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Old Yeller #2
Savage Sam
"What Mr. Gipson has written is the story of a grim situation, a desperate chase, filled with brutality and heroism, yet he has written it with a sense of young wonder and even, at time, with humor." – New York Times Book Review The thrilling story of the son of Old Yeller In this sequel to Old Yeller , Travis and his younger brother Arliss are kidnapped by a band of Apaches, and Savage Sam, the son of the beloved yellow dog, Old Yeller, leads a frantic chase to bring them back.
151 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1962
33 people are currently reading
1267 people want to read
About the author
Fred Gipson
33 books600 followersAlso known as Frederick Benjamin Gipson. He is best known for writing the 1956 novel Old Yeller, which became a popular 1957 Walt Disney film.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
February 16, 2019
After reading Old Yeller a few weeks ago, my children were eager to get right into the sequel Savage Sam. It became apparent to us right away that this book was going to be very different from Old Yeller.
Savage Sam opens at the Coates' homestead with Bud Searcy bounding in on his horse to warn the family of incoming Native Americans. The family are hesitant to believe him (as we learned in Old Yeller, Searcy tells many stories and is quite a windbag), but just to be safe, Travis heads off on his horse along with Lisbeth to find Sam (Yeller's son) and his little brother Arliss. They ride out and find Arliss and Sam hunting a bobcat. Little Arliss-- even though a year older--is still as ornery as ever and won't listen to Travis's commands. All Arliss can think to do is catch the bobcat. During this scuffle, a group of Native Americans ride in unexpectedly and capture them all. Both boys are hurt and Sam seems to have been brutally injured before running off. As the Native Americans hastily whisk them away on horseback, the future looks bleak and Travis wonders if he'll ever see home again. Where are the Native Americans taking them? Will they ever be rescued? Is Sam going to survive?
My children are right at this period (1870's) in their history studies which was perfectly timed with reading Old Yeller and Savage Sam. While their history textbook seems to hide much of the turbulence of this time, Fred Gibson doesn't spare on the details, in fact, I do believe he does a very nice job writing this time in history throughout this fictional narrative. It's full of adventure, but it's also distressing and a poignant reminder of the difficulties during this tumultuous time between the Native Americans and settlers. Some readers today might have some contensious debates over the use of terms, particularly the names used with describing the Native Americans. Most of the references seem racist, but I believe they're historically accurate with this time period.
We didn't enjoy this book as much as Old Yeller. It's a completely different type of a story and very graphic with animal killing, scalping, and general violence throughout. Of course, I do understand that this was prevalent at the time; people had to survive, I just didn't expect it to take up the majority of the book due to the fact that this is a children's book. I thought the plot was interesting but drawn out. My main issue was that nearly half the book was spent on the children being mistreated and beaten by the Native Americans. In addition, there's Lisbeth who's fourteen and really close to getting molested by her captor. Sam has a huge part to play but really remains in the background for much of the book.
I'm not going to say that reading this book was a waste of time, because it surely wasn't. I personally loved the detailed writing just like with Old Yeller. We also appreciated the appearance of many of the original characters from the previous book. Bud Searcy's character is somewhat redeemed in this installment, which was nice. It just wasn't as enjoyable of a read, but we did still enjoy parts of the story. The book also lacks the artistic element that Old Yeller possessed because there aren't many illustrations, so we did miss that.
Overall, it was the descriptive writing of the country landscape, wildlife details, and of course our curiosity to discover what would happen to Sam and the family that kept us reading to the finish. We'll be reading the third and final book Little Arliss next.
Hardcover
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers; First Edition edition (January 1, 1962)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0060115602
ISBN-13: 978-0060115609
3.5 stars
Savage Sam opens at the Coates' homestead with Bud Searcy bounding in on his horse to warn the family of incoming Native Americans. The family are hesitant to believe him (as we learned in Old Yeller, Searcy tells many stories and is quite a windbag), but just to be safe, Travis heads off on his horse along with Lisbeth to find Sam (Yeller's son) and his little brother Arliss. They ride out and find Arliss and Sam hunting a bobcat. Little Arliss-- even though a year older--is still as ornery as ever and won't listen to Travis's commands. All Arliss can think to do is catch the bobcat. During this scuffle, a group of Native Americans ride in unexpectedly and capture them all. Both boys are hurt and Sam seems to have been brutally injured before running off. As the Native Americans hastily whisk them away on horseback, the future looks bleak and Travis wonders if he'll ever see home again. Where are the Native Americans taking them? Will they ever be rescued? Is Sam going to survive?
My children are right at this period (1870's) in their history studies which was perfectly timed with reading Old Yeller and Savage Sam. While their history textbook seems to hide much of the turbulence of this time, Fred Gibson doesn't spare on the details, in fact, I do believe he does a very nice job writing this time in history throughout this fictional narrative. It's full of adventure, but it's also distressing and a poignant reminder of the difficulties during this tumultuous time between the Native Americans and settlers. Some readers today might have some contensious debates over the use of terms, particularly the names used with describing the Native Americans. Most of the references seem racist, but I believe they're historically accurate with this time period.
We didn't enjoy this book as much as Old Yeller. It's a completely different type of a story and very graphic with animal killing, scalping, and general violence throughout. Of course, I do understand that this was prevalent at the time; people had to survive, I just didn't expect it to take up the majority of the book due to the fact that this is a children's book. I thought the plot was interesting but drawn out. My main issue was that nearly half the book was spent on the children being mistreated and beaten by the Native Americans. In addition, there's Lisbeth who's fourteen and really close to getting molested by her captor. Sam has a huge part to play but really remains in the background for much of the book.
I'm not going to say that reading this book was a waste of time, because it surely wasn't. I personally loved the detailed writing just like with Old Yeller. We also appreciated the appearance of many of the original characters from the previous book. Bud Searcy's character is somewhat redeemed in this installment, which was nice. It just wasn't as enjoyable of a read, but we did still enjoy parts of the story. The book also lacks the artistic element that Old Yeller possessed because there aren't many illustrations, so we did miss that.
Overall, it was the descriptive writing of the country landscape, wildlife details, and of course our curiosity to discover what would happen to Sam and the family that kept us reading to the finish. We'll be reading the third and final book Little Arliss next.
Hardcover
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers; First Edition edition (January 1, 1962)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0060115602
ISBN-13: 978-0060115609
3.5 stars
January 15, 2015
Not long ago, we watched the 1963 Walt Disney film Savage Sam. The book Savage Sam is a sequel to Old Yeller, a 1957 Newbery Honor book by which Frederick Benjamin "Fred" Gipson (1908-1973) secured his place as one of the finest novelists in America. Having previously read (and watched) Old Yeller, I just had to read Savage Sam too. It is the early 1870s, and Savage Sam, the son of Old Yeller, lives with the Jim Coates family in the rough Texas hill country. Travis is fifteen going on sixteen and Little Arliss is six. While Arliss and Sam are out roaming, neighbor Bud Searcy and his granddaughter Lisbeth ride up to warn the Coates family about an Indian raid nearby. Not sure that they really believe the story because no one saw any Indians, Travis and Lisbeth head out to round up Arliss and Sam anyway, but all three are captured by the Indians, who knock Sam out cold.
Mr. Coates and a group of neighbors set out to rescue them. Is Sam dead or alive? And what will happen to Travis, Lisbeth, and Arliss? Anyone, young or old, who enjoys a good, rousing, exciting adventure story should like this book. Aside from a few colloquial euphemisms (dang, gosh, confound it), there is no cursing or profanity, although Travis did note that on one occasion Arliss “cut loose with a stream of words so foul you wouldn’t believe a boy his age could know them,” but no actual “bad words” are found. A few references to chewing tobacco and smoking cigarettes do occur. The biggest question that some parents might have is age appropriateness. Most sources call it a “children’s novel” and give the age level as nine and up. However, one reader reviewer emphatically stated, “It is NOT a children's book!” Children on the lower end of the suggested reading level who are somewhat sensitive or squeamish might not appreciate parts of it.
The scenes where the Indians kill cowboys and soldiers are somewhat graphic, though not gratuitously so, and on one occasion Travis finds himself having to eat raw terrapin meat which was rather rank and tough. The Disney film pretty much followed the plot, though there were a few major alterations, but it sanitized it quite a bit. The biggest complaint I saw voiced was the “violence,” but most teenagers should have no problem with it. The other main complaint I found was “political incorrectness” in not showing enough sympathy for the Native Americans. However, it is fairly accurate historically and, in fact, is based on a true story that Gipson had heard about. There is another sequel novella, Little Arliss, published posthumously in 1978, in which Arliss, now twelve years old, determines to prove he is tough and sets out on the trail of a runaway horse. I will have to say that I really found Savage Sam a fascinating story.
Mr. Coates and a group of neighbors set out to rescue them. Is Sam dead or alive? And what will happen to Travis, Lisbeth, and Arliss? Anyone, young or old, who enjoys a good, rousing, exciting adventure story should like this book. Aside from a few colloquial euphemisms (dang, gosh, confound it), there is no cursing or profanity, although Travis did note that on one occasion Arliss “cut loose with a stream of words so foul you wouldn’t believe a boy his age could know them,” but no actual “bad words” are found. A few references to chewing tobacco and smoking cigarettes do occur. The biggest question that some parents might have is age appropriateness. Most sources call it a “children’s novel” and give the age level as nine and up. However, one reader reviewer emphatically stated, “It is NOT a children's book!” Children on the lower end of the suggested reading level who are somewhat sensitive or squeamish might not appreciate parts of it.
The scenes where the Indians kill cowboys and soldiers are somewhat graphic, though not gratuitously so, and on one occasion Travis finds himself having to eat raw terrapin meat which was rather rank and tough. The Disney film pretty much followed the plot, though there were a few major alterations, but it sanitized it quite a bit. The biggest complaint I saw voiced was the “violence,” but most teenagers should have no problem with it. The other main complaint I found was “political incorrectness” in not showing enough sympathy for the Native Americans. However, it is fairly accurate historically and, in fact, is based on a true story that Gipson had heard about. There is another sequel novella, Little Arliss, published posthumously in 1978, in which Arliss, now twelve years old, determines to prove he is tough and sets out on the trail of a runaway horse. I will have to say that I really found Savage Sam a fascinating story.
September 12, 2023
5 stars. Talk about starting with a bang! My word! By chapter two you are ridden straight into a band of Apache—or rather, the Apaches ride straight into you. The excitement in this book is pretty high, even if I already “knew” how the story would be by the Disney version.
It was hard to read sometimes. Gibson doesn’t whitewash the hardships of being an Indian captive, nor the habits of the Apaches. Travis is tortured and spends 9/10s of the book in pain, though not all from the torture—also from sunburn, etc. There’s a handful of mentions that the Apaches strip Travis & his little brother. There are a few somewhat disgusting remarks about the Apaches’ eating habits. And there is the fact that Arliss bites off an Apache’s ear and then accidentally swallows it. Personally, these things didn’t bother me too much: I’ve read a lot of books about Native Americans + their captives. Still, I wouldn’t mind whiting out a few of these things or skipping over them!
Mostly I was impressed and awed by the dedication, strength, and courage of Travis & the men who were chasing the Apaches. And then the Comanche. I loved the Comanche. He was realistic, but he was good, and I do so hope he got away. As Travis said, he was all man. Goche Ear was both hilarious and annoying—and speaking of him, I really appreciated all the dry sarcastic humour that filled these pages! It kept things from getting to be too much.
Overall, I deeply appreciated and enjoyed this book. It made me think; and it made me feel. Recommended ages: 14+ unless edited.
A Favourite Quote: How that tall [Comanche] could hold to my foot and keep pace with the rawboned bay I rode, I’ll never know. But he did it, crashing though or ducking under the taller brush, leaping lightly over the clumps of prickly pear and tasajillo, never once faltering, never once dragging at my foot, never once really breaking his stride, which was as long-reaching and smooth-flowing as that of a running cat.
I could ride there beside him and hate him. I could tell myself that I hoped he bled to death before sundown. But watching him run like he did, I couldn’t help marvelling. He might be a cruel, merciless savage, but he was all man.
A Favourite Beautiful Quote: We topped out a high, rocky, cedar-covered ridge and went plunging down a long slant toward the Llano River. In the fading light the water looked like gold running between red rock banks. When we got closer, the gold greyed to silver.
A Favourite Humorous Quote: I grabbed and held Arliss' rock hand and yelled at him to behave himself, while he screamed at me to turn him loose. And we were still down on our hands and knees scrambling around, when Sam and the big bobcat came waltzing out into the open, all wrapped up in each other's arms.
...I was yelling and Arliss was yelling and Lisbeth was screaming and [the horses] were shying around, whistling and snorting and popping the rocks with their ironshod hoofs, so that altogether it was a right noisy and exciting fight.
It was hard to read sometimes. Gibson doesn’t whitewash the hardships of being an Indian captive, nor the habits of the Apaches. Travis is tortured and spends 9/10s of the book in pain, though not all from the torture—also from sunburn, etc. There’s a handful of mentions that the Apaches strip Travis & his little brother. There are a few somewhat disgusting remarks about the Apaches’ eating habits. And there is the fact that Arliss bites off an Apache’s ear and then accidentally swallows it. Personally, these things didn’t bother me too much: I’ve read a lot of books about Native Americans + their captives. Still, I wouldn’t mind whiting out a few of these things or skipping over them!
Mostly I was impressed and awed by the dedication, strength, and courage of Travis & the men who were chasing the Apaches. And then the Comanche. I loved the Comanche. He was realistic, but he was good, and I do so hope he got away. As Travis said, he was all man. Goche Ear was both hilarious and annoying—and speaking of him, I really appreciated all the dry sarcastic humour that filled these pages! It kept things from getting to be too much.
Overall, I deeply appreciated and enjoyed this book. It made me think; and it made me feel. Recommended ages: 14+ unless edited.
A Favourite Quote: How that tall [Comanche] could hold to my foot and keep pace with the rawboned bay I rode, I’ll never know. But he did it, crashing though or ducking under the taller brush, leaping lightly over the clumps of prickly pear and tasajillo, never once faltering, never once dragging at my foot, never once really breaking his stride, which was as long-reaching and smooth-flowing as that of a running cat.
I could ride there beside him and hate him. I could tell myself that I hoped he bled to death before sundown. But watching him run like he did, I couldn’t help marvelling. He might be a cruel, merciless savage, but he was all man.
A Favourite Beautiful Quote: We topped out a high, rocky, cedar-covered ridge and went plunging down a long slant toward the Llano River. In the fading light the water looked like gold running between red rock banks. When we got closer, the gold greyed to silver.
A Favourite Humorous Quote: I grabbed and held Arliss' rock hand and yelled at him to behave himself, while he screamed at me to turn him loose. And we were still down on our hands and knees scrambling around, when Sam and the big bobcat came waltzing out into the open, all wrapped up in each other's arms.
...I was yelling and Arliss was yelling and Lisbeth was screaming and [the horses] were shying around, whistling and snorting and popping the rocks with their ironshod hoofs, so that altogether it was a right noisy and exciting fight.
January 14, 2020
Title : Savage Sam
Series: Old Yeller #2
by Fred Gipson
pages 151
Genre: children
book synopsis:
The son of Old Yeller helps his owners escape from the Apaches in the East Texas territory of the 1870s.
My Thoughts
Rating: 5
This was a re read it and I'm so glad I have it again to re read over and over again, its one of my all time favorite books as well as movie , from beginning to the very last page it will have you laughing your head off, it's about a boy and his dog , all the shenanigans they get in to , and the love a dog has for his boy , and that dog will take on any thing for his beloved boy, because in Savage Sam's case you never hurt his boy , ever, . Its about family and friends as well . Its the perfect read for anyone no matter the age .
Series: Old Yeller #2
by Fred Gipson
pages 151
Genre: children
book synopsis:
The son of Old Yeller helps his owners escape from the Apaches in the East Texas territory of the 1870s.
My Thoughts
Rating: 5
This was a re read it and I'm so glad I have it again to re read over and over again, its one of my all time favorite books as well as movie , from beginning to the very last page it will have you laughing your head off, it's about a boy and his dog , all the shenanigans they get in to , and the love a dog has for his boy , and that dog will take on any thing for his beloved boy, because in Savage Sam's case you never hurt his boy , ever, . Its about family and friends as well . Its the perfect read for anyone no matter the age .
April 13, 2011
Read this book today to satisfy a parent complaint of content with "crimes against women" - nope! Scalpings? Indian killings? Snakes eating baby rabbits? Hailstorms? Life in the rugged wild West? oh yes, but nope, no crimes against women, unless you count kidnapping (3 children were taken from their home in Texas and subjected to a wild ride across the plains, with dad and other Indian hunters close behind) - Savage Sam is the family's dog who manages, against all odds, to track the children down. Compelling book, but I'm not sure an elementary student is mature enough or has a stomach for all the violence!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 27, 2021
I reread Old Yeller not long ago, then came across this in my collection, not realizing it was a sequel (I am not sure even how long I have had it-- goodness!), so I had to read it! I was not disappointed. I have always liked how Fred Gipson wrote and this was no exception.
The Old Yeller story continues with Savage Sam, his son and the family he belongs to. Savage Sam is in a fight with a bobcat, Little Arliss in tow, when the family gets word that some Indians are on the stealing horses and the Pa sends Travis (the oldest son, about 12 yrs. old) to fetch Arliss. The neighbor's granddaughter Lisbeth goes along with, and all 3 (Travis, Lisbeth and Arliss) end up kidnapped by the Indians. On the Indians back, the 3 children suffer some and the reader is in suspense as to what will happen. I liked how Mr. Gipson spoke throughout the book in the local vernacular of the time. It gave the story flavor.
I also like the part where the importance of all life was dawning on Travis, and Fred Gipson wrote, "Maybe me and Lisbeth and Little Arliss and Papa and Mama and friends of ours, like Burn Sanderson, didn't amount to any more in this world than any other living creature. But like all the other creatures-- like the buffalo, the screwworm, the pairie wold, the high-flying goose, or the hole-digging gopher-- our lives were important to us, and each of us would fight to keep them just as long as we could-- and try to help those we loved to do the same." I think this enlightenment, that person or creature had a right to live, is what he thought when confronted with the opportunity to kill a Commanche (who was among his kidnappers, and who really was the only one among them who was kind to the children) and wouldn't do it.
I have seen where some have thought that Mr. Gipson was writing in a racist vein, but I didn't really get the impression that this was how he personally felt-- he was just telling a story that was typical of the time, and without showing a variety of viewpoints that were common for that era and in that area, it would have been unrealistic. I did enjoy the variety of characters he created from the admirable (Travis) to the vile (Wiley Crup and Uncle Pack-- unlikeable for different reasons). Old Yeller is still my favorite, but this was a good second place.
The Old Yeller story continues with Savage Sam, his son and the family he belongs to. Savage Sam is in a fight with a bobcat, Little Arliss in tow, when the family gets word that some Indians are on the stealing horses and the Pa sends Travis (the oldest son, about 12 yrs. old) to fetch Arliss. The neighbor's granddaughter Lisbeth goes along with, and all 3 (Travis, Lisbeth and Arliss) end up kidnapped by the Indians. On the Indians back, the 3 children suffer some and the reader is in suspense as to what will happen. I liked how Mr. Gipson spoke throughout the book in the local vernacular of the time. It gave the story flavor.
I also like the part where the importance of all life was dawning on Travis, and Fred Gipson wrote, "Maybe me and Lisbeth and Little Arliss and Papa and Mama and friends of ours, like Burn Sanderson, didn't amount to any more in this world than any other living creature. But like all the other creatures-- like the buffalo, the screwworm, the pairie wold, the high-flying goose, or the hole-digging gopher-- our lives were important to us, and each of us would fight to keep them just as long as we could-- and try to help those we loved to do the same." I think this enlightenment, that person or creature had a right to live, is what he thought when confronted with the opportunity to kill a Commanche (who was among his kidnappers, and who really was the only one among them who was kind to the children) and wouldn't do it.
I have seen where some have thought that Mr. Gipson was writing in a racist vein, but I didn't really get the impression that this was how he personally felt-- he was just telling a story that was typical of the time, and without showing a variety of viewpoints that were common for that era and in that area, it would have been unrealistic. I did enjoy the variety of characters he created from the admirable (Travis) to the vile (Wiley Crup and Uncle Pack-- unlikeable for different reasons). Old Yeller is still my favorite, but this was a good second place.
February 1, 2015
I thought this book was really good. It was filled with action and suspense. It was, at some parts, not good for animal lovers because there was some animal violence, but other than that, it was great! The book was well written, and all the characters had strong minds.
I would recommend it to anyone.
I would recommend it to anyone.
May 25, 2015
absolutely loved this book! Love it more then Old Yeller one of the best sequels right up there with Con of Star Trek.
June 23, 2009
A tale of the son of Old Yeller, this is a very exciting book for a disney story, Travis and Lisbeth along with Arlus and Sam are taken by Indians, has a savage western feel to it, and the story is full of action, danger, and even leans on some adult topics to a degree.
I found this book captivating, suspenseful, and exciting, great read for most any age, use discretion on that, there is violence and a rape attempt. They do not hide the fact that these are savage indians, or how they treat the captives, but it is written with some descretion that kids would be reading it.
It was like reading a cowboy and indians story, except in this case it was these young teens, a kid and a dog and how they survive the ordeal of being taken and finding out how much of old yeller resides in sam.
I just absolutely loved this story as a kid, and I still think today I would find it just as exciting, as its a story that I still recall by name today and remember well.
I found this book captivating, suspenseful, and exciting, great read for most any age, use discretion on that, there is violence and a rape attempt. They do not hide the fact that these are savage indians, or how they treat the captives, but it is written with some descretion that kids would be reading it.
It was like reading a cowboy and indians story, except in this case it was these young teens, a kid and a dog and how they survive the ordeal of being taken and finding out how much of old yeller resides in sam.
I just absolutely loved this story as a kid, and I still think today I would find it just as exciting, as its a story that I still recall by name today and remember well.
February 19, 2009
I have never seen the Disney Film -"Savage Sam"- the sequel to Old Yeller, though I knew it was about the kids being captured by Indians and Sam trying to track/rescue them.
However, I genuinely enjoyed this short novel, and because of its violence I cannot imagine it being a Disney film. The Indians strip the boys naked and there is lots of shooting and killing of both animals and humans. One Indian attempts to molest/rape Lisbeth. A little strong for Disney, in my opinion, but it made for a good read.
Was this a great book? Nope!
Was it a fun read? Yup!
and I don't want to spoil it for you.. but at least in this one- Sam doesn't die at the end.
However, I genuinely enjoyed this short novel, and because of its violence I cannot imagine it being a Disney film. The Indians strip the boys naked and there is lots of shooting and killing of both animals and humans. One Indian attempts to molest/rape Lisbeth. A little strong for Disney, in my opinion, but it made for a good read.
Was this a great book? Nope!
Was it a fun read? Yup!
and I don't want to spoil it for you.. but at least in this one- Sam doesn't die at the end.
September 28, 2011
I was a child when I read this book and it is THE book that truely caused a love for reading. I dont know how many times I read this book all those years ago but I have never forgotten this book and always remember it affectionately as the first book I loved.. It would be a few years before I would feel that deeply about a book again and it would be Jane Eyre, which I have never stopped reading...
November 18, 2014
I have a Disney anthology with an abridged version of this, which I loved as a child, but having finally gotten to read the original, it's everything I want out of a dog/Old West/Indian raid story. I also like it much better than its depressing predecessor.
April 5, 2017
Great book, if you haven't read Old Yeller the original, grab it too.
March 14, 2018
The book Savage Sam by Fred Gipson is a book about a dog. The boy's uncle, Beck, comes by to check on how the boys are doing and gives advice to Travis on how to handle Arliss a little better. Travis, Arliss, and their neighbor's granddaughter, Lisbeth Searcy are taken hostage by Apache indians stealing horses. Travis is left behind when the Apaches are chased by a cavalry patrol and is found by Sam. Uncle Beck gathers up a search party including Lisbeth's grandfather and neighbor. Led by Sam, who tracks the Apaches despite an injured paw and really bad weather, the search party finds and rescues Arliss and Lisbeth.
This book is really good book to read. I liked it because it gives a lot of background information of the Apaches indians and how they lived and what they do in their daily lives. This is also very cool because it shows how dogs track things in the wild with their noses and how they act to find things in the wild. A quote from Savage Sam by Fred Gipson on page 109 it says, “Hang with that trail boy!”. It shows how the dog tracked the indians on where they were going and where they went. This book made me feel like I was out in the wild at times when it was getting really intense and it made me feel like I was actually on the hunt to track down the indians. I also like reading about the outdoors and cowboys and indians but this one was pretty much just about indians. Plus I go hunting with dogs a lot and it is really cool to see them smell all of the animals and how they walk around, especially if they are really close or something like that.
Try harder even if it is hard to do. This is a theme that everyone always uses all of the time, but this is always around the whole book. One source states on page 61, “Again, his faint, far-carrying trail cry came riding in on the still morning air. The sound of it raised a lump in my throat and put the sting of tears in my eyes.”. This shows that he was trying so hard he was basically sore and stuff after a long time. One quote on page 108 it states, “I jumped to my feet in sudden panic.”. That also shows that he was really scared because he was going through a hard time. Now that is always why you should try harder even if it is really hard to do and you can’t really do it at all.
This book is really good book to read. I liked it because it gives a lot of background information of the Apaches indians and how they lived and what they do in their daily lives. This is also very cool because it shows how dogs track things in the wild with their noses and how they act to find things in the wild. A quote from Savage Sam by Fred Gipson on page 109 it says, “Hang with that trail boy!”. It shows how the dog tracked the indians on where they were going and where they went. This book made me feel like I was out in the wild at times when it was getting really intense and it made me feel like I was actually on the hunt to track down the indians. I also like reading about the outdoors and cowboys and indians but this one was pretty much just about indians. Plus I go hunting with dogs a lot and it is really cool to see them smell all of the animals and how they walk around, especially if they are really close or something like that.
Try harder even if it is hard to do. This is a theme that everyone always uses all of the time, but this is always around the whole book. One source states on page 61, “Again, his faint, far-carrying trail cry came riding in on the still morning air. The sound of it raised a lump in my throat and put the sting of tears in my eyes.”. This shows that he was trying so hard he was basically sore and stuff after a long time. One quote on page 108 it states, “I jumped to my feet in sudden panic.”. That also shows that he was really scared because he was going through a hard time. Now that is always why you should try harder even if it is really hard to do and you can’t really do it at all.
August 28, 2019
Finally read this after being a lifelong fan of Old Yeller and I'm here to report... it's GREAT and worthwhile reading for all ages.
Fred Gipson spins another riveting tale of frontier life, dropping the kind of wisdom you gain from practicing self-sufficiency under a blue sky. Life holds hands with death, fighting for survival isn't personal, do the work, and if you've got no reason to kill or hate, don't. These lessons are hard to come by in a mass-shooting, Instagram-influencer world, and badly needed.
I'll also address the pearl-clutching in the comments section about this book being unfit for children. Sure, there are animal deaths, human deaths, and abduction, but none of them are told in an exploitative or sensational way. They simply come across as a fact of life on the frontier. This book is actually a great way to open a conversation with children about death, loss, and killing. For those who are afraid this will read as a "cowboys vs Indians" Western, rest assured. Travis and the other settlers find themselves awed by the skills of the Apache raiders even as they run them down. There are moments between Travis and the Comanche raider that runs alongside him (listen, this dude HOLDS THE STIRRUP and runs for hours next to the horse that Travis is strapped on!!!) that speak to their mutual curiosity about each other. Again, a great opportunity to open that conversation with children about preconceptions and prejudice. How do you fight racism? Curiosity and empathy.
If you're looking for dog hijinks only, this may not satisfy. There really isn't a whole lot of time for them when Travis, Lisbeth, and Little Arliss have been captured by a band of Apache raiders. There are still some great dog moments and a dog saves the day, but where Old Yeller was largely about a boy and his dog, this book is about three captives, their captors, their colorful crew of rescuers, and a dog - no spoilers here, the sequel to this book is Little Arliss, after all.
One last note - this is a great book to read if you're a writer or storyteller of any discipline. It's not very long but Gipson's pacing, engrossing first-person narrative, and talent for detail (just look at the settler's personalities he paints with a few masterful strokes!) weave a rich story from start to finish. As with Old Yeller, I was sorry to leave the world when it was over. On to the sequel!
Fred Gipson spins another riveting tale of frontier life, dropping the kind of wisdom you gain from practicing self-sufficiency under a blue sky. Life holds hands with death, fighting for survival isn't personal, do the work, and if you've got no reason to kill or hate, don't. These lessons are hard to come by in a mass-shooting, Instagram-influencer world, and badly needed.
I'll also address the pearl-clutching in the comments section about this book being unfit for children. Sure, there are animal deaths, human deaths, and abduction, but none of them are told in an exploitative or sensational way. They simply come across as a fact of life on the frontier. This book is actually a great way to open a conversation with children about death, loss, and killing. For those who are afraid this will read as a "cowboys vs Indians" Western, rest assured. Travis and the other settlers find themselves awed by the skills of the Apache raiders even as they run them down. There are moments between Travis and the Comanche raider that runs alongside him (listen, this dude HOLDS THE STIRRUP and runs for hours next to the horse that Travis is strapped on!!!) that speak to their mutual curiosity about each other. Again, a great opportunity to open that conversation with children about preconceptions and prejudice. How do you fight racism? Curiosity and empathy.
If you're looking for dog hijinks only, this may not satisfy. There really isn't a whole lot of time for them when Travis, Lisbeth, and Little Arliss have been captured by a band of Apache raiders. There are still some great dog moments and a dog saves the day, but where Old Yeller was largely about a boy and his dog, this book is about three captives, their captors, their colorful crew of rescuers, and a dog - no spoilers here, the sequel to this book is Little Arliss, after all.
One last note - this is a great book to read if you're a writer or storyteller of any discipline. It's not very long but Gipson's pacing, engrossing first-person narrative, and talent for detail (just look at the settler's personalities he paints with a few masterful strokes!) weave a rich story from start to finish. As with Old Yeller, I was sorry to leave the world when it was over. On to the sequel!
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December 10, 2008Savage Sam
This book was just amazing because Arles and Travis were funny. Arles would get rock would get rocks and try to hit Travis with them. This book was good but it was more for like 8th graders but I still liked it. One of the things that kept me reading this book was that Arles and Travis got kidnapped bye Indians and they were trying to take them to Mexico and then they were going to sell them to the Mexicans for slaves but then the Calvary came and shot all the Indians and took the kids back to there home. And then they stayed with them until there uncle came home to them. Some of the emotions that this book gave me was sad at the beginning because there parents never came back home from their trip so they thought that they were dead. So they worked on the farm all bye there self until there uncle came along on his horse and found out that there parents were gone. But some of the good emotions was that they were saved from the Indians. And when they got home they went into there little house and had a big dinner because they were done for three days with just a little food to eat. What made this book so good was that Arles was the funny one he would chance a bobcats on his horse and then he started poking it with a stick. My favorite character in this book was Arles he talked so much and when they got caught be the Indian all he wanted to fight them because he did not want to go to Mexico with them. When Calvary got the kids back Arles got a rock and hit the Indian in the head with it and knocked him out with it. The author wrote this book because he new that people would read it because there is lots of people out there that would read it. The part that had captivated my attention was the part that they got caught by the Indians. If this book was maid into a movie I would want Dan Cook to plat Arles, he is so funny so I think that It would make a good macth.
This book was just amazing because Arles and Travis were funny. Arles would get rock would get rocks and try to hit Travis with them. This book was good but it was more for like 8th graders but I still liked it. One of the things that kept me reading this book was that Arles and Travis got kidnapped bye Indians and they were trying to take them to Mexico and then they were going to sell them to the Mexicans for slaves but then the Calvary came and shot all the Indians and took the kids back to there home. And then they stayed with them until there uncle came home to them. Some of the emotions that this book gave me was sad at the beginning because there parents never came back home from their trip so they thought that they were dead. So they worked on the farm all bye there self until there uncle came along on his horse and found out that there parents were gone. But some of the good emotions was that they were saved from the Indians. And when they got home they went into there little house and had a big dinner because they were done for three days with just a little food to eat. What made this book so good was that Arles was the funny one he would chance a bobcats on his horse and then he started poking it with a stick. My favorite character in this book was Arles he talked so much and when they got caught be the Indian all he wanted to fight them because he did not want to go to Mexico with them. When Calvary got the kids back Arles got a rock and hit the Indian in the head with it and knocked him out with it. The author wrote this book because he new that people would read it because there is lots of people out there that would read it. The part that had captivated my attention was the part that they got caught by the Indians. If this book was maid into a movie I would want Dan Cook to plat Arles, he is so funny so I think that It would make a good macth.
February 21, 2021
There wasn't really anything I liked about this book to be honest.
I was just bored. Cowboys vs. Indians aren't really my thing since they're all the same to me. I had the hardest time trying to figure out what this book was about without spoilers so I decided to just go in cold. I was expecting this book to be about the dog but it was more so about the boy and the dog was kind of something he just so happened to have. This also didn't feel like a sequel to Old Yeller. This book is definitely more mature in topic and writing style. Travis Coates in Savage Sam and Travis Coates in Older Yeller may as well be two different characters. Plus, Old Yeller the dog was mentioned once just to remind us how Sam is related to him. He was never mentioned again after that and this book just didn't feel like a sequel of another book.
This book also had a lot of plot points that lead you to think they're important but not really. I can't give any examples without spoiling. Some I can easily infer why the author decided to put them in but I thought a lot could've been left out.
I thought the very last line was funny so there's that.
I was just bored. Cowboys vs. Indians aren't really my thing since they're all the same to me. I had the hardest time trying to figure out what this book was about without spoilers so I decided to just go in cold. I was expecting this book to be about the dog but it was more so about the boy and the dog was kind of something he just so happened to have. This also didn't feel like a sequel to Old Yeller. This book is definitely more mature in topic and writing style. Travis Coates in Savage Sam and Travis Coates in Older Yeller may as well be two different characters. Plus, Old Yeller the dog was mentioned once just to remind us how Sam is related to him. He was never mentioned again after that and this book just didn't feel like a sequel of another book.
This book also had a lot of plot points that lead you to think they're important but not really. I can't give any examples without spoiling. Some I can easily infer why the author decided to put them in but I thought a lot could've been left out.
I thought the very last line was funny so there's that.
August 3, 2017
This book truly is a product of it’s time.
It didn’t really have any of the grace and beauty to be found in the original Old Yeller, so not a classic by any means and easy to see why it is not as well-known. However, it did have one moment of enlightened thinking that really surprised me (based on everything else that happens and that the characters say and do):
“Maybe me and Lisbeth and Little Arliss and Papa and mama and friends of ours, like Burn Sanderson, didn’t amount to any more in this world than any other living creature. But like all the other creatures-- like the buffalo, the screwworm, the prairie wolf, the high-flying goose, or the hole-digging gopher-- our lives were important to us, and each of us would fight to keep them just as long as we could-- and try to help those we loved do the same.”
It didn’t really have any of the grace and beauty to be found in the original Old Yeller, so not a classic by any means and easy to see why it is not as well-known. However, it did have one moment of enlightened thinking that really surprised me (based on everything else that happens and that the characters say and do):
“Maybe me and Lisbeth and Little Arliss and Papa and mama and friends of ours, like Burn Sanderson, didn’t amount to any more in this world than any other living creature. But like all the other creatures-- like the buffalo, the screwworm, the prairie wolf, the high-flying goose, or the hole-digging gopher-- our lives were important to us, and each of us would fight to keep them just as long as we could-- and try to help those we loved do the same.”
January 3, 2021
4 star
I have watched the Disney movie by the same name a couple of times, and after seeing it was a book decided to read it. I read Old Yeller and then wanted to read this one to carry on the Coats legacy. I have to say the book was so much better than the movie! So much more adventure and emotions. Description on the Indians, the horses, the posse etc. It was so interesting it was very hard to put the book down; I read the first 3/4 of the book the first time I picked it up.
This is a classic that you won't regret the time you take to read it. And if you haven't read Old Yeller you won't be lost as in this book they do refer to some of the things in the first book. But I would recommend reading them both as they are both really good
I have watched the Disney movie by the same name a couple of times, and after seeing it was a book decided to read it. I read Old Yeller and then wanted to read this one to carry on the Coats legacy. I have to say the book was so much better than the movie! So much more adventure and emotions. Description on the Indians, the horses, the posse etc. It was so interesting it was very hard to put the book down; I read the first 3/4 of the book the first time I picked it up.
This is a classic that you won't regret the time you take to read it. And if you haven't read Old Yeller you won't be lost as in this book they do refer to some of the things in the first book. But I would recommend reading them both as they are both really good
October 27, 2010
This book is as real and haunting as it predecessor. It is NOT a children's book! I mean that! It is absolutely real-life and action packed. Your heart will burst in so many ways for travis, lizbeth and arliss. Chilling and heart-warming. You see the humanity and the evil in both the whites and indians. An absolute must for any reader, I believe especially high school boys would like this book. But remember, NOT A CHILD'S BOOK! Subject material is too mature and graphic for any child under highschool age.
March 19, 2017
Great adventure, and a great family read aloud!
I'd save it for kids old enough to understand the cultural changes since the time the book was written and now; or the time in which the book was set and now. I'd say the stuff I found culturally insensitive was at least historically accurate.
For the life of me, I can't understand why this book and the one after, Little Arliss, are so hard to find. We liked both of them as much if not more than Old Yeller. Someone needs to publish all three together in a Coates Family Trilogy.
I'd save it for kids old enough to understand the cultural changes since the time the book was written and now; or the time in which the book was set and now. I'd say the stuff I found culturally insensitive was at least historically accurate.
For the life of me, I can't understand why this book and the one after, Little Arliss, are so hard to find. We liked both of them as much if not more than Old Yeller. Someone needs to publish all three together in a Coates Family Trilogy.
January 28, 2020
Disney really cleaned up this story for the movie.
This book was riddled with graphic scenes and violent endings. More than once I had to set the book aside and try to get rid of a sick image in my mind. While Savage Sam was an intense and thrilling read that hardly left the reader time to stop and catch their breath, maybe it was a bit too focused on all the raw violence and drama that it lacked the same charm and enchantment that Old Yeller had.
The writing style was down to earth and easy to read. The emotion was believable, realistic and at times pulled at my heartstrings.
This book was riddled with graphic scenes and violent endings. More than once I had to set the book aside and try to get rid of a sick image in my mind. While Savage Sam was an intense and thrilling read that hardly left the reader time to stop and catch their breath, maybe it was a bit too focused on all the raw violence and drama that it lacked the same charm and enchantment that Old Yeller had.
The writing style was down to earth and easy to read. The emotion was believable, realistic and at times pulled at my heartstrings.
October 1, 2020
I should have read "Savage Sam" decades ago and learned what superb scene setting is all about, and to also better understand the dictum to "know what you are writing about." Fred Gipson writes with a feeling of authenticy that immerses you in the story as you accompany Travis and Savage Sam across the Texas vastness. "Savage Sam" is not cowboys and Indians, it's about people and places that we never knew in spite of all the books and movies. I now feel a better understanding of the realities of life on the prairie compared to the mythologies that have entertained us.
July 29, 2018
After 16 year old Travis Coates and his younger brother Arliss and neighbor Lisbeth are taken captive by a raiding party of horse stealing Indians, Savage Sam, a Blue Tick/Black Mouth Cur mix displays his tracking skills and leads a rescue party to save them. This novel reveals a grittier side of search and rescue, and survive or die in the 1870's of Texas.
September 2, 2012
Bit long, chase was exciting, coming to see enemy as a person too. More about the boy than the dog. Not as tightly written and memorable as Old Yeller.
January 27, 2017
A page-turner... I couldn't put it down. As good a story as Old Yeller!
September 11, 2017
I really enjoyed this sequel to Old Yeller. Sam is a lot like his dad and that made me smile. This book was action packed and had some angst in it as well.
January 8, 2018
Savage sam is about a dog of a kid and the kids got caught by indians and were beaten and the dog saves them with a possy and stuff like that
June 11, 2022
This is the sequel to Old Yeller. Same style of writing, same characters except this time the dog is the offspring of Old Yeller. The dog does a lot of running around and has one good 'savage' moment, but otherwise you don't get to know the 'genuine amalgamated Pot-hound' too much.
The plot is that Travis, Arlis, and Lisbeth get kidnapped by Indians who ride out across Texas. The writing is good in that you get the sense of action, but what I loved was the descriptions of the countryside. No direct quotes I felt like saving, but just nice. In there are crossed paths with buffaloes and riding in rutted paths created by them. Fred did a good job of giving you a feeling for the wild frontier.
It is a cowboys and Indians story. We of course know that no one got screwed over in American History more than the Native Americans. The story is pretty raw and bloody at times. From a historical perspective you can enjoy the action, but Indians kidnapping them, especially Travis who is a teenager, doesn't make sense. If you can put that aside, I think like me, you may like the story and action.
The plot is that Travis, Arlis, and Lisbeth get kidnapped by Indians who ride out across Texas. The writing is good in that you get the sense of action, but what I loved was the descriptions of the countryside. No direct quotes I felt like saving, but just nice. In there are crossed paths with buffaloes and riding in rutted paths created by them. Fred did a good job of giving you a feeling for the wild frontier.
It is a cowboys and Indians story. We of course know that no one got screwed over in American History more than the Native Americans. The story is pretty raw and bloody at times. From a historical perspective you can enjoy the action, but Indians kidnapping them, especially Travis who is a teenager, doesn't make sense. If you can put that aside, I think like me, you may like the story and action.
October 10, 2021
Savage Sam is the touching story of a family living in Texas in the 1870s It portrays the trials that the homesteader had to face as he brings civilization to the wilderness. The pace of the book is fast, the language is realistic and easy to follow. The themes include the faithfulness of animals to their masters, growing up, and parent-child relationships.One weakness of the book is that the Indian is painted in such a stereotypical way. Only once, when the Comanche's shield is discussed, does the reader feel that the race is anything but savage.
(I read this novel in the 70s when I was taking an adolescent lit. class. The critique came from one I did for the class.)
(I read this novel in the 70s when I was taking an adolescent lit. class. The critique came from one I did for the class.)
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