Coyote Queen

A 12-year-old contends with financial precarity and domestic abuse in this realistic read with a fantastical twist by Vitalis (The Wolf's Curse). In small-town Wyoming, Felicity Ulyssa "Fud" Dahlers walks on eggshells around her mother's volatile, alcohol-dependent boyfriend Larry, a former boxer, and tries to block out the adults' frequent arguments by imagining herself running free with nearby coyotes. Fud is initially wary of new girl Leigh, who's just moved into the trailer next door. But Leigh suggests that they enter the Miss Tween Black Gold Pageant together, and Fud commits after discovering that the prize money could facilitate her and her mother's escape from Larry. When her mother's health takes a turn and Larry's abuse becomes physical, Fud finds herself manifesting coyote-like traits as she struggles to survive while preparing for the pageant. The challenges that Fud and her mother endure—some of which are based on Vitalis's childhood experiences, per an author's note—are sympathetically wrought, and Fud's resilience and compassion drive the narrative to a complex yet optimistic resolution. Fud is of Spanish descent; the supporting cast is racially diverse. Agent: Sara Crowe, Sara Crowe Literary. (Oct.)

This is a powerful novel of tremendous empathy and optimism, where the true magic lies in the belief that acceptance and engagement and togetherness aren't just the purview of coyotes. — Gary D. Schmidt, Newbery Honor winner and National Book Award finalist

Exquisitely written and painfully real, this is a brave and beautiful book about hard, important things. — Megan E. Freeman, award-winning author of Alone

An unflinching depiction of domestic violence and poverty interwoven with budding friendships and coyote magic. There are no easy answers, but there is hope. This book lights the way. — Jenn Reese, author of A Game of Fox & Squirrels

A memorable story of ferocity, love, desperation—and the bittersweet empowerment of a girl finding her way out of difficulty. Vitalis captures painful truth with a deft touch of fantasy. — Kaela Rivera, author of Cece Rios and the Desert of Souls

The best fictional stories are the ones that cut right to the truth, no matter how deep it's buried. Coyote Queen is one of those stories. Nuanced and raw, this book throbs with both power and hope. Vitalis has delivered a brilliant story, one that's clearly straight from her heart—and that's thankfully now heading to the hearts of readers everywhere. — Ann Braden, author of The Benefits of Being an Octopus

[Fud] and her mom, a victim of domestic abuse, [live] in a Wyoming trailer with unstable ex-boxer Larry, whose increasingly frequent blow-ups are plainly heading nowhere good. Desperate to escape, Fud seizes on the (slim) chance of a cash prize offered by a local beauty pageant . . . A tragically familiar tale of abuse is layered onto a raw and multifaceted coming-of-age story. Fud's memorably unconventional pageant performance will win hearts and minds, as will her cry for help and the strong, constructive response it brings. . . . Winningly intense. — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)