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Quick answer: If you loved Where the Red Fern Grows, try Old Yeller, Summer of the Monkeys, Shiloh, Because of Winn-Dixie, Sounder and The Yearling. Each one is a moving story about a child, an animal and loyalty, often with a sad or bittersweet ending.
Wilson Rawls's 1961 novel is narrated by Billy Colman, who grows up in the Ozark Mountains during the 1920s. He saves his money for two years to buy two coonhound pups, Old Dan and Little Ann, and trains them to become champion hunters. Their adventures lead to triumph and heartbreak. Readers love its loyalty, its outdoor life and its tearful ending. These books share its animals, its rural settings and its emotion.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Age | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Old Yeller | Fred Gipson | 9-12 | readers who want another dog classic |
| Summer of the Monkeys | Wilson Rawls | 9-12 | readers who want more Rawls |
| Shiloh | Phyllis Reynolds Naylor | 8-12 | readers who like rescued dogs |
| Because of Winn-Dixie | Kate DiCamillo | 8-12 | readers who like dogs and friends |
| Sounder | William H. Armstrong | 10+ | readers who like hard times |
| The Yearling | Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings | 10+ | readers who like a boy and a deer |
| Bridge to Terabithia | Katherine Paterson | 9-12 | readers ready to cry |
| Hatchet | Gary Paulsen | 10-13 | readers who like wilderness |
| Woodsong | Gary Paulsen | 10+ | readers who like real dogs |
| Lassie Come-Home | Eric Knight | 8-12 | readers who like loyal dogs |
| A Dog's Purpose | W. Bruce Cameron | 12+ | readers who like dog narrators |
| Marley & Me | John Grogan | Adult | older readers |
| Rascal | Sterling North | 9-12 | readers who like pet raccoons |
| The Incredible Journey | Sheila Burnford | 9-12 | readers who like animal journeys |
| My Side of the Mountain | Jean Craighead George | 9-12 | readers who like living outdoors |
1. Old Yeller by Fred Gipson
A boy's dog protects his family in Texas.
Best for: readers who want another dog classic.
2. Summer of the Monkeys by Wilson Rawls
A boy tries to catch escaped circus monkeys.
Best for: readers who want more Rawls.
3. Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
A boy hides an abused beagle.
Best for: readers who like rescued dogs.
4. Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
A girl and her dog make friends in a new town.
Best for: readers who like dogs and friends.
5. Sounder by William H. Armstrong
A Black sharecropper's family and their dog.
Best for: readers who like hard times.
6. The Yearling by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings
A boy raises a fawn in Florida.
Best for: readers who like a boy and a deer.
7. Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
Two friends create a magical kingdom.
Best for: readers ready to cry.
8. Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
A boy survives alone in the wilderness.
Best for: readers who like wilderness.
9. Woodsong by Gary Paulsen
Paulsen's memoir of his sled dogs.
Best for: readers who like real dogs.
10. Lassie Come-Home by Eric Knight
A collie travels hundreds of miles home.
Best for: readers who like loyal dogs.
11. A Dog's Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron
A dog lives several lives.
Best for: readers who like dog narrators.
12. Marley & Me by John Grogan
A family's life with their badly behaved dog.
Best for: older readers.
13. Rascal by Sterling North
A boy raises a raccoon.
Best for: readers who like pet raccoons.
14. The Incredible Journey by Sheila Burnford
Three pets travel home through the wilderness.
Best for: readers who like animal journeys.
15. My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George
A boy lives alone in the mountains.
Best for: readers who like living outdoors.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with Where the Red Fern Grows: its tone, its themes, its pace or the kind of characters it puts at the center. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious titles, and we noted who each book suits best so you can match it to the reader. Where a book belongs to a series, we list the first volume so you can start at the beginning.
If you are not sure where to begin, start with the first three picks in the table: they are the closest match to Where the Red Fern Grows. The rest of the list moves further out, so it works well once you know which part of the original you liked most. If a pick is part of a longer series, read the first book before you commit, and check the age or content notes in the table before passing a book to a younger reader.
How to Choose
For another dog classic, read Old Yeller or Shiloh. If you loved the Ozarks, Summer of the Monkeys is a lighter Rawls book. For true dog stories, Woodsong is wonderful. Readers ready for more tears should try The Yearling or Bridge to Terabithia.
Related: Sounder by William H. Armstrong: Summary and Key Takeaways · My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George: Summary and Key Takeaways
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Where the Red Fern Grows about?
A boy in the Ozarks raises two coonhounds and shares adventures with them.
Is Where the Red Fern Grows sad?
Yes. Both dogs die near the end, and many readers cry.
What is the red fern?
A red fern grows between the dogs' graves, and an old legend says it marks a special, sacred place.
What age is it for?
It is usually read by children 9 to 12.
Is there a movie?
Yes. Films were made in 1974 and 2003.
Is it a true story?
It is fiction, though Rawls drew on his own Ozark childhood.
Who are Old Dan and Little Ann?
Billy's two redbone coonhounds.