• Age: 9 to 12
• Grade: 3 to 7

Coyotes are wily, secretive and extremely adaptive -- what young reader wouldn't be fascinated?

Familiar to kids and adults alike through its many appearances in folk and popular culture, the multicolored coyote has the gray wolf to thank for its survival. As humans eliminated wolf populations across the continent over the last century, the coyote easily filled the gap. Today it is the most successful and most numerous large predator in North America. It makes its homes not only in the wild but increasingly in suburbs and even urban centers -- the coyote is wary of humans but is quite willing to enter the human world in pursuit of food.

The coyote has a curious blend of characteristics that it shares with its dog-family relatives, the wolf and the red fox. Like the red fox, it has graceful, catlike movements. Like the wolf, it can hunt in packs but may also hunt on its own or with a partner.

Exploring the World of Coyotes explains how the wily coyote achieved such great success, from its elaborate communication skills, mate selection and family life to its adaptive life skills and physical characteristics.

The Exploring the World of... series is written for young readers who are curious about the natural world and the appealing creatures that inhabit it. Like its companion titles, Exploring the World of Coyotes is packed with facts and offer outstanding value.

Tracy C. Read is an editor and writer who has a special interest in nature and the environment. She lives in Kingston, Ontario.

Tracy C. Read's profile page

These books look at the animals' physical features, habitats, diets, and behaviors and offer other introductory facts. Well-organized texts and good-quality pictures taken from photo archives provide the basics... Insets of information in colorful circles add to the attractive configuration. The simple language and good use of space make these titles serviceable additions.

School Library Journal

Read provides the readers with a substantial amount of information in a limited space.... [They] are very attractive books for young naturalists [and] good springboards for arousing children's curiosity of wildlife and leading readers to further exploration. The skillful integration of high-quality photographs provides appeal for all readers, including reluctant researchers. Recommended.

CM