Where the Red Fern Grows
About
Billy Coleman works and saves to buy two red-bone hunting hounds while his grandfather provides him with support and lessons in growing up. The plot contains mild profanity and gore.
Additional resources by Steve.
Comprehension Questions (by Steve)
Read one section at a time, then discuss the questions to review understanding. These questions are a starting place for conversation, not a complete test of the chapter.
Chapter 1
Comprehension questions
Describe the dog fight.
Page 2 — The pack was attacking an old redbone hound.
2
What did the old hound look like?
Page 3 — He was starving.
3
What could you tell from the paws?
Page 3 — He had come a long way.
3
What was his name?
Page 3 — Buddie.
3
Why did he let the hound go?
Page 5 — It would break his heart to stay; break his will to live.
5
Chapter 2
Comprehension questions
Where does Billy live?
Page 9 — Ozark Mountains on Cherokee land.
9
What happened because of his dog-wanting?
Page 11 — He lost weight and didn’t sleep.
11
What did Billy’s dad buy him for hunting?
Page 12 — Three small steel traps.
12
What did Billy trap?
Page 14 — Samie the Cat over and over until he left.
14
What did Billy’s father allow him to do in the summer?
Page 18 — Work in the fields.
18
Chapter 3
Comprehension questions
What does Billy find in the Fishermen’s camp?
Page 20 — A magazine selling dogs for $25.
20
What does Billy save his money in?
Page 22 — An old K.C. Baking Powder Can.
22
How does Billy save the money?
Page 24 — He saves the $50 by selling berries, hides, vegetables.
24
Why is his grandfather surprised about the money?
Page 25 — Billy worked and saved for 2 years.
25
What does his grandfather do?
Page 26 — Gives him candy and says don’t tell about the dogs.
26
Chapter 4
Comprehension questions
Where does Billie have to go for the dogs?
Page 28 — Tahlequah.
28
How does Billie get to Tahlequah?
Page 31 — He walks 20 miles.
31
What and why does he buy things for family?
Page 34 — Overalls and cloth because he snuck out.
34
How do the kids treat Billie?
Page 37 — They call him a hillbilly.
37
Chapter 5
Comprehension questions
Who was in charge at the depot?
Page 39 — The stationmaster.
39
How did Billy carry the pups home?
Page 42 — In the gunny sack with holes for their heads.
42
Why did Billy fight the freckle face boy?
Page 44 — He pulled his pups ear and it cried.
44
What did the Marshall give Billy?
Page 47 — Strawberry pop.
47
Why did Billy think the lion wouldn’t hurt them?
Page 51 — His father said it was afraid of fire.
51
Chapter 6
Comprehension questions
How did Billy pick the pups’ names?
Page 54 — They were carved in the tree.
54
How did Billy’s father know where he was?
Page 56 — His grandpa told him.
56
What did Mama fix for the pups?
Page 57 — Warm milk.
57
What was the cave called where Billy spent the night?
Page 57 — Robber’s Cave.
57
What was the black pipe at the school in town?
Page 60 — A fire escape.
60
Chapter 7
Comprehension questions
What did Billy think of his Grandpa’s trapping idea?
Page 65 — He thought he was kidding.
65
What did Grandpa’s pet coon catch his hand in?
Page 66 — The butter churn.
66
What did Mama think when Billy yelled about the coon?
Page 71 — A snake bit him.
71
Why can’t you sell coon skins in summer?
Page 74 — They have yellow hair.
74
What did Billy think about the pups when they had talks?
Page 77 — They understood him.
77
Chapter 8
Comprehension questions
Why was Mama worried about Billy hunting?
Page 81 — He hadn’t been in the woods all night.
81
What was the first trick the coon pulled on the hounds?
Page 84 — Swam through water.
84
Which tree did the coon run up?
Page 89 — “The big tree”.
89
Why did Billy tell Papa it was important to chop the tree down?
Page 92 — To keep his bargain.
92
Chapter 9
Comprehension questions
How did Grandpa keep the coon up the tree all night?
Page 99 — With a scarecrow.
99
What traits did Grandpa say make a man?
Page 101 — Determination and will power.
101
What did Mama learn about coon?
Page 103 — That they were smart.
103
Where did the dogs spend the night?
Page 106 — They slept by the tree together.
106
Why did Billy think the wind blew the tree down?
Page 108 — He prayed to God.
108
Did Papa have another explanation?
Page 112 — It blew the tree only because it was the tallest.
112
Chapter 10
Comprehension questions
Why did Billy go to the store on Saturdays?
Page 115 — It was “Coon Hunter” day.
115
Why did the hunters make fun of Billy’s hounds?
Page 116 — They were small.
116
Who did Mama use to catch the chickens?
Page 118 — Little Ann; Old Dan was too rough.
118
Why did Billy think Old Dan had drowned?
Page 122 — He was in a muskrat den in the slough.
122
How did Old Dan get up in the tree?
Page 125 — He went through the hollow trunk.
125
Chapter 11
Comprehension questions
Why was it dangerous after the snow storm?
Page 128 — It was slick and no moon.
128
What happened when the dogs jumped the river?
Page 132 — Old Dan was strong and made it; Little Ann slipped and fell in.
132
What did Billy do when he couldn’t save Little Ann?
Page 134 — He prayed for a miracle.
134
What did Billy learn from the lantern clanging?
Page 135 — Use the handle for a hook.
135
Why didn’t Billy tell Mama?
Page 139 — Because she’d worry and stop him from hunting.
139
Chapter 12
Comprehension questions
Why did Grandpa accept the bet with Rubin?
Page 144 — He called him crooked and spat.
144
What and how much was the bet for?
Page 145 — To catch the ghost coon for $2.
145
What happened when the coon went up a tree?
Page 155 — It disappeared.
155
Chapter 13
Comprehension questions
How did Little Ann know the coon was in the gate post?
Page 159 — A breeze carried the scent.
159
Where was the ghost coon?
Page 160 — In the hallow gate post.
160
How did Billy feel about the ghost coon?
Page 161 — He wouldn’t kill him.
161
Why couldn’t Old Blue beat Old Dan?
Page 165 — Little Ann helped fight him.
165
How did Rainie react to his brother’s death?
Page 171 — He couldn’t get over the shock.
171
Chapter 14
Comprehension questions
What kind of dogs could enter in the coon hunt?
Page 179 — Registered.
179
Was Billy happy with his life?
Page 184 — Luckiest boy in the world.
184
What did his little sister want from the hunt?
Page 186 — The gold cup.
186
What was the only thing wrong with Little Ann?
Page 189 — Gun-shy,
189
What did Grandpa keep secret from Grandma?
Page 191 — The corn liquor.
191
Chapter 15
Comprehension questions
Why wouldn’t Old Dan eat his food?
Page 194 — He was waiting for Little Ann.
194
What did Billy think 2 screech owls meant?
Page 196 — Bad luck.
196
What kind of dogs were at the hunt?
Page 200 — Redbones, blue ticks, walkers, and blood hounds.
200
Why did Billy pick Little Ann for the beauty contest?
Page 201 — Old Dan’s face was all scared.
201
Chapter 16
Comprehension questions
Where did the hounds run the coon?
Page 211 — Back to the camp.
211
Why did Grandpa look funny drying by the fire?
Page 212 — His long underwear was steaming.
212
Why was the judge worried with the coon in the river?
Page 221 — He might drown the dogs.
221
What surprised the judge?
Page 222 — The dogs cleaned each other’s cuts after the fight.
222
Chapter 17
Comprehension questions
Why did the judge want to quit?
Page 226 — Because of the storm.
226
How did they get Little Ann to come to them?
Page 228 — They fired the gun.
228
Who led them to Grandpa?
Page 231 — Little Ann.
231
What happened when they cut down the tree?
Page 234 — 3 coons came out.
234
Chapter 18
Comprehension questions
What did the hunter say happened to the hounds?
Page 240 — Frozen solid.
240
Why did the dogs keep circling the tree?
Page 242 — They’d freeze if they stopped.
242
What did Mr. Kyle call dog loyalty?
Page 243 — The deepest kind of love.
243
What did Mama do that night?
Page 250 — Took food to the dogs and prayed.
250
Chapter 19
Comprehension questions
How did Billy try to stop Old Dan’s bleeding?
Page 260 — Mud caked onto the wounds.
260
How did Billy feel when his dogs died?
Page 270 — He didn’t believe in prayer anymore
270
What was the miracle from the dogs?
Page 272 — The money to move to the city.
272
Chapter 20
Comprehension questions
What did Billy see when he said good-bye to the dogs?
Page 278 — The red fern
278
What did Papa think the red fern did?
Page 279 — It was God’s way of helping Billy understand why his dogs died.
279
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