The Black Rock Desert Trilogy — Rachael Freeman Long

'Sheriff, we're up in the Black Rock range at our cabin, and Jack's missing. We can't find him anywhere.'Jack is excited when he gets a pick hammer and mining helmet for his ninth birthday and can help his dad look for gold in the Black Rock Range. But falling into and waking up alone in a cave was never part of the plan. Helpless and desperate, Jack befriends and places his trust in a little bat named Pinta and a coyote pup named Sonny who are determined to help him find his way home. But someone evil is lurking in the mountains. Even the wolves are frightened because animals are disappearing from the forest. Will Jack and his new friends find their way home before this dangerous creature finds them? Jack must find the courage to protect his friends and family in this treacherous first book of the Black Rock Desert Adventure Series: Gold Fever! 'Bats play a little known, but vital role in the world. This book introduces young readers to their world in an engaging and entertaining way.' -- Jim Robbins, Science Journalist, The New York Times