Where the Red Fern Grows, by Wilson Rawls | Book Review

The Children’s Book Review | May 11, 2016

Where the Red Fern Grows

Written by Wilson Rawls

Age Range: 9 – 12 years

Paperback: 304 pages

Publisher: Yearling; Reprint edition

ISBN-13: 978-0440412670

What to expect: Animals, Adventure, Life, Love, Friendship, Death, Hope

Where the Red Fern Grows is the classic story of the bond between a boy and his dogs. It’s been making readers’ hearts skip beats since 1961 and now it has a special edition cover to celebrate the 50+ years it has been in print. If you are new to this beloved tale, get ready to be seriously moved!

Billy, who lives in Oklahoma’s Ozark Mountains, desperately wants a dog, specifically two redbone coonhounds. When his parents tell him that they can’t afford this breed, Billy, with his strong sense of right and wrong, works hard for two years to earn his own money. Once he has saved $50 and can afford to buy his puppies, he hikes sixty miles with no shoes through Cherokee country to retrieve them and bring them home. He names them Old Dan and Little Ann and trains them to be champion hunting dogs. The three of them freely explore the woods and mountains having all kinds of amazing adventures, until a tragic and heartbreaking battle with a mountain lion takes place. Billy is a brave character and his bond with his loyal dogs is incredible to experience.

Wilson Rawls delivers a compelling story filled with adventure that is told from Billy’s memory. It’s heart wrenching and hopeful and provides insight on how important deep and respectful friendship is. Readers of all ages, including adults, may cry while reading this book; but it’s worth it a thousand times over!

The new edition will also include a tribute to the novel by Newbery Medal-winning author Clare Vanderpool, which you can read in its entirety in this Bustle article.

Add this book to your collection: Where the Red Fern Grows

Available Here: 

About Wilson Rawls

Wilson Rawls grew up on a small farm in the Ozark Mountains of Oklahoma. There were no schools where he lived so his mother taught Rawls and his sisters how to read and write. He says that reading the book The Call of the Wild changed his life and gave him the notion that he would like to grow up to write a book like it. He shared his dream with his father, and his father gave him the encouraging advice, “Son, a man can do anything he sets out to do, if he doesn’t give up.” Rawls never forgot his father’s words, and went on to create two novels about his boyhood that have become modern classics.

To celebrate 50+ years in print, enter to win a copy of the beloved classic Where the Red Fern Grows, written by Wilson Rawls, with the new special edition cover.

Giveaway begins May 11, 2016, at 12:01 A.M. PST and ends June 10, 2016, at 11:59 P.M. PST. Enter here»

Where the Red Fern Grows was reviewed by Bianca Schulze. Discover more books like Where the Red Fern Grows by following along with our reviews and articles tagged with Adventure, Dogs, Friendship, Hope, Loss of a Pet, and Nature.