Magical realism at its finest!

And with gravitas.

In many ways it harkens back to the Wolves of Mercy Falls series by Maggie Stiefvater. The style feels similar, although the plot certainly is not. I appreciate how this book takes Fud's bleak (and very real) life seriously, while adding an air of fantasy that makes it a bit lighter.

I absolutely loved Desert Angel by Charlie Price, a grittier version of a similar situation. But Coyote Queen takes the darkness and makes it bearable.

Most of all, this book is approachable. As a teacher, I know there are so many kids who find themselves living a nightmare. This book offers hope.

And that's something we all need.

Fud is a seventh grader who lives with her mother and Larry, her mom’s alcoholic boyfriend, in Wyoming. They struggle financially, and Larry’s physical and emotional abuse make Fud desperate to find a way to get her and her mother out of their current situation. Fud meets a girl named Leigh who convinces her to participate in a beauty pageant. Fud is reluctant, but she wants to win the prize money for her mom. As if her life isn’t difficult enough, weird things keep happening: she grows hair in odd places, bites a fellow student, and feels deeply connected to the coyotes surrounding her trailer. But what Fud doesn’t realize is the coyotes will give her the strength she needed all along.

I have mixed feelings about this one. The message of the story is wonderful. The depiction of abuse is sad but realistic, and even though the ending isn’t the happy one that Fud wanted, it makes sense for her situation. The characters were well crafted, making me feel every range of emotion. Leigh and her mother Click were supportive, trusted characters that gave Fud a sense of safety and hope, and Fud’s mother was so frustrating but an accurate portrayal of women suffering from domestic violence. While I understand the coyote aspect and what they symbolize, I don’t think it worked well with this story. The magical realism felt out of place and not fully fleshed out. Fud’s connection to the coyotes could have been made without her seemingly turning into one throughout the book. I would rate this closer to 3.5 stars, but I think the message of this book alone makes it worth reading, especially for children and young adults. Thanks to NetGalley, Harper Audio, and Jessica Vitalis for this free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Listening to Coyote Queen was fantastic! I really enjoyed the narrator.

Twelve year old Fud and her mother are living in a bleak situation. Larry is Fud's Mom's boyfriend who seems to explode over the smallest issues, and no one knows when he will explode again. Fud desperately wants to escape this life, and she develops a close connection to the coyotes who wander close to their trailer. Knowing she will need money to escape, Fud enters the Miss Black Gold beauty pageant hoping that winning will finally get them out of town for good, but Fud quickly realizes it won't be easy to win.
Students won't expect this fantastical ending, but they will cheer for Fud in the end.

Felicity, AKA Fud, can't decide if she'd rather be surviving with her single mom far from this trailer park or tiptoeing around mom's new abusive boyfriend. She makes up her mind to do whatever it takes to escape, even if it means entering a major beauty pageant. Meanwhile, she's forming a special connection to the coyotes that no one else seems to notice.

I should have checked the trigger warnings on this one. It's not a good fit for me. It doesn't get graphic, but there's so much child abuse suggested in the first half of the book that it made me unwell. The coyotes are cool, and I like Fud's new neighbors. There are a lot of good ideas here, but it was too dicey for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

Fud is a 12-year-old living in a trailer in Wyoming with her mom and her mom’s boyfriend, Larry, an ex-boxer and abusive as well. All Fud really wants is to leave Larry far behind, Fud wants it to be just her and her mom they way it used to be. When new people move in next door Fud really sees that they way they have been living isn’t ideal and she really needs to get rid of Larry before he plans on them leaving on the boat, especially after he breaks her arm.
Fud could be anyone living anywhere maybe next door to you. You almost feel sorry for Fud at times, but it all just gives her more power to do what she needs to do. This is a great book and I hope you take the time to read it as I hope it will inspire you too.

Jessica Vitalis once again hits the mark with this middle grade novel - realistic fiction with just the right touch of fantasy! Fud is a middle schooler who tends to stick to herself, thanks to her mom's boyfriend, Larry, and the challenging and unsafe homelife he creates for them. When Leigh moves in to the trailer next door, Fud is unsure what to do. Should she make a friend for the first time in years? Should she keep Leigh at bay so she can keep the secrets at home? Vitalis makes the reader so connected to Fud, one is left wondering if the coyotes are real or a coping mechanism. This is a must-have for your classroom or library shelves!

An engaging book telling the story of a child in a harmful situation and how she found the courage and strength to advocate for herself. This story sheds light and gives voice to why we need better supports and questions to ask. It also shows the powerful dynamic that exists between the abuser and the abused, especially if the abused feels trapped. The Author's note is very helpful and provides information to get help.

The title and cover are very catchy. The narration was also good. I really enjoyed listening to this story. I was rooting for the main character and her friend in the pageant. (I will not tell you how it turns out.). There aren so many times, I wanted the abused to call the cops, neighbors or someone safe. But I could also see how they couldn’t, the system just doesn’t help sometimes and to take the risk could be deadly. The main character was creative in her thoughts (talent show) and learned that her issues are difficult, but, others also have different issues which could be just as bad. This book gives such a good lesson in friendship. I also learned a bit about coyotes.
Very enjoyable read.

“This book is about the kind of magic that comes from loving and believing in yourself, and the kind of magic that comes from being surrounded by people who love you.” This is a painfully real story about poverty, alcoholism, and abuse. It deals with the courage required to ask for and receive help. I know it is going to be a mirror book to many middle grade readers, but it is also going to be a window book for others. I highly recommend reading and sharing it.

This was a wonderful book that will hopefully encourage many kids living in abuse to ask for help. As someone has experience with abuse and alcoholism as child, I think this book would have both helped me and upset me. I liked that it include many resources at the end for readers to use for help. I like that even though it took a while the readers see what happens when you ask for help and how that can change everything. I also liked that there was just a little bit of magic in the book. It all felt extremely real and the descriptions of abuse were spot on.

This middle grade chapter book tackles the tough topic of domestic violence. Sadly, many readers will be able to relate to the characters feelings of fear and helplessness. They may also be able to relate to the tough time the main character Fud has making friends at school or her envy for the family next door. The Coyote aspects of the book are very symbolic, but might go over the heads of some readers. I think this book is a great addition to elementary libraries.

FUD and her mom recently moved in with Mom's new boyfriend, Larry. When a new girl moves in next door, she becomes friends with Fud and convinces her to try out for the local beauty pageant. Fud knows she doesn't have the money to really compete but after Larry's abuse escalates and Mom announces she is pregnant, Fud knows she has to win the cash prize. But strange coyote dreams and senses might just ruin all her plans.

This was a moving and realistic story about the beginnings of domestic abuse and how one ends up feeling stuck and hopeless. I loved watching Fud find her power and voice. She is a character you will root for and think about for a long time.

This was my first time listening to an audio galley and I really enjoyed it. As for the novel itself? Extraordinary. Such an important story and beautifully told. Jessica tells the unvarnished beautiful and ugly truths of Fud's life. There are many dark moments in a hope filled tale, and readers are sure to root for Fud from the beginning all the way through the grays to the colorful end.

This book has a rawness to it that makes you pay attention; I also admire Vitalis's ability to write a story about domestic violence and still manage to make the book's language easy to read for the target age group. I wish we got more magical realism throughout the entire story. Overall, I enjoyed reading Coyote Queen because of the the main character, Fud. Twelve year old Fud and her mother have weathered hunger, homelessness, and hard times. Yet their situation worsened ever since her mother decided to move in with a new boyfriend that is verbally and physically abusive toward them. Fud yearns for them to escape and enters a beauty pageant for the prize money only to make some painful and liberating discoveries at the end of the book.

Book Title: Coyote Queen
Author: Jessica Vitalis
Narrator: Digital Voice Galley
Publisher: Harper Audio- Greenwillow Books
Genre: Middle School
Pub Date : October 10,2023
My Rating: 3.4 Stars

Fud is twelve years-old girl heading into the Seventh Grade which she isn’t looking forward to as she knows the ‘mean beautiful girls’ will once again bully her.
She lives in a trailer with her mom and mom's abusive boyfriend Larry.
Leigh and her mom move next door and Leigh is excited about meeting Fud - someone her age and wants to be friends. Fud sees Leigh as a beautiful girl who looks like a fashion model and is sure the ‘mean girls’ will love her and turn her against Fud.
I have to admit when I started this I was disturbed by the domestic abuse and bullying ~ this is not a
comfortable read for any age - I hung in there hoping for a good outcome.

The girls do become friends and Leigh talks Fud into participating in a local beauty pageant. Fud doesn't care about beauty but she wants to win the prize money to get her mom out of their abusive situation.

Coyote queen has a touch of magic (or imagination?) but at times it was a struggle for me.
I was disappointed that there was a strong belief that winning a beauty pageant would be the answer. I understand winning a contest but participation in a beauty pageant can be expensive.

I know this story was based on magic and dreams which I do love but am practical enough to know there resources are available so the Author’s Note saved this story for me.
[author: Jessica Vitalis] tells us that although this is fiction her inspiration was her own life ~ this story was twenty years in the making.
She also gives many resources for help if in an abusive situation or if one is aware that someone is being abused.

Want to thank NetGalley and Harper Audio – Greenwillow Books and for this VoiceGalley Advanced Audio Edition.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for October 10, 2023

Coyote Queen was a phenomenal story that gripped me from start to finish. Fud lives in a trailer with her mom and her mom's crummy piece of work boyfriend. She escapes from her situation by watching the coyotes who live wild and free. When a girl her age moves in next door, they become quick friends (despite Fud's hesitation) and soon they are prepping to participate in a local beauty pageant. Fud doesn't care about beauty but she wants to win the prize money to get her mom out of their abusive situation. Coyote queen has a touch of magic (or imagination?) and I adored every single chapter.

It's so well-written and touches on tough topics with grace and believability. Unlike other books that deal with poverty and domestic abuse, this book never felt condescending or like it was trying to teach the reader a lesson, and the authentic voice made the story such an incredible read. It made me feel like a 12 year old again, stuck in a world you're trying to understand, change, and survive all at the same time.