Stone Fox is a really big indian with beautiful Samoyeds for sled dogs. Grandfather is often playful and he is responsible for Little Willy. Little Willy lives on a potato farm with his grandfather and a dog named Searchlight. Little Willy is a boy who is 10 years old.

The main characters are Little Willy, grandfather and Stone Fox. While this story is mainly for younger kids, 'Stone Fox' is still an enjoyable 'boy and his dog' story for all ages.I read the book Stone Fox by John Reynolds Gardiner. The ending is quite sad, but Willie carries Searchlight over the finish line and wins the race, and assumedly his grandfather gets better since the taxes can be paid. In a surprising turn of events, Stone Fox helps his challenger Willie and graciously concedes the race to Willie. Willie urges Searchlight on, but she drops dead just ten feet from the finish line. But in the final stretch, Stone Fox comes in neck and neck with Willie. Searchlight knows the trail so well that she doesn't even have to slow down on the corners so both of them make good progress during the race. The day of the race comes, and despite nobody even wagering any money on Willie and Searchlight, they have a good start. Nobody in the small town believes that Willie has any hopes at all of winning especially with Stone Fox and seven other contestants in the race.

Stone Fox has a reputation as a fierce person, but nobody knows really what he's like much since he refuses to talk to anyone. Their competition is a Native American called 'Stone Fox.' Stone Fox has never lost a race with his five powerful Samoyed sled dogs. Even though she is not a true sled dog nor has she raced before, Willie thinks that they both have a chance as a team since she knows the trail so well and because he is so small and light. Willie knows one way to get $500 even though it's highly unlikely: enter the National Dogsled Races with Searchlight, his dog. Then Willie learns the answer when the tax man comes and tells them that they owe over ten years worth of back taxes - well over $500 that must be paid very soon, or he will have to take the farm. Willie is puzzled - what is making his grandfather so depressed?

Willie thinks it is because of the harvest, but his grandfather still won't come back to normal even after a good harvest. According to the doctor, Willie's grandfather is deeply depressed and has just given up on living.

Willie enjoys living with his grandfather, but one day, his grandfather stays in bed and won't get up and won't talk. Ten year old Little Willie happily lives with his grandfather and his dog Searchlight on a potato farm in Wyoming.

Stone fox by john reynolds gardiner