Canyons

Here is another 1996 Caudill nominee, Canyons by Gary Paulsen. This is not a book to read when you are on the verge of falling asleep (not because the book is boring, but because of exhaustion.) Some parts of the book seem so surreal, that you begin to feel a part of the "dream".

The book starts as two stories. Coyote Runs is an Apache youth living in the 1860s. He longs to go on a raid, prove himself, and be declared a man. And that day has finally come. The men of his tribe are crossing the Mexican border to steal horses and Coyote Runs has been asked to come along to watch the riders' horses during the actual raid.

Brennan is a modern-day, fatherless youth, who loves to run and mows lawns to make money. He has lived through multiple of his mother's relationships and while he sincerely wants happiness for his mother, he would rather steer clear himself. Then his mother brings home Bill who is taking a youth group camping in the canyons, and Brennan and his mother have been invited along. His mother is so joyous, that Brennan agrees despite his own misgivings.

Here is where the two stories converge. After the Apache's raid, Coyote Runs is chased by the "bluebellies," American soldiers, into a canyon where he hopes to hide. Unfortunately, Coyote Runs is injured and a trail of blood leads the soldiers right to him. Coyote Runs is only allowed to live as a man one day.

More than a century later, Brennan is hiding from the other campers in a nook in a canyon. Something pokes him through his sleeping bag. It turns out to be a skull. Even though one is not allowed to take anything off of a National Park except what one brings in, Brennan is compelled to bring the skull home with him. He is compelled by the voice of an Apache youth determined to be returned to sacred ground. And Brennan will not be able to concentrate on anything else until this task is performed.

Brennan helps Coyote Runs, but Brennan could not accomplish everything required without the help of the voice of Coyote Runs. Brennan considers that he might be going crazy because of the thoughts he has finding the skull. He just "knows" what to do and he cannot explain it without sounding crazy. I like that even though Brennan's mission is to return the skull, the knowledge of the Apache boy is what enables him to do so. There is no questionn in this book that Brennan was aided supernaturally. He could not have known what only the Apache's were aware of.

Paulsen never disappoints. Not even a girl.