Where The Red Fern Grows

Author: Wilson Rawls
Copyright: 1961
Genre: Realistic Fiction/Adventure
Rating: Very Good
Number of Pages: 249
Reviewed By:Smackers
SPOILER ALERT - SPOILER ALERT - SPOILER ALERT

Billy, a ten-year-old boy who lives in Ozark Mountains on Cherokee Land in northeastern Oklahoma during the Great depression, dreams of having two coon- hounds. He saves his own money to buy them and trains them to be two of the best raccoon hunters in the country. The dogs – old Dan and little Ann - become champions of a national coon-hunting tournament. While doing so they also end up finding Billy’s grandfather injured and lost in the snow. One night while hunting raccoons near their home, the two dogs end up treeing a mountain lion. Old Dan bravely fights the mountain lion to save Billy, but sadly ends up dying from his wounds the next day. Little Anne becomes too depressed to live without Old Dan, and dies soon after. Before moving to town, Billy notices a large Red Fern growing on top of the dog’s graves, which according to Indian Legend means an angel has been there.