Where the Red Fern Grows
by Wilson Rawls
Grade 6; Genre - Fiction; GRL X; AR pts: 11.0
Vocabulary and Themes in the Story (by Steve)
Comprehension Questions (by Steve)
Chapter 1
- Describe the dog fight. The pack was attacking an old redbone hound. Pg. 2.
- What did the old hound look like? He was starving. Pg. 3.
- What could you tell from the paws? He had come a long way. Pg. 3.
- What was his name? Buddie. Pg. 3.
- Why did he let the hound go? It would break his heart to stay; break his will to live. Pg. 5.
Chapter 2
- Where does Billy live? Ozark Mountains on Cherokee land. Pg. 9.
- What happened because of his dog-wanting? He lost weight and didn’t sleep. Pg. 11.
- What did Billy’s dad buy him for hunting? Three small steel traps. Pg. 12.
- What did Billy trap? Samie the Cat over and over until he left. Pg. 14.
- What did Billy’s father allow him to do in the summer? Work in the fields. Pg. 18
Chapter 3
- What does Billy find in the Fishermen’s camp? A magazine selling dogs for $25. Pg. 20.
- What does Billy save his money in? An old K.C. Baking Powder Can. Pg. 22.
- How does Billy save the money? He saves the $50 by selling berries, hides, vegetables. Pg. 24.
- Why is his grandfather surprised about the money? Billy worked and saved for 2 years. Pg. 25.
- What does his grandfather do? Gives him candy and says don’t tell about the dogs. Pg. 26.
Chapter 4
- Where does Billie have to go for the dogs? Tahlequah. Pg. 28.
- How does Billie get to Tahlequah? He walks 20 miles. Pg. 31.
- What and why does he buy things for family? Overalls and cloth because he snuck out. Pg. 34.
- How do the kids treat Billie? They call him a hillbilly. Pg. 37.
Chapter 5
- Who was in charge at the depot? The stationmaster. Pg. 39.
- How did Billy carry the pups home? In the gunny sack with holes for their heads. Pg. 42.
- Why did Billy fight the freckle face boy? He pulled his pups ear and it cried. Pg. 44.
- What did the Marshall give Billy? Strawberry pop. Pg. 47.
- Why’d Billy think the lion wouldn’t hurt them? His father said it was afraid of fire. Pg. 51.
Chapter 6
- How did Billy pick the pups’ names? They were carved in the tree. Pg.54.
- How did Billy’s father know where he was? His grandpa told him. Pg. 56.
- What did Mama fix for the pups? Warm milk. Pg. 57.
- What was the cave called where Billy spent the night? Robber’s Cave. Pg. 57.
- What was the black pipe at the school in town? A fire escape. Pg. 60.
Chapter 7
- What did Billy think of his Grandpa’s trapping idea? He thought he was kidding. Pg. 65.
- What did Grandpa’s pet coon catch his hand in? The butter churn. Pg. 66.
- What did Mama think when Billy yelled about the coon? A snake bit him. Pg. 71.
- Why can’t you sell coon skins in summer? They have yellow hair. Pg. 74.
- What did Billy think about the pups when they had talks? They understood him. Pg. 77.
Chapter 8
- Why was Mama worried about Billy hunting? He hadn’t been in the woods all night. Pg. 81.
- What was the first trick the coon pulled on the hounds? Swam through water. Pg. 84.
- Which tree did the coon run up? “The big tree”. Pg. 89.
- Why did Billy tell Papa it was important to chop the tree down? To keep his bargain. Pg.92.
Chapter 9
- How did Grandpa keep the coon up the tree all night? With a scarecrow. Pg. 99.
- What traits did Grandpa say make a man? Determination and will power. Pg.101.
- What did Mama learn about coon? That they were smart. Pg. 103.
- Where did the dogs spend the night? They slept by the tree together. Pg. 106.
- Why did Billy think the wind blew the tree down? He prayed to God. Pg.108.
- Did Papa have another explanation? It blew the tree only because it was the tallest. Pg. 112.
Chapter 10
- Why did Billy go to the store on Saturdays? It was “Coon Hunter” day. Pg. 115.
- Why did the hunters make fun of Billy’s hounds? They were small. Pg. 116.
- Who did Mama use to catch the chickens? Little Ann; Old Dan was too rough. Pg. 118.
- Why did Billy think Old Dan had drowned? He was in a muskrat den in the slough. Pg. 122.
- How did Old Dan get up in the tree? He went through the hollow trunk. Pg. 125.
Chapter 11
- Why was it dangerous after the snow storm? It was slick and no moon. Pg. 128.
- What happened when the dogs jumped the river? Old Dan was strong and made it; Little Ann slipped and fell in. Pg. 132.
- What did Billy do when he couldn’t save Little Ann? He prayed for a miracle. Pg. 134.
- What did Billy learn from the lantern clanging? Use the handle for a hook. Pg. 135.
- Why didn’t Billy tell Mama? Because she’d worry and stop him from hunting. Pg. 139.
Chapter 12
- Why did Grandpa accept the bet with Rubin? He called him crooked and spat. Pg. 144.
- What and how much was the bet for? To catch the ghost coon for $2. Pg. 145
- What happened when the coon went up a tree? It disappeared. Pg. 155.
Chapter 13
- How did Little Ann know the coon was in the gate post? A breeze carried the scent. Pg. 159.
- Where was the ghost coon? In the hallow gate post. Pg. 160.
- How did Billy feel about the ghost coon? He wouldn’t kill him. Pg. 161.
- Why couldn’t Old Blue beat Old Dan? Little Ann helped fight him. Pg. 165.
- How did Rainie react to his brother’s death? He couldn’t get over the shock. Pg. 171.
Chapter 14
- What kind of dogs could enter in the coon hunt? Registered. Pg. 179
- Was Billy happy with his life? Luckiest boy in the world. Pg. 184.
- What did his little sister want from the hunt? The gold cup. Pg. 186.
- What was the only thing wrong with Little Ann? Gun-shy, Pg. 189.
- What did Grandpa keep secret from Grandma? The corn liquor. Pg. 191.
Chapter 15
- Why wouldn’t Old Dan eat his food? He was waiting for Little Ann. Pg. 194.
- What did Billy think 2 screech owls meant? Bad luck. Pg. 196.
- What kind of dogs were at the hunt? Redbones, blue ticks, walkers, and blood hounds. Pg. 200.
- Why did Billy pick Little Ann for the beauty contest? Old Dan’s face was all scared. Pg. 201.
Chapter 16
- Where did the hounds run the coon? Back to the camp. Pg. 211.
- Why did Grandpa look funny drying by the fire? His long underwear was steaming. Pg. 212.
- Why was the judge worried with the coon in the river? He might drown the dogs. Pg. 221.
- What surprised the judge? The dogs cleaned each other’s cuts after the fight. Pg. 222.
Chapter 17
- Why did the judge want to quit? Because of the storm. Pg. 226.
- How did they get Little Ann to come to them? They fired the gun. Pg. 228.
- Who led them to Grandpa? Little Ann. Pg. 231.
- What happened when they cut down the tree? 3 coons came out. Pg. 234.
Chapter 18
- What did the hunter say happened to the hounds? Frozen solid. Pg. 240.
- Why did the dogs keep circling the tree? They’d freeze if they stopped. Pg. 242.
- What did Mr. Kyle call dog loyalty? The deepest kind of love. Pg. 243.
- What did Mama do that night? Took food to the dogs and prayed. Pg. 250.
Chapter 19
- How did Billy try to stop Old Dan’s bleeding? Mud caked onto the wounds. Pg. 260.
- How did Billy feel when his dogs died? He didn’t believe in prayer anymore Pg. 270.
- What was the miracle from the dogs? The money to move to the city. Pg. 272.
Chapter 20
- What did Billy see when he said good-bye to the dogs? The red fern Pg. 278.
- What did Papa think the red fern did? It was God’s way of helping Billy understand why his dogs died. Pg.279.