Where the Red Fern Grows

By: Wilson Rawls

Narrated by: Anthony Heald

Length: 6 hrs and 56 mins

Publisher's summary

A loving threesome, Billy and his two dogs ranged the dark hills and river bottoms of Cherokee country. Old Dan has the brawn, Little Ann has the brains, and Billy has the will to make them into the finest hunting team in the valley. Glory and victory were coming to them, but sadness waited too. Soon their skills will be put to the test as they brave the dangers of the wilds for the ultimate glory.

Since its publication over forty years ago, this heartwarming tale of a boy and his dogs has touched millions. A tale of adventure, special friendship and coming-of-age, Where the Red Fern Grows makes for delightful listening. This unabridged production, featuring a moving performance by Anthony Heald, brings this enduring classic to life and makes a powerful story even more unforgettable.

©1961 Woodrow Wilson Rawls (P)1995 Random House, Inc., Listening Library, an Imprint of the Random House Audio Publishing Group

Critic reviews

"This title is an excellent selection for family listening or for anyone desiring an uplifting, but realistic tale." (AudioFile)

Great depiction!

The vivid description of the hounds and the wilderness of nature is among the best! And the narration is also great adding to the intense storyline. But I wouldn't recommend a kid under 10 to read it unless reading it with an adult. Some scenes are a little graphic and violent. At some point, my eyes were definitely more widely-open! Overall, it's a wonderful book, especially it is endowed with certain kind of belief and faith that bring the story warm flows of feeling.

Love story of a boy & his dogs

I read this book as a child and saw the movie. I wanted my sons to experience it too, but they would never willing pick up a book, so this was the best option for our long commutes in the car. Such a wonderful and heartfelt story! Two thumbs up, a thousand times over!!

A masterful story with masterful oration!

WTRFG was a fairly new book on the market when Billy, Old Dan and Little Ann carved out an everlasting place in my heart. 40 years later, I just finished the Audible version. I have to say that every emotion, every deep thought came rushing back with even more poignance, now that I have a little more life under my belt. I soon will be sharing this with my youngest son.

Although Rawls' writing need no assistance, Anthony Heald's reading takes the tale to a whole new level. He brought every character to life . . .no, a better way to say it is that he became each character.

If WTRFG is classic literature, then WTRFG as read by Heald is a classic oration. Wow!

A MASTERPIECE

Mr. Rawls takes us back to a much simpler time, when life was a lot less complicated. He takes us to a place when “right” was right and “wrong” was wrong; where the deepest faith and treasured virtues of simple living made prayers and dreams come true.

This book is much more than a story. Mr. Rawls delivers a compelling tale that chronicles a young boy’s rite of passage and the two Red Bone hounds who are an answer to prayer.

The virtues of honesty, kindness to people, kindness to animals, teaching of responsibility and tenacious hard work are among the lessons of life that this author presents.

Urban America might have trouble relating to the social innocence of an Ozark way of life and the thought of allowing an adolescent boy to run off into the mountain night pursuing his hounds on the trail of a raccoon. But that was a completely different age that Mr. Rawls is writing about. Again, he is writing about a much simpler time.

Faith is at the core of this novel. Faith in God, faith in our fathers and even faith that our fathers must place in the hands of the next generation. There is an undertone, an almost unspoken veneration of the honor code of the outdoorsman; the hunter and the fisherman. This book even speaks to the faith that we should have in each other, especially in times of peril.

It’s a classic tale that some will loathe for its simplicity, its innocence and the complete respect that Billy has for his parents and elders. There’s no hint of rebellion in the boy, and there is no dysfunction in his family. It’s simply a clean portrayal of what life could be if we were committed to honest, hard work and always trying to do the right thing. Billy’s strong-willed Grandpa, on the other hand, does sneak some corn liquor in on a hunting trip.

This is a classic that every family should have with them on the long road trip to grandma’s house. But bring a box of tissues just in case. Someone in the car is bound to need them.

classic

...listened to it as a kid and again as adult and shared with my kids

great read

Never read this as a kid and knew it was a classic I had to read. I was not disappointed. loved it and will have my boys read it.

Great re-read

loved it first book i can remember reading that was not a childs book in school. It was asigned to the class in 6th grade

Masterpiece

Why did it take me so long to get to this excellent book? Superior reading by Mr Heald.

Amazing

This book is amazing and heart warming. I would suggest this book to almost everyone I know!!

Great narration

The narration for this novel is amazing. I was drawn into the story with every sentence beautifully acted as the story was told.