Colin Powell's Where The Red Fern Grows

In Where the Red Fern Grows Billy is aspiring to get some coon dogs, but Billy is too poor. “A dream doesn't become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination, and hard work.” What Colin Powell is telling us is that if we strive we can achieve our dreams. In the beginning of the book, Billy really wanted some good coon dogs, but his parents couldn’t afford it and would rather buy a mule with that kind of money. “Billy struggled for the next 2 years to get the money” after he found the magazine the fishermen left. “Each dog was $25” so all together $50. (But in our days it was really $500) Billy had asked God for help and he only let his grandpa in on this plan and grandpa helped him get the coons. When Billy was getting ready to leave the town a gang of boys beat him up, but then the marshall saved him. The marshall asked “Did you buy those dogs yourself? Or did your daddy pay for them?” The marshal was surprised by Billy's commitment to getting that $50. All that toiling, all the hard work paid off, because he got a lot of money from selling the raccoon fur.

Billy got tired, but when his grandfather gave him the encouragement he kept going until he got that tree down and that was the first coon he caught with Little Ann and Old Dan. Even his dogs were engaged they snuck out at night when Billy went home and they stayed in that tree. Billy finally cut down the tree by asking God for help. Billy’s grandpa said “Every boy should cut down a tree like this big one. It’ll teach them discipline and control.” Billy will work for something that he really wants and will keep working at it until he gets