Old Yeller
Written by Fred Gipson
Reviewed by Q.J. (age 9)
Have you ever heard of a dog that can win in a fight against a bear? Old Yeller is smart, brave, strong and courageous. He protects a family when their dad was gone. He protects the family from bears, raccoons, bulls, snakes, hogs, a wild cow and a wolf. In the middle of the book Travis was looking for wild hogs for food with Old Yeller when he gets cut in the leg and Old Yeller gets cut in the stomach. Travis gets home when it’s dark and the mom and little brother Arliss see Old Yeller was fighting a wolf with rabies and Old Yeller was bitten. Travis killed the wolf and Travis called Old Yeller out of the house, got his gun, put it up against Old Yeller’s head, pulled the trigger and… You’ll just have to read the book to find out what happened.
I like this book because of what Old Yeller did to protect a family when their dad was away. This reminds me of when my dog protects me from foxes, coyotes and wolves because I live near a big woods. The book made me really scared sometimes, happy other times and sad most of the time. My favorite part of the book was when she bear was charging out of the woods because little Arliss was holding its cub’s leg and Old Yeller came flying out of the bush and knocked down she bear.
I recommend this book to people who like dogs. Even if you cry about death you should read Old Yeller.