Where The Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls (Adventure, Autobiographical Fiction)

Where the Red Fern Grows' is an adventurous story of a young boy named Billy and his two coonhound dogs. This book is an autobiographical fiction where the author uses a lot of events from his personal life. The main character of this book, Billy Coleman has long dreamt of owning not one but two dogs for hunting. So, he works hard and saves up enough money to buy two pups. His dogs are delivered to a place twenty miles away and decides to walk up to get them. On his way back home with the two dogs, he ends up naming them 'Little Ann' and 'Old Dan' after seeing the names carved on a tree. Billy teaches the dogs to hunt with some help from his grandfather. In no time Billy and his two dogs become well known for their hunting in the Ozarks. During the nights, Billy and his dogs go hunting for coons, splashing through water, running through thick bushes to tree a coon. They become a good team. Billy's grandfather even registers them for a hunt with experienced hunters. During the hunting, it starts to snow but the dogs are able to trap the coons on a tree all night long even though they get covered in snow and ice through the night. They win $300 prize money for it. Read the book to find out the different adventures the trio go on and how Billy realizes the true meaning of friendship and loyalty.

This book is for anybody who loves dogs, owns one or wishes to own one. I really enjoyed reading this book because the story creates a picture of events in your mind as you read it. It had joy, grief, friendship and adventure. All the different emotions are beautifully woven together. Billy's excitement as he goes to get the puppies makes us excited too. Their hunting trips together take us with them on their adventure. The little mishap during one of the hunting trips leave us dumbfounded! Towards the end of the book the author ties the title of this book to an event and it all makes sense as a reader. This is one of my favorite books even though it doesn't have a happy ending. The story feels a little more real because of that and makes one very emotional. I definitely recommend this book to everyone. The friendship between the dogs and their human friend is beautifully conveyed in this book.

Reviewed by Smera T., Grade 6