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brodir14's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.75
boundlessbookwriting's review against another edition
5.0
This is my second book review. If you don't like it, I apologize. I try my hardest to be honest and describe things as they are, but if I do a poor job of constructing an analysis of my reasons for liking this book, please forgive me and my poor writing structure.
Where the Red Fern Grows. A vividly written middle-grade book for children. Young adults. Grown adults. Elderly adults. Anyone can read and enjoy this wonderful classic.
I remember reading this emotional story in seventh grade. Honestly, I've never read anything like it. At the end of the book, I was literally crying because of how well-designed and three-dimensional the characters were. I loved Billy's relationship with his two dogs. This book perfectly describes what it's like to have a pet or pets. Billy is a very complex main character, and despite his age, he doesn't come off as an unruly and annoying teenager, as most main characters of young adult fiction do. I was able to relate to him and found him very likable. Most of the things he did made a lot of sense, and he carries fatherly traits within him. This can be seen through the way he protects his dogs and invests his time in them.
I wasn't a big fan of the ending, but it just showed how attached I became to the story and how much I loved it. I became woven in with the characters, looking at the events through their perspectives and imagining myself in their shoes as the story progressed.
The setting was perfect. The author went into detail as he described where Billy and his family lived and made it feel as if I could close my eyes and see the place. I liked how he placed emphasis on the beauty of the place. He made it feel homely and showed why Billy, the main character and owner of Old Dan and Little Ann, was attached to that place and believed it to be better than industrialized cities and towns.
The relationship between Old Dan and Little Ann was lovely. I like how the dogs were so close to each other and protected each other as much as possible. They were like a brother and sister duo, always by each other's sides and cooperating to complete tasks with Billy.
At times, the book was funny, tense, exciting, and sad. There were so many scenes that evoked conflicting emotions within me as I read them. As I said, the ending wasn't my favorite part, but it was very satisfying and led me to the conclusion that this is one of the best books I've read throughout my childhood, if not the best.
Overall, the main lesson I got from the book is that it's better to have an animal as a companion rather than an ungrateful human being. If you like animals and you like rural areas, this book is certainly for you. I hope they keep this book in schools so the future generation can enjoy this heartwarming story. ✨✨
Where the Red Fern Grows. A vividly written middle-grade book for children. Young adults. Grown adults. Elderly adults. Anyone can read and enjoy this wonderful classic.
I remember reading this emotional story in seventh grade. Honestly, I've never read anything like it. At the end of the book, I was literally crying because of how well-designed and three-dimensional the characters were. I loved Billy's relationship with his two dogs. This book perfectly describes what it's like to have a pet or pets. Billy is a very complex main character, and despite his age, he doesn't come off as an unruly and annoying teenager, as most main characters of young adult fiction do. I was able to relate to him and found him very likable. Most of the things he did made a lot of sense, and he carries fatherly traits within him. This can be seen through the way he protects his dogs and invests his time in them.
I wasn't a big fan of the ending, but it just showed how attached I became to the story and how much I loved it. I became woven in with the characters, looking at the events through their perspectives and imagining myself in their shoes as the story progressed.
The setting was perfect. The author went into detail as he described where Billy and his family lived and made it feel as if I could close my eyes and see the place. I liked how he placed emphasis on the beauty of the place. He made it feel homely and showed why Billy, the main character and owner of Old Dan and Little Ann, was attached to that place and believed it to be better than industrialized cities and towns.
The relationship between Old Dan and Little Ann was lovely. I like how the dogs were so close to each other and protected each other as much as possible. They were like a brother and sister duo, always by each other's sides and cooperating to complete tasks with Billy.
At times, the book was funny, tense, exciting, and sad. There were so many scenes that evoked conflicting emotions within me as I read them. As I said, the ending wasn't my favorite part, but it was very satisfying and led me to the conclusion that this is one of the best books I've read throughout my childhood, if not the best.
Overall, the main lesson I got from the book is that it's better to have an animal as a companion rather than an ungrateful human being. If you like animals and you like rural areas, this book is certainly for you. I hope they keep this book in schools so the future generation can enjoy this heartwarming story. ✨✨
donasbooks's review against another edition
I found a digital copy of Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls on Libby. This is book #13 in the Kill My TBR project. All views are mine.
It seems that the worries and wants of a young boy never cease. p61
This book makes me so grateful for contemporary middle grade fiction. Here's another classic middle grade book that I pointedly dislike for reasons of anachronism and writing down to the audience.
I had to stop reading at the point that the narrator's recklessness gets one of his dogs hurt, and he immediately blames someone who isn't even present, his grandfather, for believing in the narrator's trapping ability. The whole, "if it wasn't for that guy I wouldn't even be here" excuse.
Three (or more) things I loved:
1. At the time this book was written, first person POV was very unusual, and it really works well here.
2. I love that this whole thing is about the love of animals. Hounds, in this case. What a great story that a young boy would travel great distances and sleep rough for the love of his dogs. *edit ironically, I'm DNFing this book for animal cruelty.
3. Nice touches of magical realism all throughout. The whole family followed me out on the porch. There we all got a surprise. My dogs were sitting on the steps, waiting for me. I heard Papa laugh. “Why, they know you’re going hunting,” he said, “know it as well as anything.” ...“Sure they know Billy’s going hunting,” piped the little one, “and I know why.” “How do you know so much, silly?” asked the oldest one. “Because I told Little Ann, that’s why,” she said, “and she told Old Dan. That’s how they know.” p82
Three (or less) things I didn't love:
This section isn't only for criticisms. It's merely for items that I felt something for other than "love" or some interpretation thereof.
1. There is some terrible toxic masculinity and misogyny in this book.
2. Trigger warning for animal cruelty and animal death.
3. How do you turn a simple raccoon hunt into a 300p novel? Well if you're Wilson Rawls, you repeat yourself a great deal.
4. This is purely subjective, but I do not like the child narrator: Little Ann came over and started rolling in the leaves. The way I was feeling toward her, I couldn’t even smile at her playful mood. “Of course you feel good,” I said in an irritated voice, “and it’s no wonder, you had a good night’s sleep in a nice warm doghouse, but Old Dan didn’t. He was down here in the cold all by himself, watching the tree. The way you’re acting, I don’t believe you care if the coon gets away or not.” I would have said more but just then I noticed something. I walked over for a better look. There, scratched deep in the soft leaves were two little beds. One was smaller than the other. Looking at Little Ann, I read the answer in her warm gray eyes. Old Dan hadn’t been alone when he had gone back to the tree. She too had gone along. There was no doubt that in the early morning she had come home to get me. Besides being impatient and nasty to his dogs, whom he loves, he's also sort of awful about killing animals. This is a side of life I can't relate to.
Rating: DNF 38%
Recommend? Maybe
Finished: Sep 27 '24
It seems that the worries and wants of a young boy never cease. p61
This book makes me so grateful for contemporary middle grade fiction. Here's another classic middle grade book that I pointedly dislike for reasons of anachronism and writing down to the audience.
I had to stop reading at the point that the narrator's recklessness gets one of his dogs hurt, and he immediately blames someone who isn't even present, his grandfather, for believing in the narrator's trapping ability. The whole, "if it wasn't for that guy I wouldn't even be here" excuse.
Three (or more) things I loved:
1. At the time this book was written, first person POV was very unusual, and it really works well here.
2. I love that this whole thing is about the love of animals. Hounds, in this case. What a great story that a young boy would travel great distances and sleep rough for the love of his dogs. *edit ironically, I'm DNFing this book for animal cruelty.
3. Nice touches of magical realism all throughout. The whole family followed me out on the porch. There we all got a surprise. My dogs were sitting on the steps, waiting for me. I heard Papa laugh. “Why, they know you’re going hunting,” he said, “know it as well as anything.” ...“Sure they know Billy’s going hunting,” piped the little one, “and I know why.” “How do you know so much, silly?” asked the oldest one. “Because I told Little Ann, that’s why,” she said, “and she told Old Dan. That’s how they know.” p82
Three (or less) things I didn't love:
This section isn't only for criticisms. It's merely for items that I felt something for other than "love" or some interpretation thereof.
1. There is some terrible toxic masculinity and misogyny in this book.
2. Trigger warning for animal cruelty and animal death.
3. How do you turn a simple raccoon hunt into a 300p novel? Well if you're Wilson Rawls, you repeat yourself a great deal.
4. This is purely subjective, but I do not like the child narrator: Little Ann came over and started rolling in the leaves. The way I was feeling toward her, I couldn’t even smile at her playful mood. “Of course you feel good,” I said in an irritated voice, “and it’s no wonder, you had a good night’s sleep in a nice warm doghouse, but Old Dan didn’t. He was down here in the cold all by himself, watching the tree. The way you’re acting, I don’t believe you care if the coon gets away or not.” I would have said more but just then I noticed something. I walked over for a better look. There, scratched deep in the soft leaves were two little beds. One was smaller than the other. Looking at Little Ann, I read the answer in her warm gray eyes. Old Dan hadn’t been alone when he had gone back to the tree. She too had gone along. There was no doubt that in the early morning she had come home to get me. Besides being impatient and nasty to his dogs, whom he loves, he's also sort of awful about killing animals. This is a side of life I can't relate to.
Rating: DNF 38%
Recommend? Maybe
Finished: Sep 27 '24
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty and Animal death
Moderate: Violence
ghoe25's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
fast-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
3.75
zwinning's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.0
spenkevich's review against another edition
4.0
HEY, YOU KIDS WANNA UGLY CRY IN FRONT OF YOUR CLASSMATES WHILE BRIAN PISSES HIS PANTS IN THE CORNER?! Then this book is for you.
^^turns out this was the very first thing I ever wrote on goodreads and honestly, I’d already peaked.
^^turns out this was the very first thing I ever wrote on goodreads and honestly, I’d already peaked.
esaweikis's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
varuna's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
mags0914's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
sad
medium-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
4.0