Where the Red Fern Grows

One of the most beloved children’s classics of all time, this unforgettable coming-of-age adventure is a story of love, loyalty, and the bond between a boy and his two dogs.

Billy has dreamed for years of owning not one, but two dogs. So when he finally saves enough money to bring home two Redbone Coonhounds—Old Dan and Little Ann—he can hardly believe his luck. Even during hard times, the three become inseparable as they roam the hills of the Ozarks together.

Before long, Billy and his beloved hounds become the finest hunting team in the valley. Word of their adventures spreads far and wide, and the combination of Old Dan’s strength, Little Ann’s intelligence, and Billy’s determination seems unstoppable. But when heartbreak enters their lives, Billy discovers the enduring power of love and resilience, and learns that even loss can leave behind something beautiful.

Wilson Rawls was the beloved author of the enduring classic Where the Red Fern Grows and the acclaimed novel Summer of the Monkeys. Born on a small farm in the Ozark Mountains, Rawls spent much of his childhood exploring the hills and river bottoms of northeastern Oklahoma alongside Rowdy, his faithful old bluetick hound—experiences that would later inspire the heartfelt adventures in his fiction.

First published in 1961, Where the Red Fern Grows has become a treasured classic for generations of readers and was adapted into a widely praised motion picture. Rawls’ second novel, Summer of the Monkeys, also earned critical acclaim, receiving numerous honors including the prestigious California Young Reader Medal. Wilson Rawls remains one of the most cherished voices in children’s literature. He died in 1984 at the age of seventy-one.