Book Review by Whitney

Title: God’s dog
Author: Hope Ryden
Type: Non-fiction
Subject: Coyotes (Say Ky-oat) (Not, ky-o-tee)

Summery: As an animal lover, always thirsty for more details, this book was right down my ally. Miss Ryden has written numerous books about animals. From first hand experience, of observing animals in their own habitat, disturbing them as little as possible. She has also appeared on talk shows and has written extensive articles for The National Geographic, magazine.

She is extremely good at what she does, and I personally did not find any part of her book boring. In her book, “God’s Dog”, she was the first person, to date, to study a coyote litter being raised in its natural environment, and so discovered many surprising behaviors. She has also visited people that have kept them as pets, (not for the faint of heart!) and investigated the Coy-dog. (A wild mix of wolf and coyote)

She trapezes through sagebrush and faces a migrating herd of thousands of elk, surviving blizzards in a haystack, and making her way through dangeres snow drifts, that if sunk into, will sap your strength, and life energy. Witnessing fascinating behaviors, and capturing photos of them, it seems she is not afraid of anything that means she can study her subjects in a more efficient, and safe, (for the subjects!) way. (Except ladders, she is afraid of those.)

She also lists a history of canis latrans. In one chapter it has the long list of what man has done to get rid of this “nuisance”. Dispelling numerous myths as she goes, she is at the top of my must read list and I can’t wait to read more!

Rating:********** Ten stars! Very good content, lots of things to learn, and neat photos taken by her, while in the field.

Recommended for: Ages 12- up. Has some graphic photos of coyotes that have been killed by humans, and describes some of the horrific way humans “exterminate” them in one of the later chapters. Also has some sad stories.

Some other books written by this author: Lily Pond, Bobcat Year, America’s Last Wild Horses.