Where the Red Fern Grows (Hardcover)

by Wilson Rawls (Author) "WHEN I LEFT MY OFFICE that beautiful spring day, I had no idea what was in store for me..." (more)
Key Phrases: ghost coon, smart old coon, little red hounds, Old Dan, After Papa, Baking Powder (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
Author Wilson Rawls spent his boyhood much like the character of this book, Billy Colman, roaming the Ozarks of northeastern Oklahoma with his bluetick hound. A straightforward, shoot-from-the-hip storyteller with a searingly honest voice, Rawls is well-loved for this powerful 1961 classic and the award-winning novel Summer of the Monkeys. In Where the Red Fern Grows, Billy and his precious coonhound pups romp relentlessly through the Ozarks, trying to "tree" the elusive raccoon. In time, the inseparable trio wins the coveted gold cup in the annual coon-hunt contest, captures the wily ghost coon, and bravely fights with a mountain lion. When the victory over the mountain lion turns to tragedy, Billy grieves, but learns the beautiful old Native American legend of the sacred red fern that grows over the graves of his dogs. This unforgettable classic belongs on every child's bookshelf. (Ages 9 and up) --This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

Review
"An exciting tale of love and adventure you'll never forget."
--School Library Journal (School Library Journal )

*AudioFile Earphones Award
*Golden Headset Award

"Heald is wonderful with this action and emotion-laden story. An excellent selection for family listening."

--Review --This text refers to the School & Library Binding edition.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Hardcover: 208 pages
• Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers (May 3, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385323301
• ISBN-13: 978-0385323307
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1,230 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #35,253 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #3 in	Books > Children's Books > Authors & Illustrators, A-Z > ( R ) > Rawls, Wilson
  #13 in	Books > Children's Books > Ages 9-12 > Staff Favorites
  #100 in	Books > Children's Books > Animals > Dogs > Fiction

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

48 of 51 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic book!, October 26, 2003

By	Kim Foster "kat226" (Goleta, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Where the Red Fern Grows (A Bantam starfire book) (Mass Market Paperback)

Billy lives in the Ozarks and wants 2 hunting dogs. He saves for 2 years, then sends away to get 2 puppies. Once the puppies arrive - Old Dan and Little Ann - Billy begins to live his dream, never realizing that more is happening than he is aware of.

This is a wonderful story of the love a boy has for his dogs & the freedoms of childhood. However, Billy has some experiences that take him from childhood into being an adult. Some he is aware of but others are more subtle.

Despite the story being about a boy, girls can relate to a lot of the emotions as well. Adults can more fully appreciate the more subtle storylines.

I highly recommend this book but suggest that you keep plenty of tissues handy.

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Much more than a story about a boy and his dogs., December 5, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Where the Red Fern Grows (Audio Cassette)

Although it has been nearly two weeks since I finished listening to the tape of Where the Red Fern Grows, I am fighting to choke back the tears even now. I plan to order several copies for Christmas gifts.

Yes it is a wonderful epic adventure story about a boy and his dogs and their heroic devotion to each other. And yes, it is so well read that you live every moment right alongside Billy and Old Dan and Little Ann. But, like most great novels, it is much more.

I am a dog lover, a college teacher, and a retired field grade Army officer. I loved the book not only for the captivating story, but also for the slice of Americana that it captures and preserves. It is a time capsule of a way of life, of what made this nation great. The breadth, depth, and magnitude of the love, devotion, responsibility, integrity, courage, and tenacity of the characters is awesome. It was a simpler time, when modest, humble, ordinary people were heroes in their own right, but could not imagine being any other way.

If this story doesn't burst your heart with joy and then rip it out with painful agony, you are dead and worse.

If you think you're dead, it will awaken and electrify feelings you didn't know you had.

If you are looking for answers, you will find them all in this simple little tale of perfectly ordinary and unassuming heroes of epic stature.

24 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Overwhelming Puppy Love, February 27, 2007

By	Charlotte Ann Hu (Arizona, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Where the Red Fern Grows (Audio CD)

I read this book years ago when I was in elementary school, but now, nearly 40, I decided to relax while listening to the audio book. I sat at the kitchen table, assembling a jigsaw puzzle while the narrator once again described a young boy so desperate for hunting hounds that he saved for two years, and by the time he walked the 30 miles to pick up his hard-earned hounds, his feet scratched from picking berries to sell for 10 or 15 cents a batch to raise the incredibly high goal of $50 for his precious dogs.

This story is such a great tale of true grit, determination, hard work and the idea that all things are possible if you set yourself to the task. The things the boy learned and experienced with his hounds and his own sense of loyalty to his family and his dogs are the kind of character building stories that every child, and every 40-year-old should experience.

I confess I've always admired dogs ... their loyalty, dedication and wish I could emulate the character that a good dog naturally exhibits. This is one of a group of stories like Lassie and Ol' Yeller about dedicated dogs.

Buy it for every child that you hope will develop true grit.