paperback
Published in hardback by Gareth Stevens
Also a large print edition
EDITION PICTURED: Gareth Stevens hardback, paperback
SUMMARY: Part of the Treasured Horses Collection. Cassie and Hillary are two rich girls accustomed to getting their own way. When a beautiful Lipizzaner horse named Majesty arrives at the stables where they ride they both think they should be his rider in the upcoming show.

LUCKY LADY
(HARPER COLLINS [USA] 2000)
Reprinted by Harper in paperback.
EDITIONS PICTURED: Hardback, paperback.
SUMMARY: Jamie is sent to stay on her grandpa's ranch whilst her mother is away working. At first she feels she has nothing in common with her grandfather and wonders how she will cope with a long boring summer ahead. But when she impulsively buys a problem horse at an auction she hopes that her grandpa and his horse whispering skills will help her to train the mare.

Other Editions:

Treasured Horses Collection
(BACKPACK BOOKS [USA] 2003)
Reprinted in hardback
EDITIONS PICTURED: Hardback
SUMMARY: Four book omnibus edition containing Kate's Secret Plan and Riding School Rivals, as well as two other books from the Treasured Horses series by other authors: Pretty Lady of Saratoga by Deborah Felder and also The Stallion of Box canyon by
Jahnna N. Malcolm

Collector's Info:
Apart from Light on Burro Mountain which can be a bit more elusive, the books are all easy to find in the USA. The collected edition is a good buy as it has the bonus of containing 2 other stories by different authors, although it is slightly rarer than the single titles. Please note there was also another volume called Treasured Horses Collection which contains the other stories in the series, so make sure you get the correct one! All the books are harder to find elsewhere, although it may be possible to buy cheaply from America if you live outside the USA.