Jessica Vitalis’ Coyote Queen wins High Plains Book Award

The winners of the High Plains Book Awards were recently announced. Jessica Vitalis’ Coyote Queen (Greenwillow Books) took home the honour in the children’s middle-grade category. 

In this middle-grave novel, 12-year-old Felicity Ulyssa Dahlers, "Fud," lives in a trailer in rural Wyoming with her mom and Larry—her mom's abusive, alcoholic boyfriend. Fud feels trapped. A local beauty pageant with a cash prize offers an escape—and Fud is determined to win, even as she discovers mysterious abilities and growing connection to a local coyote pack.

Colleen Nelson’s The Umbrella House (Pajama Press) was also a finalist in the children’s middle-grade category. Shortlisted in the young adult category was As I Enfold You in Petals by Richard Van Camp, Scott B. Henderson and Donovan Yaciuk (HighWater Press).

Established in 2007, the High Plains Book Awards celebrate literary works that examine and reflect life in the High Plains region, which includes the states of Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Nebraska, Colorado and Kansas, and the Canadian Provinces of Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

For more information, visit highplainsbookawards.org.