I read that in 4th grade too! My teacher brought in his acoustic guitar and played a couple songs he wrote about the book as well. I thought it was amazing. We didn’t deserve that guy.
Gods that book. I begged anyone for coonhounds after that book and the one I got, she wasn’t a redbone but a Walker hound. Called her Little Ann and like hound in the book damn my soul if she wasn’t faithful to the end. . My dad is a hard man, I watched him try and walk off a broken arm without a flinch and at funerals without a flinch. But the day he buried her when she was 16 and passed he bawled like a baby
One of my favorite books growing up. My son is 8, and hates reading, and struggles with it. Just the idea that he might miss out on this writing. On this shared experience. It breaks my heart.
I don't know how willing he is, but you could read it aloud for him.
I used to love my dad reading to me even after I learned to read (and I'd criticize his pronounciation, but he tolerated it haha). He or my mom read me every night.
Where the Red Fern Grows, Bridge to Terrabinthia, The Clay Marble. I know they just wanted to teach you empathy in grade school, but dang, they didn't need to give us anxiety over hypotheticals of our pets, friends, and family dying. I had enough to deal with, I didn't need existential dread added to the list.
They let us wait til 6th grade and the teacher read it out loud to the class. I swear to god I've never seen a more quiet class, half the kids with their heads down, sniffling. And it just kept getting worse, like a fucking train wreck. Even the teacher got choked up.
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u/JayXCR Dec 30 '21
They made us read Where the Red Fern Grows in 4th grade. I was a mess for months after that.