About the Book

STRANGERS IN THE LAND

Galen, the nine-banded armadillo, must accept the Tex, the ambitious outsider, as leader of the search for the fabled Faralone Falls, a place they can finally call home. But on the frontier, survival is the only thing that matters. Follow the armadillos on this epic quest for a home.

An Epic Quest Across a Dangerous Frontier

In the tradition of Warriors, Seekers, or The Guardins of Ga-Hoole comes the American fantasy, VAGABONDS, the sweeping saga of El Garro's armadillo colony, the scouts and pioneers who have always been at the forefront of the migration. Rumors from their original homeland, the jungles far to the south, suggest that El Garro's colony may be nearing the fabled Faralone Falls, where they will find the answer to why they have traveled northward for decades.

On the frontier, the armadillos face the unknown. Each step, each decision is uncertain, full of dangers. Galen must find the courage to take the necessary steps, even though he fears the outcome.

A Quest for a Home: An Immigrant's Tale

VAGABONDS is an American fantasy set in the Ozark mountains. Like El Garro's clan, we are a nation of immigrants, people who have known the sacrifice of leaving everything behind in hopes of finding a future and a hope for their families.

• Your heart will ache for Galen as he must leave behind his Four sisters.
• You'll weep with him when he finds his brother, Rafael, who has been blinded--and yet, he sees.
• You'll marvel at the courage and compassion of these endearing vagabonds as they push the very boundaries of their world in search for a home.

Travel for a season with Galen, Corrie, Victor, Blaze and Rafael. Experience the Ozark Mountains in all their glory - an American fantasy.This isn't a fast read; instead, it's a compelling read.

Read Vagabonds and follow Galen as he grows into a leader among his people, one worthy of being remembered in ballads.
WHY DID YOU WRITE THIS BOOK?
Once upon a time there was a boy and girl who met in college at the U of A and they found they both enjoyed hiking in the Ozarks. It began a life long love of hiking.People say to write what you know: I was learning about camping and the Ozarks. One day, we went camping at the Steele Creek campground on the Buffalo River, and just at sunset, we saw armadillos digging in the bushes.

I studied armadillos and found that they are an invasive species, coming up from Mexico into the U.S., and had already moved into the Ozarks of southern Missouri. Popular articles in newspapers at the time talked about how surprising it was that armadillos were able to withstand the cold as they moved north, but speculated that they were able to survive by digging deeper holes.

• Did you know that armadillos are the only creatures besides humans that have been known to contract leprosy?
• Did you know that armadillos are always born as quadruplets? All boys or all girls.
• Did you know that when startled armadillos jump straight up? It accounts for most of the road kill you see.

Until finally, I knew enough to put them into a fictionalized story. Now, I wasn't writing what I knew, but what I imagined to be true.

It seemed natural to make it an immigrant's story. These were creatures moving from South America, through Mexico, and into North America. Immigrants. I've always been fascinated with the difficulties faced by immigrants: leaving their home, crossing new lands, learning new languages.

About the Author: Translated into eight languages, children's book author Darcy Pattison writes picture books, middle grade novels, and children's nonfiction. Previous titles include The Journey of Oliver K. Woodman (Harcourt), Searching for Oliver K. Woodman (Harcourt), The Wayfinder (Greenwillow), 19 Girls and Me (Philomel), Prairie Storms (Sylvan Dell), Desert Baths (Desert Baths), and Wisdom, the Midway Albatross (Mims House.) Her work has been recognized by **starred reviews** in Kirkus, BCCB, and PW. Desert Baths was named a 2013 Outstanding Science Trade Book and the Library Media Connection, Editor's Choice. She is a member of the Society of Children's Bookwriters and Illustrators and the Author's Guild. For more information, see darcypattison.com.