Old Yeller

This book is definitely a tearjerker, and you might want to hold off on letting your child read this until they’re ready for their first sad dog book. This follows Travis Coates, who finds Old Yeller, a dog named both for his color and the sound of his bark, stealing meat from the smokehouse. Despite Old Yeller’s plentiful faults, including his thieving habits, Travis and his family grow to love the dog for his bravery and unshakable loyalty. This is a sweet but ultimately sad story, as Travis ends up having to shoot Old Yeller because he has hydrophobia and is suffering. This is also a good book to read with your child, because they can process the sadder elements of the book with you instead of alone. If your child liked this book, Wilson Rawls’ “Where the Red Fern Grows” is a story with a similar feeling and setting.