The Valley Cats children's books

Valley Cats: The Adventures of Boonie and River
Written by Gretchen Preston
Illustrated by Karin Neumann

About the Author
Gretchen Preston was raised in Portland, Oregon. Her parents read to their children every night at bedtime. She fell in love with stories as a very young child. Gretchen attended the University of Oregon and went on to graduate school at Arizona State University where she earned a master's degree in social work. She credits her writing prowess to learning to write in graduate school. Trained as a medical social worker, Gretchen frequently wrote newsletters, articles for professional journals and composed educational handbooks.

After retiring and moving to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, she had the opportunity to begin writing children’s books. This book, Valley Cats: The Adventures of Boonie and River, is the first in a series. Inspired by her Valley neighbors, Gretchen has dedicated this book to them.