A huge thank you to a friend who suggested this wonderful book! And an even bigger thank you to author Dan Gemeinhart for writing it!!
Five years ago Coyote's two sisters and her mother were killed in an accident. Since then Coyote and her father who calls himself Rodeo, have been traveling the country in an old school bus. Rodeo and Coyote have made a promise to look only to the future and never mention the tragedy of their past. Coyote, now twelve years old, sometimes wishes she could talk about the past and the memories she has tucked away, but she respects her father's need to forget.
The two travelers have crisscrossed the country numerous times. Coyote loves to read and learns what she needs in a sort of homeschool situation. It's just been Coyote and Rodeo until one day during a gas stop, Coyote finds a kitten. She sneaks the tiny thing onto the bus and manages to keep it a secret for several days. She names him Ivan after a character in her favorite book. Keeping a secret really isn't possible in their tight living quarters so Rodeo eventually meets Ivan. The kitten passes the 500 mile test and becomes a part of the family.
Their usual calm life changes when Coyote checks in with her grandmother only to learn that the park in her hometown is scheduled to be demolished. In a few short days bulldozers will be leveling the pretty park where she and her sisters and mother spent many happy times. Coyote is determined to return to the park to rescue the memory box they buried there just before the tragic accident took the lives of Rose, Ava, and their mother. There's only one problem - Rodeo has made it clear he never, ever wants to return home.
Author Dan Gemeinhart deftly combines humor, determination, and heartbreak in this beautiful story. Readers will immediately connect with the clever Coyote and her hippie father. Other quirky characters join them on their cross country journey. Gemeinhart reminds readers that there are still kind and caring people in the world. I do suggest keeping a tissue handy as you read.
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