Old yeller is a 1956 childrens novel written by fred gipson and illustrated by carl burger. Traviss father only appears at the beginning and end of the book. Old yeller 1956 is a beloved childrens novel about a boy, travis coates, and his heroic dog, old yeller. And old yeller is just as rough n tumble, just as slobbery sweet, just as beautiful as i remember it being. Travis, the young boy who comes to love old yeller. With dorothy mcguire, fess parker, tommy kirk, jeff york. It is the work for which author fred gipson is best known, and disney successfully adapted the story to the big screen. This is a quick book summary of old yeller by fred gipson. I give it five stars for being easy to read and heart. Not long after the end of the civil war, a young family settles in a community called salt licks, texas. So, all last week our hard working book club members have scrubbed floors and babysat and ironed linens. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of old yeller by fred gipson. See more ideas about dogs, old yeller and i love dogs. The title is taken from the name of the yellow dog who is the center of the books story.
The film is based upon the 1956 newbery honorwinning book of the same name by fred gipson. Its about friendship, and how tough people used to be. Plus, if you send me a gmail and tell me the climax of old yeller and i will give you two extra credit points. Old yeller is a 1956 novel by american author fred gibson 19081973. Old yeller is a coming of age novel set in 1860s texas that details the relationship between the. Old yeller is not a fantasy novel, nor is it a true account. The disney adaptation is just as well known as the book, possibly more so. In the movie old yeller 1957, the dog old yeller is bitten by a rabid wolf. Old yeller is an exemplary coming of age tale, packing an emotional wallop through smart pacing and a keen understanding of the elemental bonding between humanity and. Favorite quotes from old yeller 1956 by fred gipson.
When a runaway dog named old yeller causes damage in one of their fields, travis tries to drive him away. Since its publication in 1956, old yeller has won countless awards, including the 1957 newbery honor. When the fourteenyearold is suddenly thrust into the role of head of the household, he has to deal with inner. As travis and the brave and faithful dog grow closer, concern grows about an outbreak of rabies. In the end, travis father returns and travis takes arliss and the new pup hunting. The novel is a newbery honor book 1957 and won many awards over the following decade. Old yeller by fred gipson book summary minute book report. Old yeller is a coming of age story about a boy named travis and his family living in salt lick, texas in the 1860s. He said that hed come from down san antonio way with a little bunch of cattle that he was grazing over in the devils river country. Trivia this song was featured in the third disc of the music of disney.
Old yeller ends up saving the life not only of travis from wild hogs but also of mama and lisbeth bud searcys granddaughter, who is left at the farm to help mama while travis recovers from his wounds. I didnt notice in the book but in the film hes absolutely gleeful whenever old yeller is attacking another animal and very trigger happy when things arent going his way. Its a newbery honorwinning novel about a mangy, rascal of a stray dog named old yeller and the coates family, who adopts old yeller while their father is off on a cattle drive. And then, of course, theres the legendary ending, when old yeller must be put out of his misery. Old yeller whole book test 65 questions choose the correct answer for each question. The three main characters of fred gipsons enduring novel, old yeller, are members of the coates family. For the disney film based on the book, see old yeller film. Old yeller fights with wolves, a bear, and wild pigs. For example, one of his first lines is a threat to break jumpers jaw and he threatens to shoot yeller three or four times. This tale is perfect for ages ten and up, but out of bounds for the light hearted. A legacy in song and in the vhs, disney sing along songs. In the months leading up to the fateful showdown, several cases of rabies had been reported in the area around the coate familys farm. They decided that in honor of old yeller, and countless deserving animals just like him, they would like to help animals at a local shelter.
Old yeller by fred gipson harpercollins publishers. One day, a rabid wolf showed up on the farm, threatening to attack the family. This story comes to a tragic ending, find out what it is when you read old yeller, by fred gibson. While trying to rope the wild pigs, travis falls and gets attacked by one of the animals, who bites and stabs at his leg, leaving him injured and bloody. Written primarily for teens and young adults in 1956 by fred gipson old yeller is a difficult book to categorize. Old yeller is a 1957 american drama film produced by walt disney. It stars tommy kirk, dorothy mcguire, fess parker, and beverly washburn. Travis coates may take a step toward manhood when he shoots his loyal companion with a shotgun, but when we watched the classic 1957 film, we didnt mature at all. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. As in the ending of the disney film old yeller, where the young boy puts a bullet between the eyes of his beloved pooch whos gone rabid or old or something. The film is based upon the 1956 newbery honorwinning book of the same. Jim coates fess parker, his wife katie dorothy mcguire and two sons, travis tommy kirk and arliss kevin corcoran, have a pretty good start on things, but are lacking money, except some minor amounts of useless confederate money. The book focuses on a boy who becomes best friends with a dog old yeller.
However, travis and katie both warm to old yeller when he saves arliss from a bear attack. A teenage boy grows to love a stray yellow dog while helping his mother and younger brother run their texas homestead while their father is away on a cattle drive. The tragic, rabiesinfested ending to old yeller is so famous that a firsttime viewer might feel prepared for it. Favorite quotes from old yeller 1956 by fred gipson thoughtco. The big, ugly, yellow dog showed up out of nowhere one night and stole a whole side of hanging pork, and when travis went for him the next morning that dog started yelling. Old yeller fred gipsons 1956 old yeller is a classic, iconic book and movie. If youre like me, you have probably read the book old yeller. When his father sets out on a cattle drive toward kansas for the summer, fourteenyearold travis coates is left to take care of his family and their farm. It was adapted for the screen by screenwriter william tunberg. In the middle of the book the families bull got in a fight with another bull and it looked like they where going to tear there house down but old yeller jumped into action stopping the bulls in there tracks and then in the next few chapters old yeller gets into some trouble with other animals like horses. Our book club group has a soft side and they love to help others.
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. Here is an alternate version of how old yeller ends. Collectible little golden book d65 of this beloved story without the sad ending, adapted from the orig. With old yeller, fred gipson secured his place as one of the finest novelists in america. Yes, though it made a truly sad ending to the story, it was necessary to kill him. Though the very end is bittersweet as the family adopts old yellers puppy son. A timeless american classic and one of the most beloved childrens 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. I just recently read old yeller for a book report and i enjoyed it greatly. On the one hand its a western novel about a familys efforts to build a homestead for themselves in the wilds of postcivil war texas. Travis is fourteen years old and yearns to be a man.
Even people who have never read old yeller or watched the movie adapted from the book know the story for its climax. At first, travis couldnt stand the sight of old yeller. Old yeller by fred gipson meet your next favorite book. Buy a cheap copy of old yeller book by fred gipson. The movies ending has become as famous as any other in film history. Old yeller read online free book by fred gipson in epub,txt.
Gipson also cowrote the screenplay along with william tunberg. Old yeller hc9780060935474 when a novel like huckleberry finn, or the yearling, comes along it defies customary adjectives because of the intensity of the. The book was published to instant acclaim and has become one of the most beloved childrens classics ever written. The main conflict, or problem, in old yeller concerns traviss inner maturation. First thought to be goodfornothing mutt, old yeller is soon beloved by all. Old yeller and the homeschool book club homeschool. Old yeller is a good book because the book is about a 14 year old boy named thomas.
He was a young man who rode a good horse and was mighty nice and polite about taking his hat off to mama when he dismounted in front of our cabin. The vocals for the finale have been rerecorded to coincide with the lyrics with have been slightly changed for unknown reasons. In his fight with a mad wolf, old yeller is believed to have contracted hydrophobia rabies. Then in the next chapter old yeller helps the boy mark some wild hogs. Old yeller kindle edition by gipson, fred, steven polson. This is a very good and really sad book i was crying at the end. It is about a boy and a stray dog in postcivil war texas. O ld yeller is possibly the saddest, yet greatest classic of all time. One part meant that his short hair was a dingy yellow, a color that we called yeller in those days. Reading practice, literacy skills, vocabulary practice.