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Coyote Moon

by Maria Gianferrari

Book list This striking book celebrates the life of coyotes without dismissing their predatory nature. The coyote on the front cover is on the hunt, while the back cover shows an attentive young pup. Inside, Gianferrari's well-balanced text describes both the coyote's search for prey and her vulnerability: targets escape, angry geese retaliate, pups are easy prey for hawks. Although endnotes provide more information, the text and illustrations subtly provide many facts as well, showing coyotes' opportunism regarding diet and their amazing athletic abilities (in one close-up spread, the coyote almost leaps from the page in a giant pounce). Because this hunt begins at night, Ibatoulline's palette is dark. He adds mystery by including spreads full of bushes and shadows, but the coyote's eyes are always bright, popping from the dim background. Though many pages show her fierceness, there is a quiet satisfaction when the hunt is done. With sunlight and success comes a celebratory song and a child witness, warmth in text and illustrations.--Ching, Edie Copyright 2016 Booklist

From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.

School Library Journal K-Gr 2-A captivating and atmospheric title about a mother coyote on the hunt through a suburban landscape. Readers join the coyote as she leaves her pups in the den and travels through a neighborhood, a golf course, and a lakeside-all in pursuit of a mouse, a flock of geese, a rabbit, and, finally, one unfortunate turkey. The text is spare, with a focus on the coyote's movement and use of her senses: she listens to the scratching of the mouse, sniffs the air and smells the geese, lunges, slinks, pounces, and much more. With the arrival of the sun and the success of her hunt, the coyote lets out a celebratory "Yeeeep-yip-yip-yoooo" before heading back to feed and snuggle with her young. Readers looking for straightforward facts won't find them within the text; the dynamic and richly detailed illustrations are what tell the story here. Ibatoulline uses color, shadow, and dramatic angles to portray the coyote's athleticism, her hunting style, the flight response of her prey, and the passage of time (the narrative begins at night and ends with dawn). Back matter expands on the coyote's origin in the United States and its habitat, territory, diet, physical abilities, communication, and family structure. VERDICT Simple text and remarkable artwork make this a great selection for read-alouds and parent-child bonding.-Kelly Topita, Anne Arundel County Public Library, MD © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

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