Where the Red Fern Grows, by Wilson Rawls, 3 stars

[NancyJ]

Where the Red Fern Grows is a classic children's adventure book that was set in the Ozark Mountains, during the great depression in the U.S. It's a 3 star read for me, but I recommend it for kids, especially for boys.

Billy's life was much poorer than most Americans know today (he only had shoes in the winter and didn't go to school), but richer in some ways, living close to the land. The culture and lifestyle were very different. He spent 2 years working and saving money to buy two red bone hounds, and then spent his nights hunting raccoons with the hunting dogs. He would go home to sleep when the sun came up. As a mother, it's hard to imagine letting a kid do that, but he was earning money with the raccoon skins (which were really popular) and he loved it.

I love the intense love and loyalty this boy had for his dogs and the love they had for him. I didn't really enjoy reading about hunting, and all the times the kid and his dogs got hurt. The book was very exciting, with adventures, danger, a big contest, and a sad ending. The author tells you part of the ending very early in the book, so the readers (kids) aren't hit so hard at the end, but this is a real tear-jerker anyway. It made the PBS Great American Read list, as one of the 100 best loved books, which means that many Americans cited it as their favorite book of all time.

I read this for a book club meeting this month, at a time when I was really in the mood for something quite different. I might have appreciated it more at another time, or if I read it as a child. It's well written, it's fast paced, and the drama builds nicely. After the tears, it has a very sweet spiritual ending (it explains the title).

[Anita]

I feel like if children's books have a canon, then this one would be in it, but somehow I never read it . . .I wish I had read it when I was young. Sounds like I would have loved it. I was very into books about animals and nature.

[annapi]

I loved this book when I first read it - I stayed up all night to finish it. Anita, you really should give it a try! I probably should try to read it again as an adult. I wanted to read it to my kids, but when I told them it was sad they refused.

[anarresa]

Nearly my entire third grade class was reduced to tears when we were read this book. I can't imagine anything else got done that day. I don't even remember the whole book, just how devastated I was by the ending.

[Book Concierge]

When I was a couple of years out of college I got a package at home one day. It was a padded envelope, and inside was a paperback wrapped in a sheet of "Big Chief" tablet paper, with a note penciled by my little brother (about age 8 or 9 at the time):
"tessa - Red this and we can discus it"

The book was Where the Red Fern Grows.

I'd never read it as a child, but I devoured it in one sitting ...crying my eyes out at the end. When I called my little brother he was amazed I had read it so quickly!

I returned the book to him (as he asked) ... but I still have that note on Big Chief tablet paper.
(Said brother is now 54 and the father of 3)

[Joanne]

Book Concierge wrote: "When I was a couple of years out of college I got a package at home one day. It was a padded envelope, and inside was a paperback wrapped in a sheet of "Big Chief" tablet paper, with a note pencile..."

Oh, great story! Thanks for sharing! Of 4 siblings, I am the only one who reads (they are literate...I think..🤣)

[Anita]

annapi wrote: "I loved this book when I first read it - I stayed up all night to finish it. Anita, you really should give it a try! I probably should try to read it again as an adult. I wanted to read it to my ki..."

I will definitely take it under advisement!

[KateNZ]

I don’t know how I never read this - it sounds like something I’d have adored as a child (we did get some North American books and I loved dog stories: I remember bawling my eyes out over Old Yeller and loving White Fang). Never too late...