Old Yeller

Old Yeller #1

by Fred Gipson

At first, Travis couldn't stand the sight of Old Yeller

The stray dog was ugly, and a thieving rascal, too. But he sure was clever, and a smart dog could be a big help on the wild Texas frontier, especially with Papa away on a long cattle drive up to Abilene.

Strong and courageous, Old Yeller proved that he could protect Travis's family from any sort of danger. But can Travis do the same for Old Yeller?

Genres: Classics, Fiction, Young Adult, Childrens, Animals, Historical Fiction, Middle Grade

132 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1956

About the author

Also known as Frederick Benjamin Gipson. He is best known for writing the 1956 novel Old Yeller, which became a popular 1957 Walt Disney film.

Reviews

[Mischenko · Rating 5 out of 5]

Old Yeller is a coming of age story about a boy named Travis and his family living in Salt Lick, Texas in the 1860s. Travis is fourteen years old and yearns to be a man. His father is leaving for Abilene on a trip to drive cattle for money, and Travis will be left to man their home until his father returns.

“Now, Travis,” he said, “you’re getting to be a big boy; and while I’m gone, you’ll be the man of the family. I want you to act like one. You take care of Mama and Little Arliss. You look after the work and don’t wait around for your mama to point out what needs to be done.”

Even though Travis is now responsible for keeping his mother and younger brother Arliss safe, he’ll also have to keep up with chopping the wood and hunting for food. He feels pretty confident that he can take care of things while his father’s away and looks forward to getting his own horse when his father returns. Not long after, a stray yellow dog shows up and steals some of their meat. Travis is extremely furious about it and wants to hurt the dog, but little Arliss insists they keep him. Travis flat-out doesn’t want a dog again; he had a dog before that died and it was hard for him to get over. Little Arliss is persistent and wins him over. They name the dog Old Yeller.

“I guessed that when you are nearly a man, you have to learn to put up with a lot of aggravation from little old bitty kids.”

Over time, Old Yeller doesn’t just keep Arliss entertained; he earns his keep and saves their lives multiple times. He’s a wonderful cow dog and great with the hogs too. Travis gets to where he depends on Old Yeller to help him around the land and grows to love him. Travis learns quickly that life on the frontier is often unpredictable and perilous. There are also many daily chores to maintain: keeping animals out of the corn patch, branding hogs, fetching water, hunting, and milking the cow. There’s also a disease known as hydrophobia going around and killing animals which is a big risk for humans too.

I read this book when I was in elementary school and decided to read it with my children. I recall being emotional over the book when I was a child, but honestly this time around it wasn’t as sad. The ending is sort of revealed within the first pages which spares the reader in a way. I finally got teary in the end when Travis has a conversation with his dad about Old Yeller.

“That was as rough a thing as I ever heard tell of happening to a boy. And I’m mighty proud to learn how my boy stood up to it. You couldn’t ask any more of a grown man… It’s not a thing you can forget. I don’t guess it’s a thing you ought to forget. What I mean is, things like that happen. They may seem mighty cruel and unfair, but that’s how life is part of the time. But that isn’t the only way life is. A part of the time, it’s mighty good. And a man can’t afford to waste all the good part, worrying about the bad parts. That makes it all bad.”

I enjoy Fred Gipson’s writing as it’s very graphic with detailed descriptions and imagery. You really get a sense of what life was like for this family with all their hard work and difficulties. It’s almost like you’re transported back to this time period on the frontier. It’s a great book to educate children about what life was like back then.

We liked the characters in the book, especially Travis. With Travis as the narrator, you feel his emotions as he tells the story and you can see his character grow as he matures tremendously in the little time his father is gone. His mother is supportive and does a fine job caring for the family while their father is away. Little Arliss is a handful and he’s always getting into trouble. He bumps heads with Travis often, but Travis grows to understand him. Burn Sanderson is incredibly kind and respectful. I think the only character we found annoying was Bud Searcy and mainly because he was too chatty and lazy. He wasn’t willing to help, would quickly pass work onto someone else, and basically came around acting like he was there for support. What he really wants is just a free meal.

Our hardcover edition is a previous library copy in really good shape. I’m unsure what year this edition is based on the copyright page. It’s definitely not a very old edition because it does list Fred Gipson’s last book and his death in 1973 on the back cover. I believe the first edition publisher was Harper & Brothers. Regardless, this is a classic we’re happy to have. There are a few black and white illustrations throughout but not many.

We watched the Disney movie after reading the book and I was surprised with the differences which included a switch up with the ending. There definitely wasn’t as much death and there were some scenes removed altogether. We loved the movie and actually liked the ending in the movie a little better.
I was excited to see that there’s a second book titled Savage Sam. We’ll be reading that one next.

5*****

This book is featured on Shabby Sunday @ https://readrantrockandroll.com/2019/...

[Julie G · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can only conclude that there must be something terribly wrong with me, that I would embark on a third reading of Old Yeller.

It's madness. It's the only explanation.

I just felt as though my 10-year-old was ready. And she was. I guess I felt ready again, too.

So we took on this 117 page classic from 1956, together, even though it had broken my heart twice before.

I was wondering if this daughter would consider the language dated, but, no, she took it all in stride. She was surprisingly unfazed that Pa had once had to kill a Comanche, Ma had to skin a deer, and Travis had to shoot several small animals. It was life in the 1800s, in the wild frontier that was Texas, and times weren't what they are now.

And, yet, when we got to the first of the two pivotal parts of the heart-breaking plot, she jumped up and shouted, “WHY ARE YOU MAKING ME LISTEN TO THIS?”

I asked her, “Would you like me to stop?”

She sat back down and answered, “No.”

When we got to the second sad part of the story, I collapsed in deep sobs, but I still heard her little voice say, “Mom, it's like Charlotte's Web all over again. Do you want me to read?”

I pulled myself together and we finished the last part, the part that's so soul crushing, you almost can't get through it. But, like life, you prevail.

In the end, we were holding each other by the forearms, foreheads pressed together, shaking and sobbing. When we stopped crying, I asked her, “Do you wish I hadn't read it to you?

She paused, then answered, “Yes. No. I don't know.”

I worried I'd made a bad decision as a mother. Asked her, “How many stars would you give it?”

She looked up at me like I was an idiot and said, “Five stars. OBVIOUSLY.”

“Now the thing to do,” [Papa] went on, “is to try to forget it and go on being a man.”
“How?” I asked. “How can you forget a thing like that?”

He studied me for a moment, then shook his head. “I guess I don't quite mean that,” he said. “It's not a thing you can forget. What I mean is, things like that happen. They may seem mighty cruel and unfair, but that's how life is part of the time. But that isn't the only way life is. A part of the time, it's mighty good. And a man can't afford to waste all the good part, worrying about the bad parts. That makes it all bad. . . You understand?”

[Mike (the Paladin) · Rating 1 out of 5]

Let me say first that some love this book and to be fair I never read it except to get an idea of the story. You will find in my books low ratings for Black Beauty, The Yearling, Old Yeller and any books that have the "pain of life motif" in common. By the way this includes Cold Mountain. Look up my review and you'll see I try to give recognition that it's well written but just not a book I can like. And these ratings are how I feel and what I think of these books. Some will say how they love these books and how possibly there was just no other way to "realistically" end the story.

I grew up in the Smokies and without going over my childhood, I had 2 dogs killed...shot. I've lived through the loss of beloved animals, beloved people and beloved relationships...I don't need a novel that leads me through "what pain is". If a book is of the "life is tough and then you die school", it's going to get a "down check" from me. While fiction does instruct, there are some lessons I learned from life, I don't need to have them rehashed in leisure time activities.

This book/movie (I know but in this case I'll lump them together) scarred me and I suspect other young people. Ask anyone who has loved a dog (an animal) if the fact that you get a "new puppy" after you had to kill the dog makes up for it. Maybe this book is well written. I sometimes suspect that many if not most of the people who come to "love" books like this maybe haven't gone through that pain in life. If you have and you still love this work, well, good. I can not say that.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

This 1950s Pocket edition, purchased from a Sonoma used book store, presented today as a gift to my eight year old daughter (more on this later). After thanking me she asked me what it was about. I told her it's about a boy and his dog. She asked me if the dog dies. I told her he does, but that it is still a good book. She asked if I had read it. I told her I hadn't - only seen the movie. She asked me to read it for her first to make sure it wasn't too sad. She's on to me...

Our 14 year-old protagonist Travis comes of age when his father leaves him to be the man of the house while he does a cattle drive from Texas to Kansas. Gipson's frontiersy narrative and dialogue feels right, sounds right, for a book written for children in the 1950s about life in West Texas in the late 1860s. My memories of the movie are hazy, but it seems that the film action follows closely to the written word action, and while there is definitely sadness in the passing of Old Yeller, it doesn't feel like maudlin melancholy. As an eight year old it is the kind of book I would want to read about such weighty subjects as death, grieving, living. When I finished reading it, I handed the novel to my daughter and said, "It's not so sad. You'll like it." She's read the entire Laura Ingalls Wilder series. This book is a layup.

When traveling my daughter often sees me reading on a Kindle or an iPad. She knows I am reading a book - she also knows that I prefer to read a physical copy rather than an E but that our luggage can only accommodate so many books (here in Florida I've been walking around with Women and Men like a KJV Bible clutched heavily to my chest). She asks when she will be able to read a book on the iPad; I know that in her lifetime a library will be as much of an anachronism as if I had a shelf of VHS tapes - but I want to hold out for as long as I can and help her to experience the tactile enjoyment of the tree book over the ebook. This paperback copy of Old Yeller is 60 years old, in decent shape and is only just showing the ravages of time with yellowing paper and crackling spine glue. While reading the book I hand it to my daughter and ask her to flip the pages under her nose and breath in. She does so, smiles. "You'll never get that from an ebook", I tell her. I hope she remembers this.

[Diamond Cowboy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an awesome classic. I believe this one should be a must read for all.

[Lynne King · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Now Travis,’ he said, “you’re getting to be a big boy, and while I’m gone, you’ll be the man of the family. I want you to act like one. You take care of mama and Little Arliss. You look after the work and don’t wait around for your mama to point out what needs to be done. Think you can do that?”

“Yessir,” I said.

His father had to go away to get some “cash money” by selling his steer. But the boy wanted a horse. The upshot being that if he acted as a man when his father was away, he would be rewarded with his wish upon his father’s return.

And on that note his father left with the other steer herders and they went off to the cattle market in Kansas to return in the fall.

I acquired this book on another whim. I wanted something “light” to read and I read an excellent review by Jim on Goodreads, so decided this was the book for me and a quick, light read too. How surprised I was when I started reading it and found out what a gem, well in fact it’s more of a gem, it’s a diamond and I absolutely loved it!

Here we are in Texas in the late 1860s, to find the settlers who indeed had their work cut out for them in order to survive and bring up their families. I’m terrified of snakes here in France but to think of the wide selection of animals that could be found there on an everyday basis: bobcats, bears, wolves, panthers, rattlers, hogs, coons, etc. plus the odd raiding Indians. I’m not at all surprised that the settlers would naturally have dogs as guard dogs if nothing else. I believe that I would have either stayed indoors all the time, playing the helpless female or look for a good man who wanted to settle in safer climes. But still in the 1860s, I would imagine that a woman’s lot was a hard one and she had very little choice in life; certainly nothing like the 21st century career women with choices galore if they want to take advantage of it.

The more I read about fourteen year old Travis’ family, mama and papa, of course, and five year-old Arliss (known as Little Arliss and what a terror he was, constantly causing problems), the more I became engrossed in this exciting, poignant, adventurous and yet magical book. There was the constant thrill of their life be it with an element of death living around the corner, living in a log cabin that the parents had built in a place that they named Birdsong Creek

When Travis loses his beloved dog Bell in a rather nasty way, he swears he’ll never have another one, even though his father said that it essential for the safety of their daily lives. I know how he felt. When I lost my five year old black Labrador Jasper to a dreadful end, I also swore, no, I’ll never, ever have another dog. That emotional pain and the memories I would never consider again. I can equate this to childbirth. My mother told my father after the birth of my elder brother, no more children, one’s enough but still she went on to have three more children. So Travis although not wanting another dog, unsuspectingly does end up with one, and serendipitously too when one morning he finds Little Arliss playing with this ugly dog in their drinking water. Travis is furious and remembers his father telling him, when he loses Bell, to get another dog and Travis is adamant in that he won’t have it. Nevertheless, his mother is clever, for when his father is away at the cattle market, 600 miles away, with Travis ostensibly in charge (albeit under her watchful eye), she persuades him to let Little Arliss have the dog for company as he will be alone so much as she and Travis will be too busy to play with him. So Travis begrudgingly agrees and slowly begins to love Old Yeller and what a blessing this dog turned out to be. I actually had a lump in my throat from time to time as I continued reading this book.

“We called him Old Yeller. The name had a sort of double meaning. One part meant that his short hair was a dingy yellow, a color that we called “yeller” in those days. The other meant that when he opened his head (a strange turn of phase); the sound he let out came closer to being a yell than a bark.”

We live through the “trials and tribulations” of the family and Old Yeller surviving involvements with bears and hogs, and some of those sections were quite gruesome.

I was amused when I saw that the family ate squirrel because they used to do that here about fifty years ago. I live here in France in “rusticana”, about forty miles from a city and this is a land of hunters and fishermen, so I could truly relate to this book.

Also the medicinal aspects were interesting, for example, in that when the mother used poultices for wounds she prepared “mashed-up prickly-pear root to draw out the poison” and also horse’s hair for stitching up wounds as it was ostensibly the best.

Lisbeth, who came to help out the family latterly when Travis gets involved in an accident, is a strange girl but she turns out well in the end and as for Old Yeller, what a fabulous find he turned out to be; saving the family on various occasions from some possibly very unfortunate outcomes. I could just continue in this vein. The truly sad part is when hydrophobia (rabies I guess) strikes and does the family suffer in that regard.

I initially thought that Old Yeller was the catalyst in this book but it is indeed the horse as Travis, through sheer hard work, progresses through the early stages of manhood. The horse will be his ultimate reward when he has proved himself to be a man. The ultimate test for this incredible young man and was I impressed.

This is an excellent read for all ages. I have the Kindle version and I’m now going to order a hardback copy so that I can browse through it, as will be my want from time to time.

This is an absolutely super read and my only regret is that I would have loved to have read it as a child.

[Calista · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing! There is a reason this book is such a classic. I cried at the end. What a dog that Yeller. A frontier family survive with the help of this scoundrel dog. This book is so grounded and down to earth. They had a lot of ingenuity living on the land as they did. I appreciated how Fred handled the emotions of the characters. Everything and everyone felt so real. I felt like they were living and breathing. Travis's emotional arch is touching. This is a work of art, it really is. I'm so glad I gave this a go. You should too.

[Lesle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is probably the second or third or....read for me.

Papa leaves the family behind to drive cattle to Abliene and leaves Travis the oldest to look after his Mama, Arliss his annoying little brother and the homestead with daily chores of milking, firewood, hunting and tending to the crop of corn.
During the time his father is gone an ugly, dingy, thieving yeller dog shows up. He is a smart and loyal stray even though Travis finds him a pest. Old Yeller becomes an important part of the family and his understanding of the situations, teaming him up with Travis, to complete those chores that need taken care of, allows Old Yeller to form a special relationship with Travis.

Travis is patiently allowed to follow through with his intentions by his Mama, which enables Travis to see the end result of his own decisions and how to correct them when they just do not work right. Even though he is trying his best to prove himself.

A simple yet heart warming story that allows pure love and respect grow. A perfectly captured setting by Gipson of Texas in 1860s and what challenges daily farm life could be with an abundance of wolves, bobcats and wild pigs. Kids of today have no idea how hard life was than and rarely have to make the decision Travis did in the end. Newbery Honor in 1957.

Very moving story, that will be hard to forget, Travis and his dog.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

A boy, before he really grows up, is pretty much like a wild animal. He can get the wits scared clear out of him today and by tomorrow have forgotten all about it.

Of course, everyone my age knows this story. The Wonderful World of Disney, introduced by Mr. Disney himself, fed a whole generation with delights of this sort; just put on the TV at 7:00 on Sunday night and watch something wonderful, but don’t forget because there is no DVR, so if you miss it, you are waiting for summer reruns.

Because I knew the story and what to expect, I thought I might not have a really emotional reaction to the end, but alas the two boxes of tissues I bought came in handy. Some of the tears were for the story and the characters and Yeller, of course, but some of them were for that little girl who sat frozen to a flickering TV screen in the living room of a four room house, with her three sisters and her precious mother and father, making a memory that would last all her life.

[Jackson Burnett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review is for mothers and fathers of sons written by a man with no children. Forgive my presumptuousness, but please don't let my lack of experience stop you from reading.

Here's the story of Old Yeller: Daddy, Mama, young son, and early teenage son live as a family on the Texas frontier. To provide for the family, Daddy has to go on a cattle drive to Kansas. Before he leaves, Daddy takes the oldest son aside and tells him he is going to have to be the man of the house since Daddy will be gone the next few months.

When you get to this anachronistic charge, you may be tempted to throw the book down and dismiss the entire book as patriarchal and condescending. If you have sons, keep reading. You might even consider having your sons read this book. In truth, Old Yeller is the timeless story of the journey a boy goes through to become a man.

I get tired of encountering men who don't know what it means to be a man, who don't speak the truth, who don't keep their word, who show no respect, who look for the easy way out, who show no backbone, and have few principles. In short, men who refuse to accept responsibility. I suspect these men have been shielded from hard and unpleasant tasks, and by being so protected, they fail to learn to do the right thing, regardless of its difficulty.

I have seen Old Yeller on film two or three times and had read the book in years past multiple times. I thought I was ready. I really did.

Last Sunday, I put my faithful dog to sleep.

It was the right and merciful thing to do.

It still broke my heart.

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I mean is, things like that happen. They may seem mighty cruel and unfair, but that's how life is a part of the time. But that isn't the only way life is. A part of the time, it's mighty good. And a man can't afford to waste all the good parts worrying about the bad parts. That makes it all bad… you understand?

This book totally exceeded my expectations. My favourite thing about it was the narrative style - it really felt like I was sitting with the protagonist, Travis, while he was giving me a first hand account of what life was like with Old Yeller. I also laughed out loud at certain parts (mainly the ones having to do with Travis's five year old brother Arlis) and admittedly shed a tear at the end. It was really nice to see Travis progressively take such a liking to Old Yeller after initially being so averse to the whole idea of taking him in as their family's dog.

This is such a heartwarming story, and if you're into books about animals, you definitely need to read this. 

[STEPH · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always try to stay away from dog movies and books because I know how much they could hurt me, but maybe I’m punishing myself today for being late so I decided to meet Old Yeller. And now my heart is breaking. I just wanna curl up in bed and cry until I fall asleep. Dream of Old Yeller and tell him how wonderful he is and that I love him. And Spot too.

[Stacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book many years ago and loved it-- the reread did not disappoint.

[Book Concierge · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gipson’s simply told tale of a boy and his dog living in the Texas Hill Country of 1860 is a genuine classic of children’s literature. Travis Coates is only 14 years old, but while his father is off for months on a cattle drive, he is the “man of the house,” left on the homestead with his mother and younger brother, 5-year-old Arliss. A stray yellow mutt of a dog, with one ear virtually chewed off, and only a stump of a tail, shows up one day. He’s a no good, thieving rascal – taking their meat and stealing eggs when he can – but he proves himself to be a key defender of the family when he faces a bear that is targeting Arliss. Just as Old Yeller worms his way into the family’s hearts, this book will burrow into the reader’s heart.

I am not a “dog person,” but I really connected with this book. I think this in part due to the fact that I grew up in the Texas Hill Country, so the scenery was alive in my imagination. But more importantly, I connected to the way Gipson portrayed the characters’ emotions – fear, love, irritation, loyalty, happiness, sorrow.

This little book packs a big wallop.

[Stephen Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Classic dog book that every dog lover should read. I remember when I worked at a video store, and wore contacts, when they hurt my eyes, I would put on old yeller on the monitor and it would always make me cry and help lubricate my contacts.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm so glad I listened to this again. Fantastic narrator, perfect voice for the part.

I thought I remembered the book well, but I hadn't, not really. Too many years & too mixed up from seeing the movie, which changes some things. Super movie, but nothing beats the book.

Gipson perfectly captured a mature 14 year old, the kind of boy I'd expect given the times, post Civil War Texas, late 1860's. He wasn't always perfect, but that just made him more real. The feelings he had were very well done as were the descriptions of life at the time. What a hard life they had. Makes me glad to live now.

I won't even bother saying anything about that old yeller dog. Everyone knows. I will say the book handles the end better than the movie, IMO. Yes, it's sad, but so realistic & fantastic in its own way.

If you haven't read this in sometime, I can't recommend a reread highly enough. This audio book was from my local library, so easy to get, quick, & free. There's no excuse not to.

[Jason Koivu · Rating 4 out of 5]

I LOVED the movie. As a kid, it ripped my heart out every time I watched it. Eventually I knew I'd get around to reading the book, it just took a little longer than I expected. Forty years on since seeing the movie, the book admittedly didn't have the same impact. Probably because I knew what was coming. Maybe because the movie did such a great job with the source material in squeezing out every ounce of emotion. Definitely because now I'm a cynical old shit who hates the world and everything in it. Still, this is a solid coming-of-age novella worth the read.

[Karina · Rating 4 out of 5]

"It's not a thing you can forget. I don't guess it's a thing that you ought to forget. What I mean is, things like that happen. They may seem mighty cruel and unfair, but that's how life is a part of the time.
But that isn't the only way life is. A part of the time, it's mighty good. And a man can't afford to waste all the good part, worrying about the bad parts. That makes it all bad. . . You understand?" (PG. 156)

Newbery Honor Book- YA- 1956

A beautiful story about a boy and his dog set in the 1860's when America was a young, new nation (Well. . . For the whites). It's about a family and their struggles. Once Pa left Texas for Kansas to make some money fourteen-year-old Travis became the man of the house. We see his struggles and their way of life being constantly threatened. Then comes Old Yeller, the unwanted mangy dog that proved to be the hero in the many life-and-death situations. The bond between boy and dog is beautiful and unbreakable. To have a dog like this would be a blessing in any home especially in those days.

The writing is wonderful and sad and constantly making the reader think of what their decision would be in Travis's situation. I like these stories where the feelings are not dumbed down for the genre it is for. We try and protect kids from being overwhelmed and having stress but isn't that what life is about? Each generation has their own struggles and having feelings should be part of that struggle. Travis's family normalizes these feelings but teach him to move on and cope through hard work.

It's more than a boy and his trusty dog. Such a great classic. (And striking black-and-white drawings from Carl Burger.)

[Marquise · Rating 5 out of 5]

For a childrens' classic, this book is better suited for animal lovers with a good streak of masochism, because that ending was rather brutal on the feels.

[Tatevik · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was rough and cruel (not in a bad sense) and heart-breaking. I think I am not capable of writing a proper review for this. Not now, not ever. I can't believe this is for 9-12 ages.

Just one thing. I started this with an audiobook from HarperCollins. The narrator's voice sounded like a character from an old western film The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. In this way I could feel the old American spirit of the story, kind of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn mood. But then I dropped the audio and started to read when I reached the emotional parts, because, well, I couldn't bear the insensitive reading and needed to read it myself.

Oh, and I am not a big crier (even when Dobby died), but yeah, Julie, I cried during the whole last chapter...

[Margitte · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the blurb:
A timeless American classic and one of the most beloved children’s books ever written, Old Yeller is a Newbery Honor Book that explores the poignant and unforgettable bond between a boy and the stray dog who becomes his loyal friend.

What was a fourteen-year-old boy to do when a nasty stray thieving rascal of a dog pitched up at their Texan farm one day, grabbed their middling meat and eat it clean up while the man of the house was gone on a cattle run to Kansas. Travis was the man of the house now, as his father told him, and he had to take care of things, but nobody seemed to listen to him, especially when he wanted to shoot the dog. (Paraphrasing)Losing the the only meat left of last winter's hog butchering was bad enough. What made Travis even madder was the way the dog acted. He didn't even have the manners to feel ashamed of what he'd done. He rose to his feet, stretched and yawned, then came romping towards Travis, wiggling that stub tail and yelling Yow! Yow! Yow! Just like he belonged there and Travis was his best friend.

Thus was the introduction to this immensely popular children's classic ever written. Published in 1956, it won numerous awards.

The book was my first choice in preparing for a visit this summer holiday of two charming, delightful young ladies, ages nine and eleven. Quite the city, (read: electronic-infused gamers) with little knowledge of farm life, I was hesitant to introduce this book. Nevertheless, I thought they were staying two weeks on a remote farm, and life was a little more adventurous in their new surroundings and they could benefit from down-to-earth adventures with a dog called Old Yeller.

I tried my best to get the Texan sing-song into my voice and make it a more authentic Texan experience for the delightful princesses, since they insisted that I should be the narrator but my effort only resulted in us giggling and laughing our way through the first two chapters. The narrator was clearly not Texan!

To my delight, I discovered an audio version on Youtube. After that, Old Yeller in the proper rhythmic cadence of a Texan drawl, went swimming, hiking, and yes, even scuba diving, and whatnot, with our family. The two city girls were so hooked to the story, that the Youtube narrator dared not take a break. We were all madly in love with Old Yeller. When ear infections kicked in as a result of too many hours of swimming, the beloved dog stepped in and kept the two youngsters company for a couple of days indoors. They received other books for Christmas as well, but nothing could keep them as hooked and enchanted as Old Yeller.

The ending, well, yes, the ending: hubby had to step in and hug all four of us. Grown-up auntie have joined us in the meantime, and hubby throughout listened with one ear (he pretended to be hanging around on the sideline by chance, although he miraculously appeared whenever we switched on the Youtube audio), making him the firth partner. Oh, he tried not to look too interested, but his empathy with the heart-broken heap of girls on the bed, was quite memorable.

I cannot remember how I found the book, but am so glad that I did. Our next read will be Where The Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls. I think there will be enough room to fit in the old movie Lassy Comes Home too.

Absolutely RECOMMENDED.

Happy New Year!

[Megan Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book that ever made me cry. I would read it during my study period in the 4th grade each day for almost 2 weeks (it was my class copy-- so I had to keep putting it back and hoping no one else would take it). I held my tears back until the lunch bell rang and then ran for the bathroom to cry. It may have been the first time I realized how incredible it was to read.

[Dennis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this when I was really just a child and you could buy books through student book clubs in class. I loved it; even if I can't remember the details, I know I was a sucker for animal companion books at the time and dreamed of having my own dog! (Not something that was even remotely possible in our cramped apartment, unfortunately.)

But it's also an important book because when I read it (maybe as a 10-year-old), I was accustomed to all books having a happy ending and all problems having a satisfactory resolution. This book shocked and disturbed me. But how...? There must be another way, some form... No. Welcome to real life. I was angry as hell that life could do something like that, but it can and it does at times but you have to get on with it - but not necessarily forget about what you loved and lost, just accept that life isn't always "fair." An important lesson when we're young. This book should be mandatory reading for young people (and hopefully without any "politically correct" sanitizing because it's also a history lesson.)

[kenneth · Rating 1 out of 5]

The fact that this book is assigned in many elementary schools supports my belief that the government wants to discourage pleasure reading from the earliest possible age.

[George K. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Πρόκειται για ένα κλασικό young adult αμερικάνικο μυθιστόρημα, στο οποίο γινόμαστε μάρτυρες της φιλίας που μπορεί να δημιουργηθεί ανάμεσα σε έναν σκύλο και έναν έφηβο. Η όλη ιστορία διαδραματίζεται στο Τέξας, στα τέλη της δεκαετίας του 1860, όπου ο δεκατετράχρονος Τράβις γίνεται ο άντρας του σπιτιού, από τη στιγμή που ο πατέρας του φεύγει για να οδηγήσει ένα κοπάδι σε άλλη πολιτεία. Μια μέρα, θα κάνει την εμφάνισή στο αγρόκτημα του Τράβις, ένα αδέσποτο σκυλί, ο Κιτρινιάρης, με την πρώτη γνωριμία να μην είναι και η καλύτερη δυνατή ανάμεσα στον σκύλο και τον πιτσιρικά. Όμως, με το πέρασμα των ημερών, οι δυο θα γίνουν αχώριστοι και θα δείξουν ο ένας στον άλλο τι σημαίνει η αληθινή φιλία. Πολύ ωραίο μυθιστόρημα, ευχάριστο και ευκολοδιάβαστο, το οποίο ταξιδεύει τον αναγνώστη σε μια άλλη εποχή και του παρουσιάζει έναν εντελώς διαφορετικό τρόπο ζωής. Υπάρχουν διάφορες ενδιαφέρουσες σκηνές και πολλές ωραίες περιγραφές της καθημερινότητας των ανθρώπων της υπαίθρου εκείνων των χρόνων, ενώ δεν λείπει και η συγκίνηση σε ορισμένα σημεία. Η μετάφραση δείχνει τα χρόνια της, αλλά μου φάνηκε αρκούντως γλαφυρή και ικανοποιητική, το μόνο σίγουρο είναι ότι απόλαυσα την κάθε σελίδα του ωραίου αυτού μυθιστορήματος. Λίαν συντόμως θα δω και την ομότιτλη ταινία του 1957...

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this tear-jerker. Every once in a while I re-read this classic. Its a great way to keep things in perspective.

[Kelly_Hunsaker_reads ... · Rating 5 out of 5]

One more children's classic that I wish so much I had read as a child. I watched the movie many, many times as it was often played in the after-school special time slot. If you have seen the movie or read the book you will know that I sobbed each time -- and again when I finished the last words of the book.

Old Yeller is the story of a 14 year old boy left to take care of his family when his father must leave for a long period of time for some work. Told by his father “you are the man of the family now," Travis takes the comments seriously taking on a huge volume of physical work, hunt for food, help care for his little brother and more. Luckily for him he also comes to love an old, beat-up mutt he calls Old Yeller. And that dog proves himself worthy of the love.

But life can be cruel and unfair and for this boy it is extremely hard. Old Yeller gets rabies and Travis must shoot the dog to protect his family. (No spoiler as it is revealed on the first page.) The book is sweet, vivid, emotional and humbling. It is beautiful and heart-warming, as well as difficult and wrenching.

[Michael Beck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this as a young boy and loved it.

Read it again as a parent in 2010 to my children and they enjoyed it.

Listened to audiobook with younger boys in 2023. Reminded me of how this is in the top 3 must read boys books. And since it takes place in the hill country of TX, where I’ve spent most of my life, the story is made even more real.

[Jey · Rating 5 out of 5]

As the inagural book for the Georgics class that I'm taking from LEMI this semester, Old Yeller was perfect. This book covered so many of the topics and themes of Georgics, I was surprised.

This book talked a lot about the cycle of birth/death. This cycle is almost foreign to us anymore, and I believe that that isn't a good thing. Because death is such a mysterious thing, it tends to be shocking for us, and I'm quite certain that God never intended it to be so. One of my favorite quotes from the book is when Travis is talking with his dad about his feelings after Yeller's death. His dad says, "Now the thing to do,"he went on, "is to try to forget it and go on being a man."
"How?" I asked. "How can you forget a thing like that?"
He studied me for a moment, then shook his head. "I guess I don't quite mean that," he said. "It's not a thing you can forget. I don't guess it's a thing that you ought to forget. What I mean is, things like that happen. They may seem might cruel and unfair, but that's how life is a part of the time. But that isn't the only way life is. A part of the time, it's mighty good. And a man can't afford to waste all the good part, worrying about the bad parts. That makes it all bad."

Another point made in the book that I really liked was about man's dependence on the land. This is something I think we have totally lost in our society, for sure to our detriment. Two quotes I liked about this were when the father was leaving. He said to his son, "Now, there're the cows to milk and wood to cut and young pigs to mark and fresh meat to shoot. But mainly there's the corn patch. If you don't work it right or if you let the varmints eat up the roasting ears, we'll be without bread corn for the winter." After the father left, Travis says, "Now it was home, too. And while Papa was gone it was up to me to look after it." How many of us understand how important that really is?

[Bob · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am amazed at number of books I haven't read that I should have read when I was young. This is certainly one of them, I am in my sixties and I’ve just now read this wonderful story.

This is a story about a boy growing up, and becoming a man at the early age of fourteen.

When Travis’s father must leave the family on important business, Travis must step up and take care of his family. His father tells him that he must be responsible for the family’s wellbeing. This “you are the man of the family now” speech is not just a platitude so that Travis will be well behaved for his mother. Much of his family’s short and long term survival now does indeed rest on his shoulders.

The work is long in hours and physically demanding and Travis is proves up to the tasks. In addition to the hard work Travis is learning the maturity required of a man. He learns to be more patient with his young brother, even when he feels that switching him is a better choice than coaxing him to behave. As Travis grows stronger physically and mentally he is faced with the most difficult decision a person can face. He must make the life and death decision about something loved.

Travis is forced to kill his beloved dog Old Yeller, that’s not a spoiler it’s stated on page one. Again, Travis understands his responsibility, and knows the danger Old Yeller has now become to his mother and brother. He does what is necessary, I know from my own similar experience at the age of sixteen how difficult and emotional a decision it was. Life can at times be cruel and hard.

I wonder given the nature of this story and my perception of today’s world, will young parents feel this book is inappropriate for young children. Do young people today feel that the life lessons told in this book are too cruel and harsh for today’s youth? I hope not.

This is an excellent story. I wish I had read it when I was a boy and this had been a reread.