The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart

From Goodreads, 

"Five years. That's how long Coyote and her dad, Rodeo, have lived on the road in an old school bus, crisscrossing the nation. It's also how long ago Coyote lost her mom and two sisters in a car crash.

Coyote hasn’t been home in all that time, but when she learns the park in her old neighborhood is being demolished - the very same park where she, her mom, and her sisters buried a treasured memory box - she devises an elaborate plan to get her dad to drive 3,600 miles back to Washington state in four days...without him realizing it.

Along the way, they'll pick up a strange crew of misfit travelers. Lester has a lady love to meet. Salvador and his mom are looking to start over. Val needs a safe place to be herself. And then there's Gladys....

Over the course of thousands of miles, Coyote will learn that going home can sometimes be the hardest journey of all...but that with friends by her side, she just might be able to turn her “once upon a time” into a “happily ever after”."

Goodreads - The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise

Awards and Nominations: 

• Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Middle Grade & Children's (2019)

During my second year of teaching, I had the opportunity to go to a reading conference for teachers.  I remember going into the convention center's main room where they had vendors set up and authors you could talk to.  There was also a school bus parked in the room.  It had been renovated and completely remodeled inside and was a library on wheels.  I immediately fell in love with the idea of having a mobile library and thought it sounded like a load of fun.  When I realized this book had a school bus at the center, I immediately knew this book would be full of excitement. 

Coyote Sunrise lives on a school bus with her dad Rodeo.  For the last five years, they have been traveling across the country following their hearts and running from their past.  After her weekly phone call to her grandmother, she finds out that the park where she grew up is being destroyed.  This wouldn't be a big deal, except that Coyote, her mother, and her two sisters buried a time capsule in the park.  Coyote's mother and sisters were killed in a car wreck and Coyote quickly realizes that she has to somehow get Rodeo to go back home first the first time in five years because that box is the only thing she has left of them. 

Favorite quote from The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise:

"It's something to have someone who misses you when you're gone.  And it's something to have someone who fights to get you back."

Coyote was by far my favorite character in the book.  She had a wonderful character arc.  In the beginning, she was very much like Rodeo in that she would go with the flow and was very laid back.  She agreed to his rules of no-go topics and was okay with not returning home.  Once she found out about the park being demolished, she started to change.  She was secretive to get Rodeo back home and found her voice.  She started talking to people that would help her with her quest for the time capsule.  Near the end of the book, she had completely changed.  She finally opened up to Rodeo about how she was feeling and laid down the law about going home.  Coyote's arc was beyond necessary for Rodeo to finally start healing.  I would love to have another book that follows the next chapter in Coyote and Rodeo's life.  

There were a few curse words in the book.  I really wish that more details had been given about Coyote's mom and sisters' death.  All we are really told is that they were in a car crash and that they were compensated for the accident.  I really wish there had been some kind of explanation of what happened.  It wasn't a necessary detail in the story, but I'm nosy and wanted the information. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this book.  There were always new people joining the crew on the bus or something crazy happening.  I think this is a fantastic young adult book and I'm surprised that it doesn't have more nominations or awards.  I give this 5 stars.