The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise

In this poignant, action-packed adventure, 12-year-old Coyote must hoodwink her father, Rodeo, into returning home to Washington State after years of itinerant life on a school bus. A tragic car accident killed Coyote’s mother and sisters five years before, compelling Rodeo and Coyote to adopt new names and traverse the country telling escapist stories, until Coyote learns from her grandmother that the neighborhood park where she and her mother and sisters buried a precious memory box faces imminent demolition. Gemeinhart (Good Dog) layers grief and upended caretaking into the father-daughter relationship, which heightens as Coyote schemes to get back home from Florida in just a few days to dig up the box—to help, she recruits and befriends a memorable and motley crew of travelers. The narrative leaves unanswered questions about the duo’s time on the road (Coyote’s schooling, for example), but sincere friendships, inventive obstacles, and emotional depth propel the cross-country trip as the winning protagonist stakes a claim for her future by reclaiming the past. Ages 9–12. [em]Agents: Pam Victorio and Bob Diforio, D4EO Literary Agency. (Jan.) [/em]