Where the Red Fern Grows, by William Rawls

Where The Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls is a tale of both friendship, love and tragedy. In the beginning of the novel, protagonist Billy Coleman is leaving work in the late afternoon when he comes across a Redbone Coonhound in a fight with some other dogs. Saving the dog from the fray, he nurses it back to health, realizing that he must set it free once it is healthy enough to go. However, his time with the dog allows him to revisit his past, back to when he was just a 10 year old boy who wanted nothing more than to raise a pair of Redbone coonhound pups. The young boy is so determined to fulfill his dream that he raises the money himself to buy the puppies, whom he names Old Dan and Little Ann after a tree he saw with the names carved in it. The story is about this boys unbreakable bond with his dogs and the trials they go through, as well as the triumphs.

This story is packed with emotion that will have you reaching for the tissue box, filled with plot development that will have you on the edge of your seat and comprised of those moments in life that we can all relate to. I very much enjoyed reading this work of realistic fiction and I read it from cover to cover many times. I also like how the story starts off with the same boy, who is now a man, and then has him flashback to his childhood. The novel is very enjoyable and is suitable for anyone who loves tales of unbreakable friendship and trust. I loved it and I highly recommend it.

Reviewed by C.W, grade 12.