Sounder

This powerful Newbery-winning classic tells the story of the great coon dog Sounder and his family. 

An African American boy and his family rarely have enough to eat. Each night, the boy's father takes their dog, Sounder, out to look for food. The man grows more desperate by the day.

When food suddenly appears on the table one morning, it seems like a blessing. But the sheriff and his deputies are not far behind. The ever-loyal Sounder remains determined to help the family he loves as hard times bear down.

This classic novel shows the courage, love, and faith that bind a family together despite the racism and inhumanity they face in the nineteenth-century deep South.

Readers who enjoy timeless dog stories such as Old Yeller and Where the Red Fern Grows will find much to love in Sounder, even as they read through tears at times.

• A Heartbreaking Dog Story: When his father is arrested, the loyal dog Sounder is grievously wounded by a shotgun blast, leaving the boy to face his family’s hardship alone.
• Historical Fiction for Young Readers: Set in the nineteenth-century deep South, this novel unflinchingly explores the world of a sharecropper family confronting systemic poverty and injustice.
• A Test of Family Bonds: After his father is taken away, a young boy embarks on a years-long search through prisons and labor camps, holding onto hope and his deep love for his family.
• The Power of Reading: A chance encounter with a kind teacher and a discarded book opens up a new world, offering the boy a path forward through his grief and loneliness.