Where the Red Fern Grows is a heartfelt story about Billy Coleman and his two redbone coonhounds during the Great Depression. Ten-year-old Billy was obsessed with the idea of owning these specific hounds to hunt the Illinois River bottoms for raccoons near his home in northeastern Oklahoma. Only redbone coonhounds would suffice; no other dogs would do. Since his parents couldn't afford to buy the dogs, Billy prayed, believing that God would provide him with the determination, courage, and heart needed. He discovered an advertisement for the exact dogs he wanted in a sporting magazine left behind at a campsite by some fishermen. He found a K.C. Baking Powder can in the trash, cleaned it up, and used it as a bank for his savings. Billy then set out to earn the required fifty dollars, collecting nickels and dimes. He caught crawdads and minnows, dug worms, and gathered vegetables, which he sold to vacationing fishermen in the Ozarks. During berry season, he picked berries and sold them to his grandfather’s general store for ten cents a bucket. In winter, he trapped small animals and sold their skins.

Billy's mother was worried about her children growing up without formal schooling, relying solely on what she taught them at home. She feared they would feel out of place in town and yearned to move so her children could benefit from an education.

After two years of hard work, Billy finally saved enough money to order the pups. He took his K.C. Baking Powder can filled with money and the magazine ad to his grandfather's store and asked for help in ordering the dogs. Grandfather was amazed by Billy's dedication and agreed to place the order. After what felt like an eternity, the pups arrived at a freight station thirty miles away. Billy walked the entire distance to bring his new pups home.

A long period of training followed. Using a raccoon skin, Billy spent countless hours teaching his pups, Old Dan and Little Ann, every trick a raccoon might use to outsmart a dog. His dedication and training paid off as he spent night after night hunting in the hills and river bottoms near his home, experiencing pure joy. The barn wall soon filled with pelts. When he took the pelts to his grandfather's store, he and his grandfather entertained the gathered coon hunters with stories of the incredible feats his dogs could perform.

Life is never without its challenges, and Billy's life was no exception. The Pritchard family had two sons: Rubin, who was older than Billy, and Rainie, who was the same age as Billy. Both boys were known for their mean streak and tendency to provoke fights. They goaded Billy into a coon hunting challenge. Unable to ignore their taunts, Grandpa offered the two dollars required for the bet and warned them of consequences if they harmed Billy. After Old Dan and Little Ann managed to tree the elusive "Ghost Coon," things took a dark turn. Rubin and Rainie attacked Billy when he refused to kill the coon. Tragically, Rubin fell on the ax that Billy carried for hunting and died. Billy was consumed by guilt and haunted by the memory for a long time.

Not long after this tragic event, Billy's grandfather entered him and his dogs into a prestigious coon hunting competition held nearby. By this time, Billy was fourteen years old. His grandfather covered the entry fee, provided food, camping gear, and transportation, and took Billy and his father to the contest.

Twenty-five pairs of the finest coonhounds from across the country gathered to see which...