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Song of the Golden Hare
The boy knows his family is special; for centuries they have been guardians of the beautiful, magical Golden Hares, keeping them safe and secret from the rest of the world.
So the boy and his sister watch and follow the hares, and one day they are rewarded by an extraordinary once-in-a-lifetime experience. They witness the competition for the new queen of the Golden Hares, in which each young female must sing to win the crown, and the old queen must then make her perilous last journey to the island of the Golden Hares. When the children hear the hares sing, they are spellbound and their hearts are bound to the hares for ever.
But others are searching for the Golden Hares, with hounds and evil intentions. As the hunters close in on the old queen, the boy and his sister find themselves singing the hares’ magical music. Is it possible that the hares can be saved by the Song of the Golden Hare?
So the boy and his sister watch and follow the hares, and one day they are rewarded by an extraordinary once-in-a-lifetime experience. They witness the competition for the new queen of the Golden Hares, in which each young female must sing to win the crown, and the old queen must then make her perilous last journey to the island of the Golden Hares. When the children hear the hares sing, they are spellbound and their hearts are bound to the hares for ever.
But others are searching for the Golden Hares, with hounds and evil intentions. As the hunters close in on the old queen, the boy and his sister find themselves singing the hares’ magical music. Is it possible that the hares can be saved by the Song of the Golden Hare?
40 pages, Hardcover
First published November 12, 2013
3 people are currently reading
267 people want to read
About the author
Jackie Morris
124 books456 followersJackie Morris lives in a small house on the Welsh coast. She wanted to be an artist from the earliest she could remember. After studying art at Hereford and Bath Academy she went on to illustrate for magazines and newspapers. She began her first book for children the week after her first child, Thomas was born and has gone on to illustrate and write many books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
March 11, 2014
Caveat: This book was a birthday gift to me from the author/illustrator, so it is bound to be extra sparkling in my eyes.
A lavishly illustrated and charming tale of the golden hare queen, of those who would kill her for her pelt, and those who would protect her.
Picture book such as this hold a special place in my heart. The words flow, so important in a book that will be read aloud to children, and the illustrations have the sort of details that prompt that, "Wait, I'm not finished seeing this," response from listeners.
This book is a keeper, one that will be read by and to and by again as the older grand children will want to share it with the younger ones.
A lavishly illustrated and charming tale of the golden hare queen, of those who would kill her for her pelt, and those who would protect her.
Picture book such as this hold a special place in my heart. The words flow, so important in a book that will be read aloud to children, and the illustrations have the sort of details that prompt that, "Wait, I'm not finished seeing this," response from listeners.
This book is a keeper, one that will be read by and to and by again as the older grand children will want to share it with the younger ones.
October 10, 2022
My rating is solely for the beautiful illustrated renderings of the natural world by Jackie Morris.
The story is good, but I would have LOVED more mystical and folklore elements, since the Golden Hare is unique to Ireland and is a mystical animal to the Celts; a symbol of abundance, prosperity, good fortune, and believed to have connections to the Otherworld. It would have been a great opportunity to blend those elements into the story that was unfortunately missed.
Still, if you love art and the natural world, you just may enjoy this book too.
The story is good, but I would have LOVED more mystical and folklore elements, since the Golden Hare is unique to Ireland and is a mystical animal to the Celts; a symbol of abundance, prosperity, good fortune, and believed to have connections to the Otherworld. It would have been a great opportunity to blend those elements into the story that was unfortunately missed.
Still, if you love art and the natural world, you just may enjoy this book too.
December 21, 2015
The art is lovely, but the story does not live up to the promise of the illustrations. Rather forcedly poetic.
April 8, 2020
I didn’t really like this one too much. The kids didn’t seem interested either. The illustrations were the best part.
December 17, 2024
This book made me feel childlike wonder and for that it will be special to me.
December 9, 2017
Sooo wonderful! I loved the tale and the illustrations were magical!
April 3, 2021
Obviously Jackie Morris’s illustrations are gorgeous, but I felt the writing read a bit clunkily.
For optimal both read the Lost Words.
For optimal both read the Lost Words.
October 14, 2023
A brief fable-styled fantasy from someone who really knows their way around doing such, and with watercoloured art alongside. Here some people are alone in their community for caring for the hares and not hunting them – especially the golden one at the centre of the hare world. But her time as such is coming to an end, and she needs protecting on the way to her forever land – once, that is, she has managed to find a mate suitable, and produced the next generation of golden hares. There always seem to be pluses and minuses to Ms Morris books – whatever of the many, many editions of each you choose. She certainly knows what she is doing, but the artwork will always convince it's not by the author, for it always seems to fail to portray the scene literally. Here, we get talk of children doing this and that when they're completely out of the frame. The animals when they take centre stage have the dynamism and life you'd expect, but always a stilted kind of forced pose, having the same sort of thousand yard stare as the humans. Still, what she does is provide an immediacy with her animal, fantasy worlds, and her quickly-read books are fine, even if they convey that kind of 'Like This, It's Good For You!' approach some will find off-putting. Three and a half stars – and I know I should appreciate it more, but I can only report what this author has left me with on multiple occasions, this feeling that others might see virtues I can't fully.
April 10, 2026
He had always known that his family was special. While others in the village would hunt the hares with fierce, swift hounds, his grandfather would seek out orphaned leverets, raise them until they were strong and then set them free, back into the wild land.
Well this is a rather spectacular charity shop find. Not only is the story a beautiful, nature based, fairy tale, we have managed to find a signed first edition which also has a cute hare illustration by the author.
The golden hare is a thing of myth and legend. Locals wants to trap and skin it, seeking fame and fortune, but one family go against the grain and prefer to help the hares, rescuing abandoned and orphaned babies. The story follows them as the season of the hare approaches.
Enchanting and beautifully illustrated. 4 1/2 stars.
Well this is a rather spectacular charity shop find. Not only is the story a beautiful, nature based, fairy tale, we have managed to find a signed first edition which also has a cute hare illustration by the author.
The golden hare is a thing of myth and legend. Locals wants to trap and skin it, seeking fame and fortune, but one family go against the grain and prefer to help the hares, rescuing abandoned and orphaned babies. The story follows them as the season of the hare approaches.
Enchanting and beautifully illustrated. 4 1/2 stars.
January 19, 2021
A made-up folk tale about hares.
One family takes care of hares (rescuing orphaned leverets) while everyone around them shoots the hares.
There's a story that periodically, the queen hare (who is golden) retires after holding a contest to select an heir.
The heir is selected via a singing contest.
When all the hares start moving, the brother and sister leave to chase the hares. They stand as witness to the ceremony and then protect the queen as she leaves for the island where she will live out her days.
The boy and girl are followed by a hidden hunter, who turns out to be two dogs.
One family takes care of hares (rescuing orphaned leverets) while everyone around them shoots the hares.
There's a story that periodically, the queen hare (who is golden) retires after holding a contest to select an heir.
The heir is selected via a singing contest.
When all the hares start moving, the brother and sister leave to chase the hares. They stand as witness to the ceremony and then protect the queen as she leaves for the island where she will live out her days.
The boy and girl are followed by a hidden hunter, who turns out to be two dogs.
March 13, 2021
Absolutely beautiful. Of course Jackies illustrations are just stunning as always. You can really feel the movement in the animals and there are always little added extras to find.
The story itself is just wonderful! Hares are such mystical and beautiful creatures and the fact that these two innocent children are able to help them is fabulous.
If you haven’t read this you really must
The story itself is just wonderful! Hares are such mystical and beautiful creatures and the fact that these two innocent children are able to help them is fabulous.
If you haven’t read this you really must
January 19, 2021
Very folktale-like, but we spend a lot of time not seeing the narrator, his sister, or his grandfather (which feels pretty weird at the beginning!), and then it's easy to miss the human hunter in favor of the dogs at the end.
January 3, 2022
I just went back to reread the Song of the Golden Hare. And I am glad I did, because there is such magic in the text and the images and the story told.
There is unity in all beings, big or small, human or animal or plant or stone.
There is unity in all beings, big or small, human or animal or plant or stone.
June 10, 2024
Not my favorite of Jackie Morris's work. The story doesn't flow well. The illustrations are beautiful.
My thanks to the publisher for providing this eARC via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review!
My thanks to the publisher for providing this eARC via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review!
July 23, 2017
Beautifully written and illustrated. A fantastic tale.
May 1, 2020
Such a gentle, quiet book. One to be read slowly, the illustrations pored over, and to take a moment to savour the peace.
July 20, 2021
Beautifully illustrated: the creatures distinguishable yet with a romantic feel and full of personality.
November 1, 2021
The illustrations in this book are utterly enchanting and its formation of beautiful literature matching. A beautiful childrens night time read!
December 13, 2021
I found this incredibly and immersive. Borrowed from the library for my son but got sucked in to the world of the story, I've never really thought about hares before..
July 21, 2022
Lovely illustrations. The story is strong and delivers a massage that is part ecology and part mythology.
October 28, 2022
The illustrations are beautiful!
The writing was okay.
The writing was okay.
July 7, 2024
I will buy anything Jackie Morris does. End of story. <3
December 22, 2024
Beautiful artwork and story.
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
July 22, 2025
5/5 for the art work, it’s beautiful
February 15, 2021
This is one amazing reading experience, where text and pictures come together and build something each of them on their own could not do.
Highly recommended. For any age.
Highly recommended. For any age.
May 8, 2014
The paintings, are marvelously rendered. They made me want to go home and pull out my paints even though I know I wouldn't get anywhere near the same results.
On first reading, the story was lovely. A fable of a golden hare who is queen of the hares. But on closer readings, I found the characters to be a bit flat, and I was sad for the mother of the children who had never heard the hare's song. I wanted to know more about all the characters - especially the hare that the grandfather raises.
When the children rush to follow the hares, the text mentions that someone else also follows - but I couldn't find anyone in the painting (which distressed me as a reader, I wondered if I was missing something), and this particular storyline seems to flap around in the wind for a while until the end when the author remembers there has to be some conflict - the old queen can't just go on her merry way.
I'm also concerned about the children staying to watch over the newly formed hare couple. It seems as if they don't go home the entire time of the queen's pregnancy. I'm not sure, the story was mum on this point.
The feel of the story was just the feel you want in a fable or folk tale. Something special is happening to ordinary people who do their best to keep everything working correctly. All in all, I did enjoy the story. I just wanted more.
On first reading, the story was lovely. A fable of a golden hare who is queen of the hares. But on closer readings, I found the characters to be a bit flat, and I was sad for the mother of the children who had never heard the hare's song. I wanted to know more about all the characters - especially the hare that the grandfather raises.
When the children rush to follow the hares, the text mentions that someone else also follows - but I couldn't find anyone in the painting (which distressed me as a reader, I wondered if I was missing something), and this particular storyline seems to flap around in the wind for a while until the end when the author remembers there has to be some conflict - the old queen can't just go on her merry way.
I'm also concerned about the children staying to watch over the newly formed hare couple. It seems as if they don't go home the entire time of the queen's pregnancy. I'm not sure, the story was mum on this point.
The feel of the story was just the feel you want in a fable or folk tale. Something special is happening to ordinary people who do their best to keep everything working correctly. All in all, I did enjoy the story. I just wanted more.
December 23, 2013
This is a fable about a golden hare and the only way to win her heart is for a male to sing to her. I felt that the characters weren't tremendously well developed, but the story is beautiful and the images are lovely. Better for older readers as it is pretty long and the text is small.
November 14, 2013
Jackie Morris' illustrations are just stunning!
November 23, 2013
Lovely illustrations and a delicious Welshness abound.
December 15, 2013
Mythical, mystical illustrations of this this fairytale-esque tale are not quite matched by quality of the text.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews