Fred Gipson cemented his reputation as one of America's best novelists with Old Yeller. The book was met with immediate acclaim and has since gone on to become one of the most well-known children's classics ever written. Old Yeller has won numerous honors since its release in 1956, including the 1957 Newbery Honor. Further works by Gipson include both fiction and nonfiction. In 1973, he died in the Texas hill area where he grew up.