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Library | Call Number | Status |
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Summary
Summary
Meet Harry. He is the best friend a little rabbit could have. But no one else can see Harry, so Little Rabbit is extra careful to look out for him. He makes sure Harry gets plenty of cookies, no brussels sprouts, and absolutely no baths. Then Little Rabbit starts school, and he discovers that friendships change. Luckily, the best sorts of friends always know just when they're needed.
Sisters Kate and Sarah Klise have created a profoundly sweet, emotionally true story about growing up, starting school, and the beauty of having a best friend (imaginary or not).
Author Notes
Kate Klise is the author of many punny and funny middle grade novels, including all of the books in the popular 43 Old Cemetery Road series. She has also written a number of picture books and young adult novels. Ms. Klise lives in Norwood, Missouri. For more information about Kate, visit www.kateandsarahklise.com. M. Sarah Klise illustrates picture books and middle grade novels with a graphic twist. She also teaches art to children and adults in the Bay Area in California. For more information about Sarah, visit www.kateandsarahklise.com.
Reviews (5)
School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1-Little Rabbit and his imaginary best friend do everything together until the youngster starts school. While Harry's status is never explicitly stated, he is represented by a blank space, and the bunny's friends call him "Imagine Harry." The text strikes a balance between humor and understanding without patronizing Little Rabbit. His mother is good-natured about her son's request for two lemonades and four cookies so that he can share with his companion, but her patience begins to wears thin after he says he cannot go to bed, wash his hair, or eat Brussels sprouts because of Harry. As Little Rabbit adjusts to school and his life begins to fill up with new friends and activities, Harry fades away until one day he is startled to realize that he has not seen his imaginary playmate in weeks. The acrylic illustrations reflect the gradual change, as the empty spaces become less prominent and eventually disappear. Warm tones of apricot, blue, and brown infuse the pictures, reinforcing the themes of acceptance and love. Detailed settings emphasize the importance of home and school in the rabbit's life, such as multiple family photos hanging on the walls. The family is composed of himself and his mother, a fact that is never mentioned but will be appreciated by single parents looking for books that reflect their own lives. Make room on the shelf for this warm, funny story.-Suzanne Myers Harold, Multnomah County Library System, Portland, OR (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Third in the Little Rabbit series, Imagine Harry by Kate Klise, illus. by M. Sarah Klise once again taps a rich emotional vein, as the precocious long-eared hero weans himself from his imaginary friend Harry and makes the transition to the world of school. As Little Rabbit gets caught up in the excitement of school, Harry begins to fade from his consciousness. (Harcourt, $16 32p ages 3-7 ISBN 978-0-15-205704-6; June) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Horn Book Review
(Preschool, Primary) The sisters Klise, creators of two previous books about Little Rabbit (Shall I Knit You a Hat? and Why Do You Cry?), here introduce readers to his best friend, Harry. Little Rabbit may be the only one who can see Harry, but the two are inseparable. When Little Rabbit has a snack, Harry needs cookies, too; for Harry's sake, Little Rabbit declines smelly Brussels sprouts at dinner. Following her son's lead, Mother Rabbit plays along with and encourages him (even when ""Harry [starts] to wear out his welcome""). Things inevitably change when Little Rabbit and Harry begin school. More and more, Harry stays in the background while Little Rabbit makes new friends. One day Little Rabbit realizes ""he hadn't seen Harry in weeks."" This quiet, comfortably familiar story is brought to life by Sarah Klise's fanciful acrylic paintings. The fetching all-animal cast is set against sherbet-colored backgrounds and the warmly lit interiors of the Rabbit home. The final wistful image sums it all up: Little Rabbit may have moved on, but he hasn't forgotten his first best friend. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
Kirkus Review
Little Rabbit has an imaginary best friend named Harry, but what will Harry do when Little Rabbit goes to school? Little Rabbit loves playing with Harry in winter snow, rolling down the hill with Harry in the spring grass and climbing trees with Harry in the summer. A very sympathetic and understanding Mother Rabbit patiently supplies Harry with his own lemonade and cookies, lets Little Rabbit stay up past his bedtime to keep Harry company and even tolerates it when Little Rabbit refuses to eat his Brussels sprouts. But she warns Little Rabbit that when he starts school in the fall, Harry won't be able to have his own desk and will have to be quiet. When school starts, Harry is so quiet that as Little Rabbit makes new friends and becomes involved in school activities, Harry gradually disappears. And that's okay. Humorous acrylic illustrations chronicle Little Rabbit's escapades with and without his imaginary playmate as he makes the transition from life with Harry to life with real friends in this amiable homage to the invisible playmate. (Picture book. 3-7) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
*Starred Review* Most people have heard of Harvey the rabbit, Elwood P. Dowd's invisible pal. Here, the protagonist, Little Rabbit, has an invisible friend named Harry. They have all the usual fun, and Mother makes sure she gives Harry the requisite number of cookies and doesn't accidentally sit on him. When Little Rabbit starts school, Harry, comes too. One day, during a particularly fun music class, Harry tells Little Rabbit that he's going to take a nap. When Mother later asks Little Rabbit where Harry is, Little Rabbit admits with surprise that his friend has moved away. In words and art, this strikes just the right chord. The gentle yet witty text captures the importance of imaginary friends in a young child's life, even as it reinforces the idea that they disappear when no longer needed. The message plays out in beautifully crafted acrylic paintings that create a child's whole world days both snowy and sunny, all kinds of friends, a household with scattered toys, and a warm mother-son relationship. The ending is nostalgic but true to a child's understanding.--Cooper, Ilene Copyright 2007 Booklist