From School Library Journal
Kindergarten-Grade 2–All is peaceful in Cactus Canyon until a gang of coyotes brings trouble. "Ornery and full of mischief," the creatures terrorize the cottontail, cactus wren, quail, and antelope squirrel. When they're unsuccessful in capturing any of their prey, they turn on one another and start to brawl until they are surprised by a huge rattlesnake. The standoff ends with the coyotes fleeing the canyon and calm returning to it. Arnosky's high-quality, full-spread illustrations add substantially to this tale. With its vivid artwork painted in striking Southwestern hues, the book would supplement a desert biome unit nicely. While it's somewhat misleading to characterize the coyotes as rowdy bad boys instead of natural predators, kids will definitely get the idea, and, even though the little guys prevailed on this particular day, it's clear that the gang will be back again soon.
–Rosalyn Pierini, San Luis Obispo City-County Library, CA
Product Description
A gang of rowdy young coyotes appears over the rocky slope of Cactus Canyon, and the other animals do their best to lie low. But the coyotes chase the cottontail, bark at the wren, frighten the quail, and growl at the squirrel as he scurries for safety.
When they turn on each other and accidentally roll over a rattlesnake, their bluster quickly fades as they run for the hills.
Playing off the Western setting, Arnosky cleverly approaches a common problem for kids. This exciting episode set against a dazzling desert landscape is a perfect launching off place for discussing bullies.