Harris Finds His Feet "Rayner, Catherine"

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Winner of the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal 2009

Harris was a very small hare with very big feet.
"Why do I have such enormous feet, Grandad?" Harris sighed.

So Grandad shows Harris how to hop high into the sky, to climb to the tops of the mountains and to run very fast. Harris not only learns about the world around him but also the importance of finding his own feet . . .

A beautiful and remarkable story of a child's journey to independence.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

School Library Journal Review

PreS-Gr 1-Harris asks his granddad why he has such enormous feet, and the whiskery old hare takes him on a series of adventures that show the youngster what he can do with them. Their outing includes joyous hopping "to the top of the world," contented digging, and life-preserving running (from a wolf in the distance), and end when worn-out Grandad leaves Harris to go forth on his own. The tale, told completely in spreads with one short block of text to each one, suffers from a lack of momentum, narrative tension, and a satisfying conclusion. Also, the absence of detail in either foreground or background art, suggesting to some the openness of the countryside, may give others the impression of wasted space. The screen print, watercolor, and ink illustrations, though lovely and evocative, don't do enough to make up for what the writing leaves out. Rayner's Augustus and His Smile (Good Bks., 2006) gives children a glimpse of this artist and illustrator's vast talent.-Lisa Egly Lehmuller, St. Patrick's Catholic School, Charlotte, NC (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Booklist Review

Little hare Harris wonders why he has such huge feet. With Granddad's guidance, though, he starts to learn what he, and his feet, can do: bounce high, dig cool spots on hot days, and run fast as fast from potential danger. Soon, Harris is ready to explore new places on his own, confident that his big, strong feet can take him to the end of the world and back home again. In descriptive prose that incorporates dialogue and word repetition, Rayner portrays a child's familiar challenges and rewards as he faces beginning independence. The noteworthy color-washed, textured illustrations emphasize Harris' supportive, affectionate family relationships and range in mood from the whimsical (Harris using his feet as sun shades) to the dramatic (Harris facing the looming shadow of a wolf). Charmingly illustrated, this affirming story, with its expressive rabbit characters, will encourage kids to explore their own talents and the wider world with confidence.--Rosenfeld, Shelle Copyright 2008 Booklist

Horn Book Review

Harris, a young hare, wonders why his feet are so enormous. With gentle guidance, Harris's wise grandad helps him discover that the biggest feet can hop the highest, climb the farthest, and run the fastest. Spare (and occasionally sentimental) text coupled with unassuming watercolor and ink illustrations underscore the legacy of knowledge and the message of finding one's own way. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.

Kirkus Book Review

A grandfather hare takes a frisky youngster on an odyssey of (self-)discovery. Sitting in a grassy field, brown Harris the hare bemoans his enormous feet. His gray Granddad appears, seemingly out of thin air and, hopping high in the sky, offers to show Harris why his feet are so large. Abruptly, they're off on a long-distance journey. Across a brown desert, through a green plain, staring up at the sky where a skein of birds is flying and lying in the tall grass listening to the insects, Granddad teaches him how to explore the world, and to love it. His big feet are his passport. Then, "It's your turn to run," says Granddad, leaving as quickly as he came. Rayner's text is minimal and poetic; her watercolors are both beautiful and quirky, with warm colors and offbeat perspectives that emphasize Harris's prodigious feet. A lovely lesson delivered with a deft touch. (Picture book. 3-6) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.