Striped Coat, the Skunk

In the barns and woodlots of rural America, a skunk is born. His mother calls him Striped Coat, and from his first wobbling steps out of the den, he must learn the hard lessons of survival: which paths lead to safety, which creatures mean danger, and why humans reach for their shovels at the sight of him. But Striped Coat is no ordinary pest. He is a quiet hunter, patrolling the farm's edges in moonlight, devouring the mice that would otherwise overrun the grain stores. Yet the farmer sees only the stripes, the reputation, the spray. This is the story of one small animal navigating a world that has already judged him, finding purpose in the spaces others leave empty. Lippincott writes with tenderness and sharp observation, revealing the hidden economy of the meadow where every creature, even the reviled, plays its part. A gentle, old-fashioned tale that asks readers to look closer at what they've been taught to fear.