At just eight weeks old, Australian Shepherd puppy Kaya is stolen from her home by a desperate coyote —meant to be food for his hungry mate and pups. But instead of becoming a meal, Kaya becomes family. The gentle mother coyote raises her alongside her own young, teaching Kaya the ways of the wild and the meaning of unconditional love. But as hard as she tries, Kaya can’t completely fit in—she can’t kill prey or stay awake for night hunts. Why can’t she make herself a true coyote? Constantly criticized by her coyote father, Kaya finds support in her new mother and siblings. She also figures out how to contribute through teamwork with her brother and sister. Trapped by a dog rescue, Kaya re-enters the human world and learns the differences between how dogs and coyotes live. Tender, uplifting, and unforgettable Between Wild and Mild is a heartwarming story of courage, identity, and the boundless power of love to bridge even the widest divide. "Sunny Weber takes readers on a remarkable journey between two worlds as we follow the puppy, Kaya, struggle to live and grow with a family of coyotes, and then experience returning to her role as a dog living with people. In addition to exciting adventures, challenges, and drama experienced by Kaya, we also learn about the differences between the animals, and their very different relationships to people. As a biologist that works with coyotes and dogs, I appreciate the creative way Sunny distinguishes the two animals in such an engaging story. Highly recommended for young readers interested in dogs, coyotes, and the world through their eyes." Stanley D. Gehrt Professor of Wildlife Ecology Extension Wildlife Specialist School of Environment and Natural Resources Ohio State University "What a beautiful, heartwarming book! Sunny incorporates the stories of abused and neglected farmed animals to bring attention to their plight. Sunny does a wonderful job of telling the story of Kaya, a caring and compassionate dog who is forced to confront her values and make difficult decisions to follow her heart or to fit in. Kaya teaches us to have empathy for all animals, regardless of their species." Chrissy Dinardo Development Director Luvin Arms Animal Sanctuary Erie, CO Sunny Weber's middle grade novel is a delightful, unique coming-of-age story. An accomplished narrative written in elegant prose, Kaya's loveliness and spunk -- and the novel's emphasis on familial love-- are perfectly suited to be shared between parent and child and read at any phase of life. Blue Ink Reviews Sunny Weber's novel, From Wild to Mild: A Dog in Two Worlds, is a powerful, but gentle story written with the passion of Lassie and so many other heartwarming dog stories. Written in the first-person narrative, from Kaya's point of view, the plot develops with a mixture of excitement, fear, warmth, compassion, sibling affection, and coming of age drama. The dog and coyote characters are well developed. Dialogue is used effectively to show the playful affection between Kaya and her coyote siblings, as well as to demonstrate the harshness of Kaya's coyote father. So many parallels can be addressed as Kaya struggles to straddle two completely different worlds: wild and tame. Young readers who have been transplanted from different countries, struggling to adjust to a new culture, will certainly relate to Kaya in her attempts to adjust to a different life. A touching story that I couldn't put down. Wow! Readers' Favorites Book Reviews The dramatic plot will keep young readers rooting for Kaya. Kirkus Reviews All children face "coming-of-age" conflicts--who am I? What am I meant to do? What kind of grown-up do I want to become?Australian Shepherd Kaya's story emphasizes the need to search hard for your true calling, and then be true to yourself--regardless of push-back from peers, parents, authority figures, and those who want to have power over you.Kaya must leave her family to find herself. On the journey of growing up, Kaya discovers her inherent talents, and how to use them to contribute to others. In the end she finds life does come full circle and love never dies. Saving more dog lives by educating the people who care for them is the mission behind Sunny's work. Sunny Weber has over 30 years of experience in animal welfare advocacy. She is a humane educator, animal behaviorist, and trainer. She believes compelling storytelling reflects her passion for seeing the world through the eyes of the animals she works with and teaches about.      Authors of Sunny's own childhood books influenced her future work as an advocate and writer.  Sunny seeks to provide rich, multi-layered stories featuring complicated characters with whom children can identify. Her characters and their unique worlds will not only bring more understanding for pets, but also motivate children to read.  Developing empathy in children through dog narrators will hopefully curb youthful animal abuse, which, without