1995. Audio Renaissance Tapes.
Written By Fred Gipson.
THE BELOVED TALE OF A FAMILY CARVING OUT A NEW LIFE
ON THE AMERICAN FRONTIER

Read By Barry Corbin.

They made a home on Birdsong Creek, back in the 1860's, out in the Texas wilderness where a man and a woman could build a dream. These were people who took their joy, their courage, their greatness from the land. There was Ma and Pa and little Arliss - and Travis, the fourteen year old whose father had left him to take care of things, and protect his mother and small brother while Pa was away driving a herd of cattle up to Abilene. It was a hard work: plowing, chopping wood, tending the garden, hunting for food, and trying to keep Arliss in line.

It was too big a job for a boy to do alone. It took that boy and a big, ugly, yellow dog who showed up out of nowhere one night - a dog that would bring them love and laughter and, in the end, a terrible headache.

Old Yeller is more than just an account of a boy's love for his dog, more than just a tale of frontier life. It is a powerful journey into the heart and emotions of a boy faced with decisions that lift him from childhood to manhood. Evocative, touching, powerful - Old Yeller is a classic tale of challenge, adventure and love.

"Actor Barry Corbin is a narrator par excellence in this familiar story of love between a boy and a dog. His timing and inflection are perfect, and his Texas accent lends authenticity and a touch of humor to the narration."
- School Library Journal, 1995.

"A moving segment of earlier frontier days."
- Kirkus Reviews, 1995.

Actor Barry Corbin gives this classic story of an ugly, yellow stray dog a first-rate reading. Corbin's smooth, even-paced delivery and warm, friendly tone reflect the adventure, fun, and love shared by Old Yeller and 14-year-old Travis, and he thoughtfully communicates the heartbreak that comes when Travis must kill the loyal dog, who has been bitten by a rabid wolf. The abridgment is done well. The plot remains intact. What's missing is a small amount of the narrative that gives a strong sense of early frontier days in the Texas wilderness. This animal story is a good choice for families prepared to cry, as well as to laugh, together.
- C.R.A. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine