Reviews

Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls

mgarzee's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25

kiana2173's review against another edition

5.0

If you want to bawl your eyes out, this is the book for you. Of course, this book has dogs. How can you not fall in love with them? The book follows a young boy who hunts with his two dogs, and he proves everyone who didn’t believe him wrong. But why did I bawl my eyes out? Read and find out!

Repost of review from instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/C01gZTqJ7Zu/?img_index=1

goosiana's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

It is a little graphic at times and has animal death.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death and Blood

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail and Grief

Minor: Body horror

jenmangler's review against another edition

2.0

I remember really liking the book when I was in middle school, but I sadly don't feel the same the as an adult. If you aren't into hunting, this book is not for you. And I'm not, so it isn't. There are many things I like about this book - the writing, Billy's work ethic, the relationship between Billy & his grandpa, the awesome duo of Old Dan and Little Anne - but I absolutely loathed the hunting scenes and, since that's pretty much the whole book, I had a hard time reading it.

sdale2596's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

I read this book to my middle school classes for about 10 minutes a day. I think that may have impacted the emotional impact of the book, but it was still a wonderful ride. 

This book does a great job of describing the nature of the Ozark mountains in language that puts the reader right in the thick of it. The book is more than just a dog book. It's about the uncertainty of life and how we can't predict where life will take us. 

It captures the dreamlike quality adolescents have where all things are possible, but it never completely lets us forget because we all have our red ferns. 

abbyd's review against another edition

adventurous emotional sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal death

schumkat's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

junish's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

ambergamgee's review against another edition

5.0

I decided to comfort read this. It was one of my very favorite books as a kid, I think I read it 9-10 times. There are parts that horrify me now, like when he chops down the biggest tree. There are parts I didn’t notice as a kid, like the moms perspective. Raccoons were my favorite animal as a kid, and I always hated that part of the book as a kid. I was trying to understand what it was about this book that made me so obsessed as a kid.
I think it’s the hard work and gumption. My favorite part was always when he walked to town in the middle of the night to get the pups. This story of a kid just a little older than me working hard, following his passion, and eventually pulling his family out of rural poverty with it. (I grew up in poverty as a kid. I don’t think I made that connection reading it as a kid, because I was urban poor at that age, but now I do.)
Still good. Too religious to ever assign to kids at school. But still holds a special space in my heart.

wtc210's review against another edition

adventurous emotional fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

I cried.