The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise - by Dan Gemeinhart (Paperback)

About the Book

Twelve-year-old Coyote and her father rush to Poplin Springs, Washington, in their old school bus to save a memory box buried in a park that will soon be demolished.

Book Synopsis

"Sometimes a story comes along that just plain makes you want to hug the world. The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise is Dan Gemeinhart's finest book yet -- and that's saying something. Your heart needs this joyful miracle of a book." -- Katherine Applegate, acclaimed author of The One and Only Ivan and Wishtree

A 2019 Parents' Choice Award Gold Medal Winner

Five years.

That's how long Coyote and her dad, Rodeo, have lived on the road in an old school bus, criss-crossing the nation.

It's also how long ago Coyote lost her mom and two sisters in a car crash.

Coyote hasn't been home in all that time, but when she learns that the park in her old neighborhood is being demolished--the very same park where she, her mom, and her sisters buried a treasured memory box--she devises an elaborate plan to get her dad to drive 3,600 miles back to Washington state in four days...without him realizing it.

Along the way, they'll pick up a strange crew of misfit travelers. Lester has a lady love to meet. Salvador and his mom are looking to start over. Val needs a safe place to be herself. And then there's Gladys...

Over the course of thousands of miles, Coyote will learn that going home can sometimes be the hardest journey of all...but that with friends by her side, she just might be able to turn her "once upon a time" into a "happily ever after."

This title has common core connections.

Review Quotes

"Coyote's bold, engaging voice pops off the page...Gemeinhart infuses the story with moments of lyrical writing and folksy wisdom served up with a dollop of girl power." --The New York Times

"The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise will add to [Gemeinhart's] canon and could possibly garner a few awards. This is not just a story about Coyote's remarkable journey--this novel solidifies Gemeinhart as a remarkable children's author." --BookPage

"Narrator Coyote is legendary: wise, thoughtful, and perceptive...The narrative is beautifully paced and ranges easily from comic to bittersweet." --Booklist, starred review

"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." --Publishers Weekly

"Every mile of the road trip inexorably brings Coyote closer to confronting her past, and its inevitable sadness, but Gemeinhart avoids any sense of mawkishness. He tempers Coyote's grief with her triumphant growth from a girl whose sole purpose is keeping her father on an even keel to one who realizes that she alone must find, and even fight for, her own happiness." --Horn Book

About the Author

Dan Gemeinhart is a former elementary-school teacher-librarian and lifelong book nerd. He lives with his wife and three daughters in a small town in Washington State. He's the author of some other books, too: The Honest Truth, Some Kind of Courage, Scar Island, and Good Dog. If he ever meets you, he'd love to talk about books with you.