Judd’s name

Dear Phyllis Reynolds Naylor,
My 4th grade class in Ohio just read Shiloh and watched the movie.It was a great movie and book.In the end of the movie I cried happy tears. How old was Shiloh? It was an amazing movie and story.It is my favorite book and movie.Where did you get the name Judd Travers from?I loved it!

Phyllis replied:

The real dog who inspired the Shiloh books was around twelve years old when she died, we believe.  (It was really a female dog).  I spent a lot of time deciding on Judd’s name.  I didn’t want it to be a common name that a lot of boys might have.