Janet Zappala’s leading loves have always been kids, critters and family. These days the former NBC Palm Springs anchor is bringing them all together as a celebrated children’s author and “Nonni” to two beautiful grandchildren.

Her award-winning books share valuable lessons through friendships of rescued farm animals. Inspired by real events from the Coachella Valley Horse Rescue in Indio, the stories star a very large bovine named Guapo. Born with a white heart-shaped spot on his forehead, the gentle giant grew from an average-sized calf to one of the largest Holstein Friesians in the world. At six feet tall and 3,000 pounds, he is described by his rescuing caretaker, Lynn Jamerson, as “pure love, joy and sweetness.”

Guapo’s best friend (in real life) is a pot-bellied pig named Mabel, which sets the scene for many heart-warming adventures that come to life through the Guapo’s Stories series.

In Zappala’s second book, Guapo’s Great Rescue: Clay Finds a Forever Home, we meet Clay, a real horse at the CV Rescue, who comes to live with Guapo, Mabel, Bootsie the hen, Ricky the ram and others at Come Back Ranch. Upon arrival, Clay is sad and scared, so the others work together to make him feel more at home.

Both kids and adults will enjoy the characters and their frisky antics, beautifully illustrated by Lara Calleja and co-written by Wendy Perkins.

Zappala is also feeling at home once again with her recent return to the desert. The six-time Emmy award-winning broadcast journalist now splits her time between Rancho Mirage and Miami where her adorable grandkids reside.

“It’s really nice to be back in the desert again,” she shared at our recent lunch. “My family and I have been coming here since I was a kid, and it has always been my second home. We love it because of the beauty, of course, but really because of the people.”

It is great to have our friend and former Desert Health columnist back in the desert, and to see her thriving in her new career, and new life as a proud grandmother. Her first two books, Guapo’s Giant Heart: The True Story of the Calf Who Kept Growing and Guapo’s Great Rescue: Clay Finds a Forever Home, are available online with her third in the series arriving in September. A portion of the proceeds support the Coachella Valley Horse Rescue.

Del Sarto is founder and publisher of Desert Health and can be reached at Lauren@DesertHealthNews.com.