Clay Newcomb dives deep into the history of Wilson Rawls, his book, and coon hunting, on his podcast “Bear Grease”. Where the Red Fern Grows is one of the first books I ever read, and one of my favorites...I’ve been reading it to my kids once every year. It’s a true American classic. The podcast is really interesting, check it out

One of my favorites as a kid.

Tough read near the end!

one of my favorites as a kid also

if you weren't leekin you might be broken

I actually teach this book in middle school every year and it is by far one of my most favorites but difficult to get through books I teach. Never can get though the ending without shedding a tear. The best part of teaching it is the project based learning that we do after reading it. My favorite project is trap building where, for those so inclined, build a working trap of their design using whatever materials they have access to. Some of them over the years have been amazing!
Rick

My wife and I were sitting on the couch crying, and my 7 year old and 5year old sitting on the floor asking us what was wrong as I read it to them last year haha.

That’s awesome! Part of Clays podcast is how it’s amazing this book about coon hunting is being read in schools, even urban schools, the character traits and messaging in this book are so good too.

Also enjoyed the jeff white series of books by Les Diaz

Great book ! I read it for the first time in the fourth grade. I finished it right during the middle of class. That was a mistake. I had to put my head down, and tried my hardest to keep anyone from seeing me crying. My kids still repeat quotes from that book on a regular basis. I have spent countless hours in the woods with hounds.

I still cringe thinking about that older boy running with the axe.

I remember reading that back in school. Great book. Big red and Irish red are good ones also.

Rweally cool is Willson Rawls retired to Cornell Wi where I grew up and lived. He became good freinds with my neighbor who trapped and taught me a lot. So I got to sit around and chat with him. Very nice man.

Lion hound and Wild Trek was a couple others

Classic American literature.
Read it once.

Raised and hunted with classic champion UKC / PKC Redbones.
Large dark muzzled deep chested old-fashioned old-style hounds.
I miss them every day.

Unfortunately cannot read the book again.

Great book!

Movie wasn’t too bad either

I had a female blue tick when I was about Billy’s age, had a good friend that ran Black and Tans and his dogs were much better trained I’ll admit. my dog rose liked to tree opossum lol

Same here while I was reading to my oldest daughter!! Now in her mid-twenties, she still remembers that!

Love that book!!!!!

That is really cool, he said he wrote much of the original on brown paper bags, no proper punctuation or spelling...just dashes between thoughts basically.