Red Dog

by Bill Wallace, Richard Cowdrey (Illustrator)

TERROR IN THE MOUNTAINS
In the rugged Wyoming territory, the red pup is Adam's best friend.
Adam and his family live in a lonely cabin in the mountains, facing the dangers of the wilderness alone. One day, Adam¹s stepfather announces that he must leave for a weeklong trip to Cheyenne. Adam is put in charge of the family. Everything goes smoothly until three cutthroat gold prospectors come crashing into the cabin and hold the family at gunpoint.
Late that night, Adam manages to escape. Unfortunately, the men let the red pup loose, and the one thing that dog does best is track Adam...Will the pup lead the men to Adam? And if he does, can Adam still save his family?

Genres: Fiction, Animals, Childrens, Historical Fiction, Adventure, Dogs, Realistic Fiction

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1987

About the author

Bill Wallace was an American teacher and later an author of children's books. He started writing to quiet down his fourth grade students, who loved his stories and encouraged him to make “real” books.

Bill Wallace grew up in Oklahoma. Along with riding their horses, he and his friends enjoyed campouts and fishing trips. Toasting marshmallows, telling ghost stories to scare one another, and catching fish was always fun.

Bill Wallace has won numerous children's state awards and been awarded the Arrell Gibson Lifetime Achievement Award for Children's Literature from the Oklahoma Center for the Book.

Bill Wallace died from Lung cancer on January 30, 2012.

Former elementary school teacher; West Elementary School, Chickasha, OK, principal, since 1977, and physical education teacher. Speaker at schools and universities in various states, including State University of New York and University of South Florida.

AWARDS:

Bluebonnet Award from Texas Association of School Librarians and Children's Round Table and Sequoyah Children's Book Award from Oklahoma State Department of Education, both 1983, Central Missouri State University Award for Excellence in Children's Literature, 1984, and Nebraska Golden Sowers Award from Nebraska Library Association, 1985, all for A Dog Called Kitty; Central Missouri State University Award for Excellence in Children's Literature, 1984, and Pine Tree Book Award, 1985, both for Trapped in Death Cave.

Reviews

[Michael Ripsch · Rating 5 out of 5]

That book was mostly about the relationship between a kid and a dog. In the whole book Adam and Ruff were best friends. Ruff was the dog and Adam was the boy. The time period was a long time ago when they did not have states yet. They lived in the Wyoming territory and they owned lots of land. The book was the most emotional book I ever read, but it was also one of the best.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good adventure for Young Adults. I enjoyed it ( and I am no longer young).

[Hunter Falish]

What an adventurous book this is. Adam and his mother and younger sister move in with there new step dad, and are trying to get used to their new life out in the wilderness. Adam likes to challenge his new stepfather, to make him have to show his superiority over Adam. Adam comes to enjoy his new life out in the wilderness, until one day a group of prospectors crosses their land. His mother holds a gun ready to fire on the men, and tells them they have no right to be on the property, and that if they don't leave immediately she'll shoot. After the men leave, Adam and his sister have to be accompanied by an adult at all times when they head outside. Adam learned to trap with his stepfather during this time, and things were turning out well between the two of them, until the day his stepfather had to bring in their furs to sell for supplies. Adam became the man of the house for three days while his step dad was away, and everything would have gone well, except for the fact that the three prospectors unexpectedly showed up again while his stepfather was gone. They were harsh men, that forced them to do everything for them, and were going to kill them after Adam's stepfather returned and they took him out. As it turns out, Adam manages to escape that night, but there's one problem. His stepfather found him a red hound, that took a great liking to Adam, and the prospectors have turned the dog loose on his trail.

I enjoyed how it took Adam a long time to accept his new stepfather, and how realistic this part of the book was, as I know from friends that this is not always the easiest thing to do. I also enjoyed the suspense that occurred while Adam's puppy was tracking him, with the three prospectors following close behind. The only thing I didn't like, was the fact that the men were going to kill the whole family just to look for gold on a piece of property that they didn't even know if it contained gold or not.

I would recommend this book to any young adult who enjoys a suspenseful book.

[Craig LaSalle]

I don't know why I read this. Maybe because my family had dogs. I loved it so much, and it was all mine. No one I've ever met has told me how much they loved this book. It made me love reading when I was a second or third grader. It was magical, and I am so grateful to Mr. WALLACE.

[Gretchen Mueller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thought out the story, Adam, I young boy who lives with his family in the woods encounters many different struggles. First off, his father had recently passed away and his mother had remarried. This puts a very big stress on Adam because he doesn't get along with his new stepfather. However, that is not the biggest problem at hand. A group of men come to Adam's house and try to force them to give up their land so they can search it for gold. Adam's stepfather then leaves the house and goes to get the house deed to prove that the land is their's. While he is away, the house is attacked, and Adam has to protect his sister and mother. Eventually he escapes the house to try and lead the men away from his family and go find His stepfather. However, his dog follows him and leads the men right to him, but then the mountain lion that him and the red pup had hunter prior to these events saves them. It turns out that Adam's stepfather had retrieved the pup from a cave in the woods, not knowing that the mountain lion had been taking care of it. In the end the mountain lion ends up saving the red pup and all of Adam's family. One thing I really liked about this book was that there weren't really any down times. There was always something going on in the book that kept you questioning what would happen next and it makes u want to keep reading. One thing I didn't like about this book was that it didn't give very much background information, it doesn't tell you much about before the family moved into the mountains and it doesn't give that much information about Adam's stepfather. If I had to suggest this book to a specific group of people I would suggest it to young teenagers who like the outdoors and survival stories.

[Drew · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the rugged Wyoming territory, the red pup is Adam's best friend.

Adam and his family live in a lonely cabin in the mountains, facing the dangers of the wilderness alone. One day, Adam's stepfather announces that he must leave for a week long trip to Cheyenne. Adam is put in charge of the family. Everything goes smoothly until three cutthroat gold prospectors come crashing into the cabin and hold the family at gunpoint.

Late that night, Adam manages to escape. Unfortunately, the men let the red pup loose, and the one thing that dog does best is track....Adam. Will the pup lead the men to Adam? And if he does, can Adam still save his family?

I recommend this book to anyone who loves a great adventure.

[Sirenprincess · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of my absolute favorite books from childhood. I read it over and over again when I was little. I'm much older now, but still thought of it when I thought of my favorite books of all time and decided to see if I could find it. I loved the historical setting and the main protagonist. I particularly identified with the little boy's conflict with his family while still at the same time loving them. I loved the angst and hurt of the little boy. One of my first dippings into the ideas of hurt/comfort.

[Lindsay (LindsayReads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am finally getting around to sharing my review of the last book in my Back to School series, Red Dog. Honestly, this is the perfect time of year to talk about this story, as I first discovered the works of Bill Wallace one amazing afternoon in my elementary school library. They were never assigned reading, but I read every available book by Wallace in one year (probably all before the winter break). And Red Dog is my favorite.

Actually, Red Dog will likely always be a favorite! While rereading it a few weeks ago (I’m in my 30s y’all) I realized that, once again, I couldn’t put it down. I had to know what would happen to Adam and his pup, and I found myself grumbling at any distraction. So, yes this will be a glowing review. Bill Wallace had this expert way of sharing life lessons disguised as a spellbinding adventure! In Red Dog, Adam is forced to let go of childish insecurities, learn how to properly treat animals, and develop a better understanding of his changed family dynamics. The lessons are at times painful, but the writing shows readers the necessity of choosing to be a better person. This is a reminder from which everyone, both young and old, can benefit. I’m not going to share any details of the actual story, because I don’t want to ruin the reading experience. Just know that the vivid imagery and heart racing scenes will stick with you long after turning that last page.

I do have a few less than positive points that sadly have to be shared. First, Adam is a royal pain for the first third of the book; whining and fighting against his mom and step-father. Thankfully, this only lasts for a third of the novel and it is necessary to show Adam’s personal growth throughout the story. Second, Wallace does not shy away from violence. Red Dog is set during the gold rush and the characters live in the Wyoming wilderness, days away from any town. Wallace does not sugar-coat the unfortunate reality that some people do not have good intentions, which results in a couple of gruesome moments. Both of these aspects mold this story and are necessary. I don’t consider them negative points, just aspects that readers should be aware of.

I have lost count of the number of times I have read Red Dog. I have my own copy of the story and now, so does godson. This is the story I share with parents requesting book for their kids. Wallace was my favorite author and his stories helped shape my childhood. Here were these amazing books that offered an escape to the wilderness when I was stuck inside, and Wallace promised a grand adventure that usually included a cute dog.

I blame Wallace for sparking my love of thriller and mystery fiction, and am forever grateful for finding him on that shelf.

Please share you’re favorite Bill Wallace book. I would love to hear what you think of his stories.

Lindsay

Check out more reviews at HistoryMysteryBooks.com!

[Christy Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.
I read this with a group of 6 fifth graders. At first they were not interested but that quickly changed add the story progressed.

Adam, his sister Laurie, and his mother have just moved to a mountain homestead in Wyoming with his mother's new husband Sam. Hurting after his father's death and resentful of Sam for 'taking his place', Adam does not try to adapt to his new normal. He is resistant, disrespectful, angry, and conflicted. His one joy is a loveable red pup that Sam brought home for him. However, as three dangerous prospectors move into their land while Sam is away Adam has to learn to step up to responsibility and protecting his family becomes his highest priority. No one knew how much the red dog would play an important part in this.

This was an enjoyable read. Audio the beginning of the book, we had discussions about how Adam's surly behavior was impacting those around him and better choices he could make. We could discuss how his choices changed him and how those around responded differently to him. Adam had a lot of positive character growth. There are moments of violence and death, but they certainly are not gratuitous or explicit and serve to heighten the severity of Adam's situation. I'll definitely keep this on the list to read with students next year.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.
This was a Disney movie type book. The ending was good, the bad guys lost and the good guys won, plus there were lovable animals and children in it. My main gripes were the lines that I thought were racist and sexist. It was a fun little story, but I’m not a huge fan of the way woman and Indians and manliness are comments or themes in the book. A young boy who’s father died moves out west with his mom, sister, and new step dad. He at first dislikes the stepdad, but they end up being buddies. The mom and sister mostly stay home, except at the end of the book when his little sister saves the day. The boy, Adam, has a red dog as his buddy that his stepdad found in a cave. The dog loves the little boy. There are bad guys that come and try to take the cabin. Fighting ensues, a mountain lion (the dog’s adopted mom), and the red dog saves the boy. They go to the cabin and beat the bad guys. Fairy tale ending where everything works out. I know it’s a children’s book, so I think it’s good for that. There are some scenes of violence and sadness that may be appropriate for older children, 5th and up IMHO. Cute book, won’t be reading it again.

[Lahars_little_library · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would put this well into the range of middle grade rather than children's because of the violence, similarly to how I consider Brian's Hunt of the Hatchet series. If you have a sensitive or squeamish child I would avoid this book. However, this book had HUGE appeal to the 5th grade boy reader I read it with. He finished it before me in fact, which is a rarity! He especially loved one of the twists at the ending. As a teacher or parent I would definitely screen chapter 5 before deciding to read this book as it includes corporal punishment. This, I feel, is a whole different issue to address in a reading group than the "bad guy" violence throughout the rest of the book. Depending on your student's backgrounds or the community you serve this could be a point of contingency so make sure you know what you're getting into.

[Marlee · Rating 2 out of 5]

There was way too much going graphic violence and death in this book for my liking. I think my daughter felt the same way. It was also uncomfortable to her that the family found it normal to use a switch for punishment. Though I realize it was written in a different decade when one didn’t think there was anything wrong with hitting children for punishment, it was upsetting to read about. The book also dragged in some places.

[Mariah Meetze · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adam, his best friend the red pup, and his family live in the Wyoming territory. Three gold prospectors come uninvited into the cabin and hold the family at gunpoint when Adam's stepfather leaves for a week-long trip to Cheyenne. Adam finds a way to escape, and when the men find out they let the red pup loose who is best at tracking Adam. Adam must find a way to outwit them and save his family. I highly recommend this sad and heartfelt book to ages 10 and up.

[bex-bert · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s a fun little story but overall not something I was excited to read
Not a fan of how the book insinuates that if you beat (spank heavily) your child that everything is fixed and they’ll listen???? Never the answer
Also the way they keep referring to the natives as “red men” and “Indians” which is just wrong
Other than that not bad but not something I’d reread. It did have a really cute ending and a nice explanation for why the mountain lion never attacked them. I liked that

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book as a child and loved it just as much when I reread it now. It has overarching themes of bravery, maturing, friendship, and nature. Although it might be scary for young students, it was meant for 4th graders. I think that it had a great message and would be inspiring to students who are just starting to read chapter books. I'm someone who didn't enjoy scary things as a kid but I truly loved this book and many other books that Bill Wallace wrote.

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adam is mad at his stepfather for making them move to were they have no neighbors and is surrounded be woods. But when his stepfather goes on a trip four men come and break into their cabin and hold his family hostage. Adam is able to escape but is he able to warn his stepfather about the danger that awaits him back at the cabin.

[Julia Forrester · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great adventure book, geared towards boys 10- 14 years old. This is a great coming of age book about a boy learning about responsibility out in the wild woods, loyalty and love. It’s a book that you have a hard time putting down!

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great story. Got this one to read aloud to the children, ended up putting it down bc it was too violent for them and I finished myself. My kids are 7 and 10, maybe geared for a little bit older depending on what your kids are used to.

[Twyla · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite part was when Sam was not hurt and managed to save Adam and Laurie. My least favorite part was when the three men came and took Adam and his family prisoner's to try get the land from them in order to find the gold in the river.

[Jonathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is amazing! A very good adventure. This book as been in the family for over 30 years. It sat on my shelf for a long time, till one day I thought, why not? I regret waiting on this book. It’s so good. It’s a gritty wholesome story.

[Mikayla Walla · Rating 5 out of 5]

i absolutely adored this book as a child and reread it recently as an adult. not only is it well written and engaging, but it feels like you’re there w adam throughout the story. just as emotional as the first time i read it 15 years ago.

[Sharon Buxton · Rating 4 out of 5]

B+. fiction, children's fiction, middle grades, historical fiction, adventure, animal story, Mom's stash, keep.

[tina winkeler · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was so sad when shamatok
died but it's a great amazing book

[Galiya Shaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is very amazing

[Emmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

(4.5 stars)

[Phylisha Stone · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful book about a boy and his dog in the wilds of Wyoming.

[Bexa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read for Battle of the Books.





Spoiler.... the dog lives. That's really what's most important.

[Alexis Rollins · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a problem solving, and has and exciting plot. You don’t know where u will end up next.

[Ella · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is such a good book of a boy in the Wyoming territory with his dog! Good if you like adventure, suspense, and the great outdoors

[Janice · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was subbing in 5th grade for several days and was asked to read this aloud to them. Wonderful story.