COYOTE

Swinburne describes his observations of the coyote, an animal that seems equally at home in locations throughout the US: on a Vermont farm, in the wilds of Yellowstone National Park, and in urban areas, e.g., near a swimming pool in Hollywood, California. He enthusiastically describes this small cousin of the wolf; it eats almost everything, adapts to many habitats, and is greatly extending its range in North America. Some farmers and ranchers have made efforts to eradicate the predator with hunting, traps, and poison, while Native American tales celebrate the coyote as a trickster. The author’s admiration for the coyote is evident throughout; this is an intriguing look at a creature that is making a comeback in an increasingly urban world. Children needing more specific information on the life cycle of the coyote can turn to Cherie Winter’s Coyotes. (index) (Picture book. 7-10)