A Pup Called Trouble

by Bobbie Pyron

Overview

Fans of classic animal stories like Pax and A Dog’s Way Home will howl over the heartwarming adventures of a coyote pup lost in New York City. This early middle grade novel is an excellent choice to share during homeschooling, in particular for children ages 7 to 9 who are reading independently. It’s a fun way to keep your child engaged and as a supplement for activity books for children.

Brimming with curiosity, Trouble can’t wait to explore the world beyond Singing Creek. So one morning the coyote pup stows away in the back of a truck and ends up lost in the heart of New York City. While Trouble misses his siblings, he quickly makes friends in Central Park’s Ramble: a prankster crow, a timid opossum, and a poetic poodle.

Before long, he goes from howling for home to wondering if he could make a life in the city forever. But when word gets out that a coyote is running wild on city streets, Trouble must choose between the risks of being caught and the dangers of a long journey home.

Inspired by true stories, this accessible read from the award-winning author of A Dog’s Way Home will resonate with anyone who’s ever felt torn between the longing for adventure and the call of home. An appendix with real accounts of wild animals trapped in the city adds to the fun!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062685230
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	04/09/2019
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	224
Sales rank:	541,350
Product dimensions:	5.10(w) x 7.50(h) x 0.60(d)
Lexile:	700L (what's this?)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Bobbie Pyron has worked in libraries and bookstores in North Carolina, Tennessee, and Utah and has been active in local animal rescue work for many years. She’s the author of A Pup Called Trouble, A Dog’s Way Home, and Stay. Bobbie lives in Ashville, NC, with her husband, Todd, and their dog, Sherlock. www.bobbiepyron.com

Editorial Reviews

★ “An enthralling adventure with emotional heft and read-aloud potential. Fans of Kate DiCamillo, Phyllis Naylor, and E. B. White will treasure Pyron’s book.” — Booklist (starred review)

“A fast-paced, immersive exploration of urban wildlife from a satisfying animal point of view.” — Kirkus Reviews

“Based on real-life instances of coyotes inhabiting Central Park, Pyron’s tale deftly navigates the animal adventure genre with a lively voice. Readers will be captivated.” — School Library Journal

“A sweet tale about something we all yearn for, whether we’re four-footed or two-footed: friendship and a place to call home.” — bestselling author Suzanne Selfors

From the Publisher

A sweet tale about something we all yearn for, whether we’re four-footed or two-footed: friendship and a place to call home.

Suzanne Selfors

A sweet tale about something we all yearn for, whether we’re four-footed or two-footed: friendship and a place to call home.

bestselling author Suzanne Selfors

★ “An enthralling adventure with emotional heft and read-aloud potential. Fans of Kate DiCamillo, Phyllis Naylor, and E. B. White will treasure Pyron’s book.

Booklist (starred review)

Beautifully written, this is an important story that speaks to the special kinship between child and dog. I simply LOVE this book!

Patricia MacLachlan

A Dog’s Way Home is at times hilarious, at times mystical, at times page-turningly suspenseful. The heartbeat of this story-like the strong heartbeat of the Sheltie at its center-will stay with you for a very, very long time.

Gary D. Schmidt

Bobbie Pyron gives us a triumphant story about faith and hope and never giving up, especially on the ones you love.

Kathi Appelt

Readers will find it tough not to flip to the final pages to find out how this heartfelt story ends. Hand this to fans of Phyllis Reynolds Naylor’s Shiloh and Kathi Appelt’s The Underneath and they will not be disappointed.

Booklist

11/01/2017
Gr 3–6—An exuberant and curious coyote pup is aptly named Trouble. His parents worry that their youngster's inquisitiveness will lead him astray. In an attempt to set boundaries for their impish offspring, the parents show Trouble and his siblings the makers (humans) and warn them to have nothing to do with this clan. Trouble, however, cannot stay away, and one night his nosiness finally leads him into a precarious situation. He is exploring a farm truck when he finds himself on the move, ending up at a farmer's market in New York City. Trouble alternates between fear, homesickness, and delight as he navigates new environments, tries new foods, and settles into a comfortable life in Central Park with his new friends, Mischief the crow, Rosebud the opossum, an owl named Professor, and Minette the poodle. When Trouble draws the attention of an animal control officer, he's desperate to reunite with his family. Based on real-life instances of coyotes inhabiting Central Park, Pyron's tale deftly navigates the animal adventure genre with a lively voice. Readers will be captivated as Trouble and his friends work together to find safety and, eventually, return home. Each creature grows as a character, exhibiting bravery, compassion, and sacrifice. A variety of humans, kind and horrid, round out the story and play roles in Trouble's eventual reunion with his family. Critter Notes at the end provide factual information on the animals in the book. VERDICT Purchase where there is a demand for animal stories, especially for fans of W. Bruce Cameron's "A Dog's Purpose" series.—Nancy Nadig, Penn Manor School District, Lancaster, PA

School Library Journal

Narrator Kirby Heyborne brings verve and wonder to the story of a coyote pup who from the moment of his birth has had a propensity for exploration. Trouble’s wandering spins out of control when a vehicle is involved, and he finds himself alone in New York City. Without being able to see the North Star, how will he find his way back to his family? Heyborne maintains the tension with good pacing. His voice rises and falls when humans panic as the coyote appears in unexpected places. Heyborne’s portrayals of the story’s other creatures—crow, owl, possum, poodle, and fox—have quirky, endearing personalities. Listeners will cheer as they help mastermind Trouble’s return to the wild. The author’s afterword provides factual information about wild creatures that live in the vicinity of humans. A.R. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine

MARCH 2018 - AudioFile

Narrator Kirby Heyborne brings verve and wonder to the story of a coyote pup who from the moment of his birth has had a propensity for exploration. Trouble’s wandering spins out of control when a vehicle is involved, and he finds himself alone in New York City. Without being able to see the North Star, how will he find his way back to his family? Heyborne maintains the tension with good pacing. His voice rises and falls when humans panic as the coyote appears in unexpected places. Heyborne’s portrayals of the story’s other creatures—crow, owl, possum, poodle, and fox—have quirky, endearing personalities. Listeners will cheer as they help mastermind Trouble’s return to the wild. The author’s afterword provides factual information about wild creatures that live in the vicinity of humans. A.R. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine

MARCH 2018 - AudioFile

2017-10-30
Aptly named coyote pup Trouble strays too far from home and ends up in the back of a truck headed for New York City.Fortunately, he's befriended—more or less—by a wily crow, Mischief, who provides help in key moments. A shy and anxious opossum, Rosebud, is drawn into their flight from Officer Vetch, a determined, not especially kind animal control officer who makes it his mission to find and round up the coyote. Mischief alternates between kindness, helping lead Rosebud and Trouble to the relative safety of Central Park, and good-natured malice, serving up a healthy supply of (somewhat) dirty tricks. After Trouble falls for a prissy but good-natured poodle, he starts to lose his wildness, growing less and less cautious of the perils of the city. When a little girl with good intentions but not much wisdom tries to feed Trouble, real danger emerges, leading to a suspenseful chase that will have readers cheering for the clever animals who team up to save their coyote friend. The animal protagonists emerge as believable if typecast characters: the owl is wise, the crow is clever, the swans are disdainful, Trouble is curious; but all of them are endearingly loyal. An interesting afterword provides additional animal information.A fast-paced, immersive exploration of urban wildlife from a satisfying animal point of view. (Fiction. 9-12)

Kirkus Reviews