“I had heard the old Indian legend about the red fern. How a little Indian boy and girl were lost in a blizzard and had frozen to death. In the spring, when they were found, a beautiful red fern had grown up between their two bodies. The story went on to say that only an angel could plant the seeds of a red fern, and that they never died; where one grew, that spot was sacred.”― Wilson Rawls, Where the Red Fern Grows
Billy has long dreamt of having not just one dog, but two. It takes him two years but he finally saves up enough money and becomes the proud of owner of two coonhound pups that he names Old Dan and Little Ann. It doesn’t take long for them to become the premier hunting team in the valley. Old Dan has the muscle, Little Ann has the brains, and Billy brings sheer determination which results in their many successes. Unfortunately, tragedy strikes and Billy learns that hope can overcome despair.
Is a childhood complete without reading this classic novel by Wilson Rawles? Written in 1961, this coming of age story has been opening children’s imaginations and breaking their hearts for over sixty years. I remember reading this book in elementary school and seeing the movie. I cried my eyes out both times. As a girl who grew up in the country and had dogs, how could I not? This is one of the formative books of my childhood that helped set me on a lifelong path of reading. If you haven’t read this book, don’t wait any longer.
Content Advisory: Animal death, bullying, violence, death