by Brittany Burns, Children's Services Specialist, Feb. 2022
I’m not sure about you, but I love a good story that has a little of everything, a story that will make me love the characters so much that I can’t stand for the story to end. For me, that book is The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart.
In the book, the last five years have been interesting for Coyote. After the death of her mother and sisters, her father packed the rest of the family up in to an old school bus and they travel around the country picking up strangers. Not a horrible way to live if you ask Coyote. When Coyote hears that the park she played in as a kid is going to be demolished, she must convince her father to return to the one place he can’t face.
The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise is a great book for ages 9-12 that looks at the different ways that people handle grief and change. It also has an amazing group of characters that will just make you wish they were in your life! If this sounds like a book you'd enjoy, you might like these titles, too:
First is one of my favorites that is great for all ages, called Ocean Meets Sky by Terry Fan. In this book, a boy who goes on a fantastic journey to find the place where the sky meets the ocean. He heard about this place from his grandfather and he sees so many amazing things along the way. This book is a beautifully-illustrated, wordless picture book, which allows the reader to use their imagination to create their own story.
Another similar book is An Occasionally Happy Family by Cliff Burke. When Theo Ripley’s family decides to go on their first vacation since the death of his mother, Theo is not happy. First, it is camping at a National Park and Theo does NOT like the outdoors like the rest of his family. Second, Theo finds out that this trip is not just about enjoying the great outdoors when his dad’s new and previously secret girlfriend shows up. Now Theo must figure out how he is going to handle this new situation and survive this trip. This funny and engaging book is great for ages 8-12, and will make you want to see what the characters get up to.
If these books sound interesting to you, check out our full list of staff picks for books like The Remarkable Story of Coyote Sunrise or visit the Children's Services department to find more books you'll love.