I had the opportunity to read a NetGalley digital ARC of this title in exchange for a review. This middle grade road trip novel tells the story of twelve-year-old Coyote Sunrise and her father, Rodeo, who spend their days roaming around the country on a refurbished school bus they named Yager. Five years ago, Coyote’s mother and two sisters died in a tragic accident leaving Coyote and Rodeo reeling and unable to cope with the pain of the loss. So, the two climbed aboard the school bus, made it their home, and travelled anywhere they wanted, so long as it wasn’t anywhere near their painful memories.
But when Coyote learns that the park in her hometown is about to be torn apart to make room for a new development, she needs to get her dad to get them there quickly in order for her to find and salvage a memory box she and her mother and sisters buried several days before they died.
On the way there, the two take on several different passengers, each with compelling reasons they need to be on this trip. As they make their way across the country, Coyote and Rodeo learn how to face their grief and they also learn that running away and trying to forget is not the answer.
The author does a great job of capturing the sounds, smells, sights, and feelings that make the scenes feel real in this book. Middle grade readers will be able to climb aboard this bus, taste the Slushees, feel the soft fur of the kitten Coyote adopts, and see the sights of the road zooming past the window. Suspense is built as Coyote pushes her dad to make it to Washington in time for her to save her memory box with lots of roadblocks along the way.
This book would be appropriate for middle grade readers grades six and up. There is some mature language that you might want to consider if you have readers that are younger or are sensitive to that.

Loved so many things about this road trip story. The cover and the title caught my attention immediately and I was thrilled to find an ARC on NetGalley. The story of Coyote and Rodeo unfolds for us as we travel with them cross country. There is a kitten early in the book and a goat later. Their old bus, Yager, has transported them away from their home and they continue to wander until Coyote is told of an event in their hometown that draws her back. She manages to get them driving in the right direction and they pick up a diverse group of travelers on their way. Will Coyote get to the finish line in time? You might need some tissues to finish this new book. Recommended for fifth grade and up.

The quirky characters and heart-rending struggles of this tale make it a remarkable book for any age. I was immediately taken with Coyote's cool confidence and unconventional life-style. As the story unfolded and the meaning and weight of seemingly silly remarks and rituals were revealed, I was consumed with a desire to see her achieve her painful and healing journey. This is a great book for children, but its depth, both emotionally and intellectually, make this a remarkable journey for adults as well. Highly recommended!

I wish I could recommend this book without reservation, but I have some fairly big issues with it. First, the positive. Gemeinhart deals with grief and the aftermath of death beautifully; I cried a lot (especially near the end). There were some pacing issues with the plot (when the second cop tried to pull Coyote over, I rolled my eyes). But the biggest issues were the side characters and the number of ableist slurs and metaphors. There were several non-white and non-straight characters in the book. But, with the exception of Salvador, who did get some character development, they were more plot points than people. Val, the story's queer character, was a cliche and existed to add an obstacle that Coyote had to overcome. As for the ableist language, it included variations on: deaf ears, stupid, crazy (so many instances of "crazy"), idiots, morons, dumb, paralyzed, and madness.

I just finished this book and I am shattered. Gemeinhart is so good at letting us into the heads and, more importantly, the hearts of his narrators. Coyote is no exception. This story is, at its core, heartbreaking. Coyote and her dad, Rodeo, are running from their past and have no plans to look back. A conversation with her grandmother changes everything as Coyote decides she has to go home. As they travel, we meet a group of rag-tag passengers, who help Coyote see what is important and give her the courage to speak up for herself. So although it is a sad story, there is so much hope. I was torn between wanting to read the book as quickly as possible and wanting to stop every few pages to write down Coyote's wise and well-spoken observations. I will be buying a print copy ASAP and I'll probably buy the audio version, as well.

Coyote and Rodeo (her father) live on the road in an old school bus. The school bus has been adapted to meet their needs with places to sleep, sit, and even cook. And for the most part, Coyote is content with this lifestyle that has been hers for the last five years. That changes though when she gets word from her Grandma that the park where she buried a memory capsule with her mother and sisters is being torn up. Coyote desperately wants to retrieve the capsule but she knows her father has no intention of ever returning to the town that reminds him so much of the accident that took the lives of his wife and daughters. So Coyote sets out to manipulate her father into taking her back. The problem is that she only has a week to get herself and her father from Florida to Washington. Along the way, Coyote and Rodeo pick up some passengers, Lester who wants to get to Boise, ID to see his former girlfriend (or does he?), Salvador and his mother who are fleeing an abusive situation, and Val, whose parents have kicked her out. But everything is set in motion by the arrival of a tiny kitten. But can Coyote continue to lie to her father? Especially the closer they get to their former home?

Gemeinhart has written a book that is all heart. Coyote won me over from the first page as she talks about her adoption of Ivan (the kitten). And the idea of living on the road in a school bus is certainly an intriguing one. The other people that Coyote and Rodeo reach out to along the way also helped make the story as strong as it is. Lester, a good guy who loves music and wants to be in a band, but who also cares for his ex-girlfriend and whom Coyote convinces to join them to help drive the bus. Salvador and his mother, who finally left the his father in search of a new job, and who Coyote invites to join them after they help her out of a jam. This is a tender story of a family trying to find their way and extending kindness to others along the way. I could have done without all the swearing/profanity, but those readers who aren't bothered by that will find themselves unable to resist an endearing Coyote and her determination to achieve her goal.

One of the best books I read this year! I can’t wait to put this in student’s hands. Coyote is a character you won’t soon forget.

Coyote Sunrise and her dad Rodeo have been roaming the United States in a retrofitted school bus for the last five years. They are running from a grief so big and so powerful it threatens to consume them. Along the way, they find other survivors of grief and find that they can help each other along the way. It's a powerful story of love, kindness, and ultimately healing. This will be a great story for middle grade readers, especially those interested in social issues.

Thank you Netgalley and publishers for an ARC!

This is my first Dan Gemeinhart book and it was wonderful!! This would be most appropriate 6th-8th graders and fans of Because of Winn Dixie.

Coyote is a hoot! She makes friends wherever she goes. There are several characters in this story that readers will identify with.

Readers will laugh, root, and cry along with Coyote and those she meets. Buckle up for this remarkable journey!!

Thank you to Netgalley and Henry Holt
Books/Macmillan for the advance Kindle copy of this 1.8.19 release. All opinions are my own.
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 for this heartfelt adventure. Coyote and her dad have been on the road, living in a school bus for five years. They don’t talk about tragic past. When Coyote learns that the park where she buried something very important is about to be destroyed, she has to find a way to convince her father to go back to their hometown - the one place he says he will never go again. With a quirky cast of characters and a lovable protagonist, this is sure to be a hit with middle school readers. I will be ordering multiple copies for sure!

This newest offering by Dan Gemeinhart just may be my personal winner of the year, both my current reading year (2018) and maybe even its publication year (2019); it's that good. This is one that most fans of sad-happy heart warmers will want to read all in one sitting and may be tempted to skim in order to get to its lots of Kleenex required conclusion, but don't do it. If skimmed, readers will miss some fantastic descriptions, filled with enough sensory imagery that an ELA teacher will be highlighting passage after passage, and the more philosophical readers will miss sections that force them to think about ways to be kind to others while not forsaking one's self, and how to handle the "gone" of losing someone without forgetting them, plus what makes a person be a true friend, a dad, or a daughter....I was intrigued by Coyote's remarkable journey with her hippy-dippy father in a retrofitted school bus from the first few pages and followed her excitedly as she added more great passengers to their unusual vehicle and wondered if she would ever get to her final destination with her soul, spirit and maybe even body, intact. Librarians and readers of literature geared to the grade 5 and up crowd will want this one on their bookshelf. Those who are looking for diverse books to include in their collections will find two characters who seem to be Caucasian, two who are clearly Hispanic, one African-American, and one who states that she is gay without including any details of that lifestyle. For full disclosure: There are a few instances of profanity: one g-d, and two h-e-double toothpicks. Gemeinhart also uses lowercase letters for God in a passage about the glory of nature and again later on. No sexual innuendo and no violence...unless you count a little goat on policeman action that is totally appropriate and a welcome tension reliever! Highly, highly recommended.

This is one of those can’t-put-down reads that you'll remember for a long time. Coyote and her father, Rodeo, are traveling the country in a converted school bus. Rodeo believes that they can leave the past behind, but Coyote needs to remember and embrace her past. The novel centers around her determination to take them back home to recover an artifact that was an important part of their previous lives. Along the way she befriends and takes in various “strays” and the compassion and love that Coyote shows for them is and for her father is both touching and believable. A great novel for grades 5-8, for read-alouds and reading lists.

Another awesome book by Dan Gemeinhart that I will definitely recommend to my middle school students when it is released.

There’s something incredibly satisfying about reading the first page of a book and knowing it’s going to be great. Dan Gemeinhart is one of my favorite authors. Man, can he write. There’s no way I can do this book justice, but let me just say, I have a list of 10 favorite books of all time, and one has just been bumped.

The first paragraph sets the stage for awesomeness.
“There were big days and there were small days and there were bad days and there were good days and I suppose I could pick any one of ‘em for my “once upon a time.” But if I’m gonna be truthful—and truthful is something I always aim to be—there is only one best place to start this story.”

And two pages in. Dialogue, simple and perfect. At a gas stop, advising a boy about slushy flavors.
“Big mistake.”
“What is?” “
“Watermelon. That’s a no-go. Never waste your time with anything that claims to be watermelon or banana flavored. It’s a scam every time.”
From that moment on I knew I was going to love this character and love this book.

This is a story about dads and daughters. Rodeo is anything but a typical dad. He’s a hippie at heart and proves it with his long hair. Coyote accepts her life as “just the way it is.” Her mother and two sisters died in a car accident 5 years earlier and her dad has never recovered. Now they travel around the country in a renovated school bus, trying to forget the past. But when Coyote’s grandmother informs her that the park near her old home is about to be demolished, she knows she must convince her dad to turn the bus around. Her memories are buried in that park and she has 4 days to get from Florida to Washington State before they will be gone forever.

But convincing her dad won’t be easy. “Now I was pretty good at playing Rodeo. I’d been doing it for years. But he was a tricky bird to play. You could say that learning to play Rodeo was like learning to play a guitar, if the guitar had thirteen strings instead of six and three of them were out of tune and two of them were yarn and one of them was wired to an electric fence. He’s a handful is what I’m saying.”

Smooth as silk from beginning to end. Several passengers are picked up along the way, making for one heck of an adventure. Every chapter baits you to keep reading. You will not be able to put it down until you get to the very last line. And like others have said, you may want some tissues on hand. If this one doesn’t get a Newbery nod, I’ll be shocked.

This is one of the best books, for adult or children, I have read this year. The story overflows with kindness but with enough sass to keep you from getting a sugar high. The plot may be familiar — our narrator makes a journey to recover a buried memory box containing keepsakes from her mother and two sisters who were killed in a car accident 5 years earlier. She embarks on the trip in a converted school bus with her father. The catch? Coyote can’t tell her father where they are headed because he has refused to acknowledge the grief of their family’s loss in the five years they have been traveling the open road. The book begins with the rescue of a kitten, and as the story continues, other travelers join their pilgrimage. Coyote, the narrator, is clearly an old soul. Her love for her anguished but loving father Radio colors every decision she makes, but she has the sensitivity to appreciate the wounds that others carry and also a growing understanding of her own needs. Not only are the characters fully fleshed out, but the escapades detailed in these pages swing between edge-of-your-seat drama and bust-a-gut humor with barely time to catch your breath. I savored every page and adventure while I was reading, and my thoughts lingered on the story whenever I took a break.
I put this story of love and loss at the head of my list for Newbery contenders for the year and want to give everyone I know a copy.

I just want to ask why am I so sorry to see this book end? One more ride is all I ask! Coyote and Rodeo are two characters I will never forget. I read on and on without putting it down! I feel like, I have to get into the hands of my students! If you haven't noticed yet, This is a great book! They story has all of your emotions rolled into its pages. You will not be sorry!

Coyote is such a well developed character. She is a character that I think must be based off a real person. She is so real. The experiences are so deep and sensitive. I really enjoyed this story.

Coyote Sunrise and her dad, Rodeo, live and travel in a school bus. They're in constant motion to avoid facing a dark secret that they don't discuss. Coyote hears that a memory box her, her sisters and her mom buried is going to be demolished, so she sets up a scheme to get Rodeo to take her there. Along the way, they welcome a rag tag group of strangers along for a ride, and quickly become family. Beautiful writing and a beautiful story. All of the characters come to life, and this journey is one that you'll want to go on!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this e-galley. My middle school book group were part of an ARC club to review this book and we all gave it 5 stars! Bring your tissues though!

This book is like the Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry for kids. A beautifully crafted road trip story. I highlighted so many touching and thoughtful lines . All the characters are 3 dimensional and essential to the plot. But everyone especially fell in love with the main character, Coyote. The group said they felt their "heart rise and fall with hers" . And by the end they were cheering her name outloud.

This may be my favorite book of Dan's and they are all exquisite.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I laughed, I cried. Seriously though, while we never doubt what the end of this story will be, getting there is a journey worth taking with Coyote and the band of people (and animals) she gathers around herself. Moments of pure joy, laughter, grief, awkwardness, and everything else in between make this a little slice of life. Deep grief doesn't stop life and there are so many ways of dealing with it. Rodeo's and Coyote's ways are coming into conflict, but not reading this story is a no-go.

Dan Gemeinhart specializes in well-intentioned middle-grade tearjerkers starring plucky protagonists who face big-time sorrows with a combination of pluck, humor and good old-fashioned buckets of love. Remember when Lou Grant said Mary had "spunk...I hate spunk!" That's how I'm feeling about a Gemeinhart title these days. The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise feels a little too carefully calculated for maximum emotional wallops. Twelve-year-old Coyote is appealing enough, though a little too full of wisdom and sass and can-do spirit. Couldn't she just whine for a cell phone once in a while so the average kid could relate? Her never-ending journey on the road with her gonzo bohemian father is quintessential Gemeinhart, as he specializes in kids taking metaphorical journeys. Coyote's quest is to get her father to drive back to the town they left five long years ago so she can retrieve a memory box buried there. The merry band of castaways who hitch a ride on the bus and end up helping Sunrise family includes Lester, a trusty African American musician who really sings the blues, book-loving Salvador and his mother, speaking Spanish and fleeing domestic abuse, and gay Val, rejected by her family and on the run. And of course, Ivan, the lovable kitten who Rodeo allows Coyote to adopt, thus opening a chink in the armor he has carefully crafted around the two of them. Their co-dependence is starting to feel like a prison to Coyote. as she longs for friends, routine and the right to remember her past, symbolized by the memory box. Of course, Rodeo has a good reason for making the bus an escape pod from that past - they lost Coyote's mother and two sisters in a devastating car accident which Rodeo refuses to discuss. Ever. Or to allow Coyote to call him Dad. Or to call Coyote by her real name. Or to stay anywhere longer than a day or night, let alone have Coyote see her grandma back home or attend school. Wait, where are Children's Services? Shouldn't someone have noticed Coyote in all of those mini-marts and gas stations? Gemeinhart is a good enough writer that he makes you go along for the ride, even if your eyes occasionally start rolling. The characters essentially exist to support Coyote's mission, though such cheerful egoism might be more acceptable if they weren't a saintly band of stereotypical minorities.

Of course, I feel badly for picking on such a sweet, spunky book. It will be loved by librarians, recommended and passed along, so Gemeinhart has done it again. I guess I have more in common with Lou Grant than I thought!