Where the Red Fern Grows: The Story of Two Dogs and a Boy Book

Billy has long dreamt of owning not one, but two dogs. So when he?s finally able to save up enough money for two pups to call his own?Old Dan and Little Ann?he?s ecstatic. It?s true that times are tough, but together they?ll roam the hills of the Ozarks. Soon Billy and his hounds become the finest hunting team in the valley. Stories of their great achievements spread throughout the region, and the combination of Old Dan?s brawn, Little Ann?s brains, and Billy?s sheer will seems unbeatable. But tragedy awaits these determined hunters?now friends?and Billy learns that hope can grow out of despair.

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)