Beanie and Tough Enough

Originally published in the 1950s, these beautifully illustrated stories for young readers recount the adventures of the Tatums, a backwoods family, and their puppy, Tough Enough. Mainly set on a farm in Appalachia, the tales are noteworthy for their realistic portrayal of rural life. This collection features the first three books from the Tatum family series:
Beanie: It's Beanie's birthday, and he gets the best gift of all: a new puppy, Tough Enough. The two new friends find more than they bargained for when they head off to the hills to go bear-hunting.
Tough Enough: The Tatum family dog is a mischievous creature, but surely he can't be responsible for the farm's missing hens?
Tough Enough's Trip: When the Tatums set off on a long trip to visit relatives, Tough Enough can't bear to be left behind and stows away in the family truck. He and the Tatums drive past villages and towns, farms and factories, and across rivers on their way to the ocean, meeting a host of lost animals along the way.

Ruth Robinson Carroll (1899–1999) and "Archer" Latrobe Carroll (1894–1996) wrote and illustrated many books for children. The New York natives wanted to remedy the common perception of Appalachian dwellers as backward and ignorant, and their stories of the Tatum family are their best-known books, along with Peanut and Digby the Only Dog.