Coyote's Wild Home

Making dual picture book debuts, Pulitzer Prize winner Barbara Kingsolver and daughter Lily Kingsolver, an environmental educator, dramatize perspectives from two species in a narrative that spotlights coyote and human experiences of the natural world. Alternating spreads follow Coyote Pup, "old enough for his first hunt" with his aunt, and city girl Diana on a camping excursion with her grandfather. Parallels abound: as Auntie guides Coyote Pup to new scents and glimpses of prey, Diana and Grandpa identify animal tracks; as Coyote Pup pounces unsuccessfully for a mouse, Diana reels in an empty fishhook. In naturalistic paintings layered with untextured landscapes, Mirocha (Amazing Armadillos) foregrounds Auntie and Coyote Pup spying Diana and Grandpa from a safe distance, and pictures affectionate interactions among characters of both species. Measuring people's ideals ("The balance of nature includes everything alive, even us") against the wild creatures' recognition that "their forest keeps shrinking," the creators hint at material debate around humans' responsibility to fellow beings in this compassionate dual portrait. Coyote facts conclude. Ages 6-9. (Oct.)