Where the Red Fern Grows

I once knew a teacher who had a great answer for a student who asked her why on Earth she would read a book more than once. To this she answered, "Have you ever had pizza more than once?" The student told her he had, to which she replied, "But why would you eat pizza if you had already tasted it?" He had no answer.

I first read Where the Red Fern Grows in grade 5. I stayed up late, hidden under the covers with a flashlight and cried real tears as the touching events unfolded. (This does blur your vision and makes reading difficult, but it's a worthwhile cry.) It was the first time a book had had such an effect on me. I started to crave that kind of connection with my reading and my book choices became more and more discriminating. Over the years, I have found others, but it takes a great book to bring this kind of attachment to my reading out of hiding.

Every year, I share this novel with my students. I don't expect them all to react in the same way, but I do want them to learn to appreciate literature and to realize that books and writing can have that kind of an effect on you as a reader. It is the best I can do to convince them that reading is worth the investment of their time.

Click on the link below to read my responses as the book unfolds and feel free to leave some comments so that we can start a dialogue about our shared reading. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Values From a Book?