Rogers, Lisa. Woody’s Words: Woodrow Wilson Rawls and Where the Red Fern Grows. Susan Reagan, Illus. Calkins Creek, 09/2025. [32]pp. Biography. Trade $18.99. 978-1-6626-8029-8. GRADES 2–5. OUTSTANDING.
Although Wilson Rawls did not publish many books, he is a memorable figure in children’s literature because of Where the Red Fern Grows (Doubleday, 1961). This picture book biography contains an exemplary text that conveys both the facts about Rawls’s life of poverty on Cherokee land along with his emotional experience as a writer and his need to tell stories. Quotes from Rawls are gracefully woven into the text, adding authenticity and emotion. The dramatic watercolor illustrations offer further details, showing the Depression-era rural environment that Rawls grew up in, as well as his later years, where he often visited classrooms to speak to children about his books. Back matter includes a few photos of Rawls and his wife, an author’s note with more information and comments from his nephew and nieces, and a detailed bibliography.
Penny Peck—San José State University iSchool