Where the Red Fern Grows

by Wilson Rawls

A Boy's Best Friend
Wilson Rawls' mom read The Call of the Wild to her children when they were little. Wilson totally loved it and wanted to be like Jack London when he grew up, which he did, in a way, when he became a well-known writer of a beloved dog story, too. (Source.) In one aspect, though, The Call of the Wild is a reverse from Rawls' book; instead of the dog dying it's the human who dies. Like Rawls' story, there's a coming-of-age tale of sorts, though it's the dog who is the main character and trying to figure out who he is.

All On His Own
In some ways Hatchet is completely different from Red Fern: There's only one character for the majority of the story and there are no dogs, money to be earned, or races to be won. In other ways, though, it's a great companion piece. Both include male protagonists who know the land and must rely on it for sustenance. They both demonstrate persistence, determination, and grit. The author, Gary Paulson, grew up with dogs just like Wilson Rawls, though he raced them in the Iditarod race.