Big Red Series by Jim Kjelgaard

Before Old Yeller or Where the Red Fern Grows, there was Big Red, the classic boy-and-dog story of adventure and friendship in the wild mountains of Pennsylvania.Danny, a trapper's son, knows more about the woods, trapping, and hunting than he does about the big city or dog shows, but when Red's owner sees seventeen-year-old Danny's love for the dog, he entrusts the boy with training the champion Irish Setter... moreBefore Old Yeller or Where the Red Fern Grows, there was Big Red, the classic boy-and-dog story of adventure and friendship in the wild mountains of Pennsylvania.Danny, a trapper's son, knows more about the woods, trapping, and hunting than he does about the big city or dog shows, but when Red's owner sees seventeen-year-old Danny's love for the dog, he entrusts the boy with training the champion Irish Setter.Filled with heart, and loved by young readers for decades, this timeless classic thrills with backwoods adventure as Danny and Red challenge Old Majesty, the biggest, most dangerous bear of the Wintapi, meet the challenges of the wild country, compete in championship dog shows, and become best friends.Bob Kuhn, the award-winning wildlife illustrator, contributes black-and-white drawings that open each chapter.This much-loved classic is great for kids who love dogs, adventure, and the outdoors, plus it's a great read aloud showing the value of courage, friendship, and overcoming adversity. less

For all his champion Irish setter blood, Mike was a misfit. Danny Pickett and his father tried everything to train him, but it was the pup himself who finally proved that he was a champion.

He was Sean, a champion, the biggest, handsomest son of Big Red, the famous Irish setter. Bursting with hunting instincts, he fretted under his pampered kennel life, and longed for the wilds. Then suddenly his life changed. He found himself on his own in the Wintapi wilderness, lost, his human protectors gone. An outlaw, he was hunted and shot at by the hill men... moreHe was Sean, a champion, the biggest, handsomest son of Big Red, the famous Irish setter. Bursting with hunting instincts, he fretted under his pampered kennel life, and longed for the wilds. Then suddenly his life changed. He found himself on his own in the Wintapi wilderness, lost, his human protectors gone. An outlaw, he was hunted and shot at by the hill men. How Sean learned to survive amidst constant danger, how he challenged a coyote killer to save his mate, is a stirring tale of bravery and an exciting wilderness adventure. It is also the heartwarming story of another unwilling outlaw—the boy who loved Sean and wanted him for his own. less