Level II

December 4, 2008

Dear Wilson Rawls,

What is loyalty? How about determination? I’m pretty sure every one of us has asked ourselves that question before. I always struggled to find the meaning of those two words, but then I read your book, Where the Red Fern Grows. Because of your book, I’ve learned what it means to truly want something, and that it takes hard work to get it yourself. And it inspired me to save up for something I truly wanted.

A few years ago I found a letter that I wrote to Santa Clause in the second grade. It said that I wanted a dog for Christmas, and nothing else. Over the years, my closet became swollen with useless electronic animals and cheap imitations of dogs, and of course that was never enough. One day I asked my mom if I could ever get a dog of my own, and I was full of shock when her answer was yes. As our conversation about my getting a dog went more in depth, I got more and more disappointed as I found that I wouldn’t just come home to a bubbly puppy prancing around on my bed. My mom told me I had to save up for a dog myself, and that it would take time. It never really sunk in until 3rd grade that I actually had to work. Hard. My chore chart was soon racked up with a whole $70. I felt I accomplished a great task, but I was far from close. Before long, my bank account had around $600 in it. In the summer before 5th grade I finally got my dog, a little ball of fur named Nova.

My story wasn’t as touching and heartwarming as Billy’s. His dog-wanting came close to obsession I thought. “My dog-wanting became so bad I began to lose weight and my food didn’t taste so good anymore.” Billy once said in your book. He lived in a time when money was rare, and his family definitely didn’t have the money to meet his preferences for two hunting dogs. As I read, Billy’s determination in saving up for his dogs made my heart race. I imagined what it would be like climbing through blackberry bushes until my feet bled and digging for worms until my fingers cramped up for maybe a dollar if I was lucky. I became thankful and realized my selfishness and everything that I took for granted. Taking out the trash for 25 cents didn’t seem so bad anymore.

What also inspired me was how loyal Billy was to his dogs. He spent a lot of time training them to be good hunting dogs. When I got my dog I took her to dog behavior classes. Not because she was bad or anything, I just wanted her to be a well-behaved dog like Billy’s were. After her second class I started to realize how well-behaved she had become. I wanted my dog to have a purpose like Billy’s did, but of course I didn’t want to take her hunting or anything like that. Since she was so well-mannered I took her to more classes to learn more things and wanted her to be a therapy dog that would go to old people’s homes and sit on their laps. I wanted to be like Billy so much. I spent a lot of my time training her.

Your book taught me to work for things I wanted, and it got me my own dog. It also taught me to stick to things that I start. I never knew I could really benefit from just reading a book. I’m pretty sure that the lessons this book taught me and the things it helped me realize will stay with me forever. Thanks for writing Where the Red Fern Grows.

Sincerely,

Jessie Magnan

7th grade

Teeland Middle School, Wasilla, Alaska

Teacher: Joe Nolting

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