Hound and Hare
Groundwood Books
Age 5-7, 8-12
80 pages
written and illustrated by Rotraut Susanne Berner
Synopsis from Groundwood Books:
Hounds and hares are like cats and mice. At least, that’s the way it is in Great Bone, a little village beside the river. Harley Hare and Hugo Hound see each other at school every day, and they’re interested in the same things. But they never talk to each other. Why? Because the Hare and Hound families can’t stand one another. When the annual Big Race takes place on the meadow, Harley and Hugo find themselves racing neck to neck, until a terrible thunderstorm breaks out. Hugo is terrified of the storm and the lightning. Harley panics when they discover they are lost. It turns out that between them, they know just what to do. And, working together, they not only save themselves, but become heroes of the day as well.
Hound and Hare is sort of a cross between a picture book and an early chapter book. Each page consists of large pastel coloured pictures with a few lines of text below. The story is involving, broken into 5 chapters: Harley and Hugo, The Big Race, The Storm, Lost and A New Custom.
Sometimes kids inherit our misguided beliefs like Harley and Hugo have inherited from their own families. However, a child’s inquisitive nature about everything makes him question things we take for granted or have treated as the norm. Hound and Hare does a great job illustrating how we should be open to someone else’s differences; sometimes those differences can benefit you. By Hugo and Harley looking past their family’s prejudices, they develop a new friendship and force their families to re-examine their own judgements. And this lesson is done in a fun, non-preachy way.
You can add Hound and Hare to your personal library by visiting your local book store or visiting Groundwood Books.. Visit our Kid’s Books section for other great book recommendations. What are you reading with your kids?
I have to thank Trish at Groundwood Books for my review copy.
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