Where the Red Fern Grows
by Wilson Rawls
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Book Reviews of Where the Red Fern Grows
Book Review: Maybe I'm Too Soft
Summary: 3 Stars
I know this book is a classic and means a lot to innumerable people, but I couldn't get past certain things. I guess I'm leaving myself open to accusations of being a tree-hugging pacifist, but even allowing that the boy in the story was from another era and culture, I hated what he was doing. It wasn't just the fact he was hunting and killing massive amounts of animals, it was the fact Mr. Rawls expected me to sympathize while the boy felled the oldest tree in the forest, a thing of antiquity, in order to avail himself of a cornered raccoon. See, it's that sort of thing that rubbed me the wrong way. Sure, the young man was in many ways a fine person. he was hard-working and honest, generous to his sisters and he honored his elders. But, while I understand he lived in an area where nature was a force to be battled against, I can't help but think of how the unrestrained misuse of resources by people of his and earlier generations created many of the problems society had to deal with later on.
Okay, I'll stop. I'm probably stepping on more than a few toes and my iconoclasm toward this much-loved novel will get me few favors, but I was shocked by how little empathy I had toward what I read here. Obviously I didn't much care for this book and think better examples of the "boy and his dog" genre are out there.
But I respectfully say, to each her own.
Book Review: Where The Red Fern Grows
Summary: 5 Stars
Everyone who has ever had a faithful dog should read Billy's story at least once in his or her lifetime. It's an ageless tale that touches the heart and mind.
Ten-year old Billy lived in the Ozark Mountains with his parents and three younger sisters. The family was extremely poor, as were most of their neighbors at that time, and could only afford the bare necessities of life. Billy's dream of having a pair of coonhounds of his own seemed to be only that until he found a resourceful way to earn the money for himself.
For two long years, Billy trapped and sold animal pelts until he had finally saved enough money to finance his lifelong dream. With his grandfather's help, he ordered two pups and then walked several miles to bring them home. That's when the real adventures began.
If the story is beginning to sound familiar, it should. "Where the Red Fern Grows" by Wilson Rawls is an unforgettable classic that has been enjoyed for generations.
So where does the red fern come into the story? You'll just have to read it for yourself, and don't be surprised if you hear the distant bawling of a couple of dogs who have tree'd a `coon each time you open the book.
It's just Little Ann and Old Dan, for they've never really left these Ozark hills.
Book Review: Where The Red Fern Grows
Summary: 5 Stars
Where The Red Fern Grows is such a great book and movie. There are many differences between the book and the movie. In the book, there are a lot more details and a lot more heart, but as almost everyone says, the book is always better than the movie. The things the movie left out were, the beauty contest, the racoon traps, Billy didn't win the championship cup of the coon hunt, he was the true winner and he was given the cup and the money but not at first. I really loved the acting in the movie because I really got the message of puppy love and I realized how trly hard the author worked to write the book because the book had so much great details. Even though the movie left a lot of details out, it's still a great movie. In the book, I never really got the feeling that Rubin's death was really, really bad, but in the movie, they had a funeral and Billy and his family cried. For some reason, the Pritchards seem meaner in the book. In all, I think the book and the movie are two great things. In my option, the book is better because there are just some things you can't film. Even though I think the book is better than the movie, the movie showed a lot of affection and creativity and I think that's fantastic. Where The Red Fern Grows is a great book and movie and I loved having the experience to read and watch it.Book Review: GREAT BOOK!!!
Summary: 5 Stars
I read this when I was young - I guess I was probably 11 years old. I forgot many of the details in this book but I remembered how GREAT the book was (even though it was sad and I remember crying hard at the end). So I decided to read this to my 9 year old son and 7 year old daughter. I was a little concerned that my 7 year old might be too young, especially since both of my kids had a hard time getting over us losing our dog 2 years ago. I did "cringe" a few times when some of the scenes were a little more explicit than I remembered. However, my kids really LOVED this book. They still talk about it and often say that they hope the next book is as good as this one. We have always been upfront with our kids on how things die - we never told them that their fish or sand crab had to go to pet school or something made-up. I believe kids can handle death, regardless if you are religious or not. This book helps kids to realize that animals (and humans) may die unexpectantly and it is important to enjoy life, companionship and love while we are here on this earth. Too many parents overprotect their children and never want their kids to be sad or cry. The problem is that life will be great at times and it will also be sad at times. Kids need to learn how to deal with both.Book Review: An amazing book for readers of all ages - especially those who love dogs!
Summary: 5 Stars
Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls is a classic tale about a young boy and his beloved coonhound dogs. The story takes place in the Ozark mountains of northeastern Oklahoma where Billy and his dogs, Old Dan and Little Ann, scamper through the woods daily in search of `coons. With dedication and passion, Billy trains the hounds, which he saved and purchased himself, to be some of the best hunting dogs in the valley; however, the dogs' courage and perseverance ultimately lead them to a tragic end.
I read this book in the fifth grade and it is a book I will never forget. Not only is Where the Red Fern Grows an incredibly exciting book full of adventures, but it is bursting with raw emotion and hope, and an absolute page-turner for readers of all ages. It is impossible, though, to walk away from this book with a dry eye. At the age of ten I had traditionally been reading books by female authors who primarily wrote about female main characters; however, this book was written in the first person, told by a young male character in the midwest country, yet I could completely relate to his adventures and tribulations. Wilson Rawls may have only written two books in his career, but this one is a keeper and will continue to be read for ages to come.