book review where the red fern grows

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Where the red fern grows, common sense media reviewers.

Tearjerker about country boy and his hound dogs.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Readers will learn about the way hunting dogs are

If you work hard for something, you will value it

Billy is honest, noble, and as faithful as his dog

Billy's mother uses a switch to punish him. Billy

"Damn" appears once, and "hell" is used a few time

An adult smokes a pipe; alcohol is taken on a trip

Parents need to know that Wilson Rawls' classic coming-of-age novel Where the Red Fern Grows is the story of Billy, a boy in the Ozarks during the Great Depression. Billy gets a pair of coonhounds as puppies and raises them to be exceptional hunting dogs. Billy exhibits excellent values of loyalty, patience,…

Educational Value

Readers will learn about the way hunting dogs are trained, and get a glimpse at rural life in the Ozark Mountains in Oklahoma during the Great Depression.

Positive Messages

If you work hard for something, you will value it more. Also, the bond between dog and master is deep and profound.

Positive Role Models

Billy is honest, noble, and as faithful as his dogs, and he perseveres against daunting obstacles. Billy also has great examples to look up to in his hardworking and caring father, and his kind and devoted grandpa.

Violence & Scariness

Billy's mother uses a switch to punish him. Billy is beaten by other children. There are many instances of trapping, hunting, wounding, and killing animals -- some more graphic than others. Billy's younger sisters are upset when they see their dad club a raccoon to death. A boy is killed accidentally when he falls on an ax. Animals fight, and there are graphic descriptions of their injuries.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

"Damn" appears once, and "hell" is used a few times. The word "bitch" is used as the correct name for a female dog.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

An adult smokes a pipe; alcohol is taken on a trip, though drinking is not depicted.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Wilson Rawls' classic coming-of-age novel Where the Red Fern Grows is the story of Billy, a boy in the Ozarks during the Great Depression. Billy gets a pair of coonhounds as puppies and raises them to be exceptional hunting dogs. Billy exhibits excellent values of loyalty, patience, and devotion to his pets. However, the book includes detailed descriptions of hunting, killing, and skinning animals, as well as a gory description of a boy falling on an ax. Some scenes are quite bloody, and others are emotionally painful. This book may be difficult to take for sensitive animal-loving readers. Where the Red Fern Grows was made into a film in 1974 , and again in 2003 .

Where to Read

Community reviews.

• Parents say (19)
• Kids say (72)

Based on 19 parent reviews

I want to have dogs-2 ... and I would name them Dan and Ann!!

Cry and scream and laugh, what's the story.

Billy is growing up poor in the Ozarks during the Great Depression of the 1930s. More than anything, he wants a pair of redbone coonhounds. As it is cost-prohibitive for his parents to buy them, Billy works and saves for two years to buy them himself, then walks barefoot through the woods to the nearest town to pick them up. He spends months training the pups to be the best hunting dogs in the hills. His dreams come true as he enjoys nights out hunting with his dogs, and their fame spreads far and wide. Billy and his dogs are so good that his grandfather enters them in a championship coon hunt in which Billy will compete against grown men.

Is It Any Good?

This is.an exciting novel, full of fast-paced, exciting hunting scenes, but it also has great emotional depth. Billy's family life is warm and supportive, and his connection to his pets is quite profound. Young readers will care about Billy and his hounds, and will eagerly follow them through every plot twist and adventure.

Where the Red fern Grows is also a romantic period piece that portrays a rural America where a boy could ramble through the countryside with his dogs all night long, in complete freedom. Based on the author's own boyhood, this boy-and-his-dog story is exciting, uplifting, and heartbreaking.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the way hunting is portrayed in Where the Red Fern Grows. Does the author make hunting seem exciting? If so, how?

Where the Red Fern Grows is a coming-of-age novel. What are some ways that you can tell Billy is growing up in the story? How does his dad's attitude toward him change?

What makes Billy's dogs special? Why do you thing stories about beloved animals are so popular?

Book Details

• Author : Wilson Rawls
• Genre : Animals
• Topics : Adventures , Cats, Dogs, and Mice , Great Boy Role Models , Wild Animals
• Book type : Fiction
• Publisher : Delacorte Press
• Publication date : January 1, 1961
• Number of pages : 212
• Last updated : June 4, 2020

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Where the Red Fern Grows, by Wilson Rawls | Book Review

Book Review of  Where the Red Fern Grows The Children’s Book Review

Where the Red Fern Grows

Written by Wilson Rawls

Ages 9+ | 304 Pages

Publisher: Delacorte Press; Anniversary edition ( 2016) | ISBN-13: 9780399551239

What to expect: Animals, Adventure, Life, Love, Friendship, Death, Hope

Where the Red Fern Grows , Wilson Rawls’ timeless masterpiece, is a classic tale that never loses its allure. For over half a century, its heartwarming story has captivated readers of all ages, portraying the unbreakable bond between a young boy named Billy and his two adorable redbone coonhounds. Moreover, this fantastic novel will take you on a journey filled with exciting adventures and emotional moments that will leave you moved and inspired.

Set in the breathtaking scenery of the Ozark Mountains of Oklahoma, Billy plans to purchase his beloved pups— Old Dan and Little Ann—and train them to become championship hunting dogs. The three of them freely explore the woods and mountains, having amazing adventures, until a tragic and heartbreaking battle occurs.

Told from Billy’s memory, Wilson Rawls delivers a compelling story filled with adventure—Billy is brave, and his bond with his loyal dogs is incredible to experience. It’s heart-wrenching and hopeful and provides insight into how vital deep and respectful friendship is. Whether you are a new reader or an old fan, this book is a perfect fit that showcases the beauty of the unshakeable bond of friendship and loyalty.

With Newbery Medal-winning author Clare Vanderpool providing a tribute, this special edition also boasts a commemorative cover to celebrate the novel’s longevity. If you’re looking for a heartwarming and emotional read that’ll resonate with you long after you’ve turned the last page,  Where the Red Fern Grows  is undoubtedly the book for you!

Buy the Book

About the author.

Wilson Rawls grew up on a small farm in the Ozark Mountains of Oklahoma. There were no schools where he lived, so his mother taught Rawls and his sisters how to read and write. He says that reading the book The Call of the Wild changed his life and gave him the notion that he would like to grow up to write a book like it. He shared his dream with his father, and his father gave him the encouraging advice, “Son, a man can do anything he sets out to do, if he doesn’t give up.” Rawls never forgot his father’s words and went on to create two novels about his boyhood that have become modern classics.

Bianca Schulze reviewed  Where the Red Ferns Grow . Discover more books like Where the Red Ferns Grow by reading our reviews and articles tagged with Classics , Dogs , Friendship , and Middle Grade Books .

• X (Twitter)

Bianca Schulze is the founder of The Children’s Book Review. She is a reader, reviewer, mother and children’s book lover. She also has a decade’s worth of experience working with children in the great outdoors. Combined with her love of books and experience as a children’s specialist bookseller, the goal is to share her passion for children’s literature to grow readers. Born and raised in Sydney, Australia, she now lives with her husband and three children near Boulder, Colorado.

I read this to my 7 children, they then read it on their own and now read it to their children. Thank you for this wonderful giveaway. Carol L

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Amazing Article!! I love this book.

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Book Review

Where the red fern grows.

• Wilson Rawls
• Adventure , Coming-of-Age

Readability Age Range

• Yearling Books, a division of Random House
• Over the last 50 years, this story has won many regional awards.

Year Published

This book has been reviewed by Focus on the Family’s marriage and parenting magazine .

Plot Summary

The story opens with Billy Colman, a grown man, coming upon a vicious dog fight between a Redbone Coonhound and neighborhood street dogs. Billy scares the other dogs away and takes the hound home to help it recover. When the dog is on its feet again and noticeably restless, Billy realizes that the dog has a home somewhere and that he must set it free so it can find its way back. As the dog trots off, it turns and appears thankful to Billy for his kindness. The experience releases a flood of memories from Billy’s boyhood past.

Ten-year-old Billy lives on a farm in the Ozark Mountains with his parents and three younger sisters. He desperately wants two good coonhounds, but his family is poor and cannot afford them. One day Billy finds an advertisement offering a pair of Redbone Coonhounds in Kentucky for $25 each. Billy decides to work to earn the money. For two years, he works hard, selling food, supplies and bait to fishermen, and manages to save $50. His grandfather contacts the dog kennel and discovers that the two puppies will now cost only $40. Billy gives the money to his grandfather, who orders the dogs. The puppies are sent to the town depot.

Billy sneaks out of his home one night to walk to town to pick up his new pups. With the extra money he has saved, he buys presents for his family. While in town, other children pick a fight with him, but Billy stands up for himself and is helped by the town’s kind marshal.

On his way home, Billy and his two puppies seek shelter in a cave. As Billy builds a fire, they hear a mountain lion screaming from far away, and the pups run to the entrance to howl into the darkness. Billy decides to name his dogs Old Dan and Little Ann. Old Dan has the brawn and the bravery, while Little Ann is intelligent.

With his grandfather’s help, Billy traps a raccoon and uses the skin to teach his new pups how to track a raccoon. Both dogs prove to be natural hunters. They are fiercely loyal to each other and to Billy. As the hunting season begins, Billy makes a promise to his dogs: If they get a raccoon up a tree, he will do the rest. The dogs chase their first raccoon into one of the largest trees in the woods, and Billy, not wanting to disappoint his dogs, undertakes the job of cutting down the tree, a Herculean task that takes him a few days of chopping. When he is most of the way through the tree, Billy feels he can’t continue, and he prays for the strength to finish the job. A wind starts to blow, and the tree comes crashing down. The eager dogs take the raccoon down.

Billy and his dogs hunt every night, and the team soon grows to be among the best hunters in the area. Two local boys named Rubin and Rainie Pritchard dare Billy into a raccoon-hunting bet. Billy wants to ignore the dare, but the Pritchard boys only taunt Billy and his grandfather. Billy’s grandfather grows frustrated with the Pritchards and says that Billy and his dogs will take the bet. After several days of tracking the elusive raccoon, Little Ann finally chases it down. The animal’s tricks have earned Billy’s respect, and he doesn’t want to kill the coon. Rubin and Rainie become angry with Billy and allow their dog, a blue tick hound, to pick a fight with Old Dan. Billy’s dogs stand their ground against the blue tick hound, and he slinks away. Furious, Rubin Pritchard picks up Billy’s ax to go after Old Dan. Billy trips the Pritchard boy, and he falls onto the blade and dies. Billy feels awful about the incident, and he is unable to hunt for many days. He is haunted by nightmares of the tragedy.

Time passes, and Billy’s grandfather shows him an advertisement for an upcoming coon-hunting contest. Grandpa has been counting the coonskins that Billy has brought into the store, and he is confidant that Old Dan and Little Dan can win the championship and the $300 prize money. Excited for the opportunity, Billy and his dogs, along with his grandfather and father, pack up their gear and travel to the contest. Before the main hunting event, Little Ann wins first place in a hunting dog “beauty” contest.

The hunt begins and Billy’s dogs gradually make it to the final round. A terrible storm lashes the mountain on the last day of the hunt, and Billy’s team gets separated. His grandpa breaks his ankle, and Billy begins to despair, believing his beloved dogs are dead. The next morning, several other hunters from the contest track down Billy and his team. The dogs have been nearly frozen to death from the ice storm, and Billy helps them recover by warming them next to a fire. Billy is declared the winner of the championship and is given a gold cup as well as the $300 prize money.

Weeks later, Billy is hunting with his dogs on the trail of what they think is a coon. But the animal turns out to be a mountain lion. Old Dan and Little Ann get into a vicious fight with the creature. The lion tears at the dogs, especially Old Dan, who gives his life to save Billy from the attacking lion. Billy fights his way to his feet and finally kills the lion with his ax. Soon after, Little Ann also dies, as she no longer has the desire to live without her companion. Billy grieves the loss of his beloved hounds and dutifully buries them on a hillside near the family’s farm.

The following year, Billy’s family prepares to move into town, where the children can get a good education. As they are leaving, Billy visits his dogs’ gravesite to say a final goodbye. He is surprised to see a tall red fern growing between the graves, and he remembers an old Indian story about how red ferns are supposedly planted by angels. Once planted, the ferns live forever. Billy feels a new peace about the death of his dogs, and he leaves to join his family.

Christian Beliefs

God exists and seems to answer prayers. Billy often prays, believing that God is on his side and wants to protect his dogs. His faith is shaken when his dogs die. Christian virtues such as faithfulness, patience and courage are portrayed in a very positive light.

Other Belief Systems

There is a reference to Indian legends with a mystic view of nature.

Authority Roles

Billy greatly respects his parents, though he is disappointed by economic circumstances. Billy has an especially close relationship with his grandfather, who he says knows him better than anyone else.

Profanity & Violence

There are hints of anger and muttered curses, though no explicit words are used. There is one usage of b–ch , the correct word for a female dog.

Several instances of graphic animal violence on hunts and in fights, and one gruesome fight between dogs and a mountain lion are portrayed. Bullies pick fights with Billy. A boy dies when he falls on an ax.

Sexual Content

Discussion topics.

Get free discussion questions for this book and others, at FocusOnTheFamily.com/discuss-books .

Additional Comments

You can request a review of a title you can’t find at [email protected] .

Book reviews cover the content, themes and worldviews of fiction books, not their literary merit, and equip parents to decide whether a book is appropriate for their children. The inclusion of a book’s review does not constitute an endorsement by Focus on the Family.

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Where the Red Fern Grows

Wilson rawls, everything you need for every book you read..

Welcome to the LitCharts study guide on Wilson Rawls's Where the Red Fern Grows . Created by the original team behind SparkNotes, LitCharts are the world's best literature guides.

Where the Red Fern Grows: Introduction

Where the red fern grows: plot summary, where the red fern grows: detailed summary & analysis, where the red fern grows: themes, where the red fern grows: quotes, where the red fern grows: characters, where the red fern grows: symbols, where the red fern grows: theme wheel, brief biography of wilson rawls.

Historical Context of Where the Red Fern Grows

Other books related to where the red fern grows.

• Full Title: Where the Red Fern Grows
• When Written: Late 1950s
• When Published: 1961
• Literary Period: Contemporary Children’s Literature
• Genre: Fiction; Children’s Novel
• Setting: The Oklahoma Ozarks
• Climax: Billy and his beloved hounds Old Dan and Little Ann encounter a terrifying mountain lion while hunting raccoons one night, and a fatal fight ensues.
• Antagonist: Rubin Pritchard
• Point of View: First-Person Retrospective

Extra Credit for Where the Red Fern Grows

Memorialized. At the public library in Idaho Falls, there is a statue of Billy Colman, Old Dan, and Little Ann which readers young and old can visit. Cast in copper by artist Marilyn Hoff Hansen, the statue stands in the town where Wilson Rawls wrote Where the Red Fern Grows and honors the massive impact the book has had on readers since its publication in 1961. The official title of the work is “Dreams Can Come True”—a name that reflects the book’s themes of patience, prayer, faith, and, above all, trust in one’s animal companions.

That Book Broad

Let's get lit., review: where the red fern grows by wilson rawls.

THIS BOOK DESTROYED ME 😭

This story explores the depths of the bonds humans can have with their pets, and how deep that love, loyalty, and understanding can go despite being different species.

Wilson Rawls has created a rich, emotional tale – and a very well formed story, at that – set in the Missouri Ozarks about a resourceful boy named Billy and his two hunting hounds, Old Dan and Little Ann 🐕🐕

Billy relies on his dogs, and they rely on him. They have each other’s backs out in the danger of the wild. They communicate without speaking, practically read each other’s minds. Theirs is a symbiotic relationship, equally beneficial to and sacrificial of both.

While lots of people had this as required reading in middle school, it somehow slipped under my radar, so when I saw an old copy at my parents’ house last year, I grabbed it for a rainy day.

Well, the only thing raining was my eyes. Wow, a book has not made me sob like that since the last Harry Potter. But the sadness isn’t without purpose. It’s a beautiful story.

I can see why this is required reading at schools, because this is a book everyone should read.

Rating: ⭐⭐ ⭐ ⭐⭐/5

It’s strange indeed how memories can lie dormant in a man’s mind for so many years. Yet those memories can be awakened and brought forth fresh and new, just by something you’ve seen, or something you’ve heard, or the sight of an old familiar face. —Wilson Rawls, Where the Red Fern Grows

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Where the Red Fern Grows

“ He pinched my dogs ear so I had to punch him.” The book Where the Red Fern Grows is an awesome book that tells the life of and 11-year-old boy who desperately wants dogs of his own. Billy is 11 years old and wants dogs so badly that he decides to save up his money, and go to the city to get his dogs. Once he does get them he spends the rest of the time hunting. He worries his mom constantly and gets himself in some weird retirements this story about a boy and his love for dogs is a great book to read. Something I like about the book is that Billy is my age and I can relate to him. When I was 11 I went outside and was out there from dawn to dusk. What you did really well in this book is that the characters had traits that made them seem more real. The characters didn't just have the traits needed for a story. They made them more 3-D more I like how the story is told, from the point of view of the older man, its like the whole story is a flashback. Not many stories are like that so it was cool to see it written like that. One thing I didn't like was that the grandpa wasn't as involved in the story as he could have been. He could have liked helping train the dogs with Billy or help him hunt. The reason why I would've liked the grandpa more involved is because he seemed to know a lot about coon hunting so I think he could have helped Billy a lot. A character that really caught my attention was the marshal when he was in town, I don't know why but he interested me. He bought him a soda and helped him break a fight. The marshal is defiantly somebody I would've liked show up more in the story.

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Look Inside | Teacher’s Guide

Teacher’s Guide

Where the Red Fern Grows

By wilson rawls, by wilson rawls read by anthony heald, category: children's classics | children's middle grade historical fiction, category: children's classics | children's middle grade historical fiction | teen & young adult, category: children's classics | children's middle grade historical fiction | audiobooks.

Sep 01, 1996 | ISBN 9780440412670 | 5-3/16 x 7-5/8 --> | Middle Grade (8-12) | ISBN 9780440412670 --> Buy

Mar 12, 1997 | ISBN 9780553274295 | 4-3/16 x 6-7/8 --> | Middle Grade (8-12) | ISBN 9780553274295 --> Buy

May 03, 2016 | ISBN 9780399551239 | 5-1/2 x 8-1/4 --> | Middle Grade (8-12) | ISBN 9780399551239 --> Buy

Jan 12, 2011 | ISBN 9780307781567 | Middle Grade (8-12) | ISBN 9780307781567 --> Buy

Jul 05, 2000 | 415 Minutes | Middle Grade (8-12) | ISBN 9780553752199 --> Buy

Buy from Other Retailers:

Sep 01, 1996 | ISBN 9780440412670 | Middle Grade (8-12)

Mar 12, 1997 | ISBN 9780553274295 | Middle Grade (8-12)

May 03, 2016 | ISBN 9780399551239 | Middle Grade (8-12)

Jan 12, 2011 | ISBN 9780307781567 | Middle Grade (8-12)

Jul 05, 2000 | ISBN 9780553752199 | Middle Grade (8-12)

415 Minutes

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About Where the Red Fern Grows

Read the beloved classic that captures the powerful bond between man and man’s best friend. This edition also includes a special note to readers from Newbery Medal winner and Printz Honor winner Clare Vanderpool.   Billy has long dreamt of owning not one, but two, dogs. So when he’s finally able to save up enough money for two pups to call his own—Old Dan and Little Ann—he’s ecstatic. It doesn’t matter that times are tough; together they’ll roam the hills of the Ozarks. Soon Billy and his hounds become the finest hunting team in the valley. Stories of their great achievements spread throughout the region, and the combination of Old Dan’s brawn, Little Ann’s brains, and Billy’s sheer will seems unbeatable. But tragedy awaits these determined hunters—now friends—and Billy learns that hope can grow out of despair, and that the seeds of the future can come from the scars of the past.

For fans of Old Yeller and Shiloh, Where the Red Fern Grows is a beloved classic that captures the powerful bond between man and man’s best friend. This special edition includes new material, including a note to readers from Newbery Medal winner and Printz Honor winner Clare Vanderpool, a letter from Wilson Rawls to aspiring writers, original jacket artwork, and more.       Billy has long dreamt of owning not one, but two dogs. So when he’s finally able to save up enough money for two pups to call his own—Old Dan and Little Ann—he’s ecstatic. It’s true that times are tough, but together they’ll roam the hills of the Ozarks.    Soon Billy and his hounds become the finest hunting team in the valley. Stories of their great achievements spread throughout the region, and the combination of Old Dan’s brawn, Little Ann’s brains, and Billy’s sheer will seems unbeatable. But tragedy awaits these determined hunters—now friends—and Billy learns that hope can grow out of despair.   Praise for Where the Red Fern Grows A Top 100 Children’s Novel, School Library Journal A Must-Read for Kids 9 to 14, NPR A Great American Read’s Selection (PBS) Winner of Multiple State Awards Over 14 million copies in print! “A rewarding book . . . [with] careful, precise observation, all of it rightly phrased…. Very touching. ” — The New York Times Book Review “ One of the great classics of children’s literature . . . Any child who doesn’t get to read this beloved and powerfully emotional book has missed out on an important piece of childhood for the last 40-plus years.” — Common Sense Media “ An exciting tale of love and adventure you’ll never forget. ” — School Library Journal   “A book of unadorned naturalness.” — Kirkus Reviews “ Written with so much feeling and sentiment that adults as well as children are drawn [in] with a passion.” — Arizona Daily Star “It’s a story about a young boy and his two hunting dogs and . . . I can’t even go on without getting a little misty.” — The Huffington Post “We tear up just thinking about it.” — Time on the film adaptation

A beloved classic that captures the powerful bond between man and man’s best friend.   Billy has long dreamt of owning not one, but two, dogs. So when he’s finally able to save up enough money for two pups to call his own—Old Dan and Little Ann—he’s ecstatic. It doesn’t matter that times are tough; together they’ll roam the hills of the Ozarks. Soon Billy and his hounds become the finest hunting team in the valley. Stories of their great achievements spread throughout the region, and the combination of Old Dan’s brawn, Little Ann’s brains, and Billy’s sheer will seems unbeatable. But tragedy awaits these determined hunters—now friends—and Billy learns that hope can grow out of despair, and that the seeds of the future can come from the scars of the past.   Praise for Where the Red Fern Grows   A Top 100 Children’s Novel, School Library Journal ‘ s  A Fuse #8 Production A Must-Read for Kids 9 to 14, NPR Winner of Multiple State Awards Over 7 million copies in print!   “Very touching.” — The New York Times Book Review   “One of the great classics of children’s literature . . . Any child who doesn’t get to read this beloved and powerfully emotional book has missed out on an important piece of childhood for the last 40-plus years.” — Common Sense Media   “An exciting tale of love and adventure you’ll never forget.” — School Library Journal   “A book of unadorned naturalness.” — Kirkus Reviews   “Written with so much feeling and sentiment that adults as well as children are drawn [in] with a passion.” — Arizona Daily Star   “It’s a story about a young boy and his two hunting dogs and . . . I can’t even go on without getting a little misty.” — The Huffington Post    “We tear up just thinking about it.” — Time on the film adaptation

Listen to a sample from Where the Red Fern Grows

About wilson rawls.

Wilson Rawls grew up on a small farm in the Ozark Mountains of Oklahoma. There were no schools where he lived so his mother taught Rawls and his sisters how to read and write. He says that reading the book… More about Wilson Rawls

Product Details

Category: children’s classics | children’s middle grade historical fiction, category: children’s classics | children’s middle grade historical fiction | teen & young adult, category: children’s classics | children’s middle grade historical fiction | audiobooks, you may also like.

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Praise for Where the Red Fern Grows A Top 100 Children’s Novel, School Library Journal A Must-Read for Kids 9 to 14, NPR A Great American Read’s Selection (PBS) Winner of Multiple State Awards Over 14 million copies in print! “ One of the great classics of children’s literature . . . Any child who doesn’t get to read this beloved and powerfully emotional book has missed out on an important piece of childhood for the last 40-plus years.” — Common Sense Media “A rewarding book . . . [with] careful, precise observation, all of it rightly phrased….Very touching.” — The New York Times Book Review “A book of unadorned naturalness.” — Kirkus Reviews    “An exciting tale of love and adventure you’ll never forget.” — School Library Journal “Written with so much feeling and sentiment that adults as well as children are drawn [in] with a passion.” — Arizona Daily Star “It’s a story about a young boy and his two hunting dogs and . . . I can’t even go on without getting a little misty.” — The Huffington Post   “We tear up just thinking about it.” — Time on the film adaptation

Massachusetts Children’s Book Award WINNER 1987

New Hampshire Great Stone Face Award WINNER 1988

New Hampshire Great Stone Face Children’s Book Award WINNER 1988

North Dakota Flicker Tale Children’s Book Award WINNER 1981

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