Coyote Autumn Book

Brad has always wanted a dog, so when he catches the little coyote, he decides to keep it. He couldn't have a dog when his family lived in a Chicago apartment, but now that they've moved to rural Oklahoma anything seems possible. Even rescuing an orphaned coyote pup...and keeping it a secret from his parents. With his friend Nolan's help, Brad is determined to tame Scooter, train him, play with him, and hide him in an old dog pen behind the barn. It almost works...until Mom and Dad discover his secret — and Scooter steals their hearts and gives them all a coyote's-eye view of what it's like to live in the dangerous world of men.

Children's Literature

Finally, thirteen-year-old Brad has moved someplace where he can have the dog he always wanted. No more city life, no more apartments, no more excuses of "no yard" and "no room." His family has moved to the country, and it hasn't been an easy adjustment for Brad, but if he can just have a dog, he thinks he might get used to it. This is why he is so disturbed by the local "sport," coyote-hunting. Brad has spent several afternoons watching the coyotes play in the field behind his house. When he sees a man drive a truck full of greyhounds to the field and set them loose in pursuit of the coyotes, it turns his stomach. Later, Brad finds a lone survivor amidst the terrible carnage, and it's only natural for him to take the motherless coyote home. However, raising a coyote presents problems he never considered. 2000, Holiday House, $16.95. Ages 8 to 12. Reviewer: Heidi Green