The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise (Dan Gemeinhart, 2019) was one of my favorite all time books. It’s right up there with “Wonder“by R.J. Palacio. Reading these books to my students becomes a heartwarming journey. Together, we laugh, shed tears, and grow incredibly close to the characters, creating a sense of family among us. I know that “Coyote, Lost and Found” is going to be one of those book too!
“I’m telling you, you’re an awesome freaking mess. You’re my hero, Coyote Sunrise” – Salvador Vega
The narrative of “Coyote Lost and Found” unfolds with Coyote transitioning to a conventional school and home life. Despite her yearnings for these experiences in the previous book, reality doesn’t match her expectations. Her discovery of her mother’s ashes triggers another adventure with her father, Rodeo, and they decide to once again, set off in Yager. In this book Coyote messes up big time by losing something important. We see a similar storyline to the first book, in which she is trying to fix that problem, without letting Rodeo know. A delightful aspect of the first book was the various characters they met on their travels. This sequel retains that allure, reintroducing familiar faces and introducing new ones who become equally endearing. Gemeinhart skillfully integrates contemporary issues into the storylines and in this book, he is highlighting the impact of Covid-19 and the pandemic on his characters.
“And like maybe we can never really become the person we want to be, anyway, you know?
….maybe we’re just always becoming the person…” – Salvador Vega
Similar to its predecessor, ‘Coyote Love and Found‘ delves into the theme of a child coping with the loss of a parent. This year, in my middle school homeroom, I have several students who have experienced this profound loss, and I am considering the potential impact this book might have on them. Once of my students lost a parent 3 months ago. I’m not sure she would be able to read this book right now, but I think it would bring her some comfort if she read it a few years in. I hope other people who have endured the pain of losing a loved one can also find themselves lost and found, like Coyote does in this story. The title couldn’t be more fitting!
“How grateful am I?” – Doreen
Echoing the sentiments of Doreen, the character, my gratitude for receiving an advance copy of this book is immense. Just when I thought a snow day off from school was the highlight of my day, reading THIS BOOK surpassed it! It made me laugh, brought me to tears, and deeply touched me with its numerous revelations and life lessons. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you to NetGalley and Macmilian Children Publishing Group! Thank you Mr. Gemeinhart, for crafting a book so rich with life lessons; reading it with my students promises to be a deeply moving experience that will undoubtedly resonate with us all.”
#NetGalley #MiddleGradeFiction #MacmilianChildrenPublishingGroup #ACR #dangemeinhartbooks
This was a very powerful story that I read in 2 days. I quickly connected with the main character, Silas, who is on a quest to find and save his father who was taken by bandits in this story that is set in the past. Silas can see and talk to ghosts which is an interesting twist to this tale. This is the story of Silas, on his adventurous journey through the scary Woods and of the people who help him along the way. It is the story of mother who loves him very much but is no longer with him. It is a story of the power of love that never dies. Even when the physical body might pass, the power of love carries over into the next life. Being a Science teacher, I liked all of the Science references in this book too. Some people are trying to compare this book to Wonder. Pony and Wonder are 2 very different stories. I don’t think you can compare them or choose one over the other. Both are very powerful with their own unique messages. RJ Palacio’s books always pull at my heart strings and I hope my middle school students will feel the same way when they read this new story, which I will recommend to them. Special thanks to NetGalley for letting me read an advanced copy of this book. #Pony #NetGalley #MiddleGradeFiction