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Harris Finds His Feet
Harris was a very small hare with very big feet. "Why do I have such enormous feet, Grandad?" he sighed. "All hares have big feet, young Harris," said Grandad. And so begins a beautiful and remarkable story about a child's journey to independence. With help from his grandfather, Harris learns how to use his enormous feet to hop high into the sky. He climbs to the tops of mountains and runs really fast until suddenly he is on his own. Gorgeous and highly imaginative watercolors illustrate how Harris not only learns about the world around him, but also discovers the importance of finding his own feet. From the author and illustrator of Augustus and His Smile, winner of one of Child Magazine's Best Children's Book Awards.
32 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
2 people are currently reading
132 people want to read
About the author
Catherine Rayner
55 books83 followersSee also Catherine Rayner for works on the Bronte sisters
Award winning author and illustrator Catherine Rayner studied Illustration at Edinburgh College of art. She fell in love with the city and still lives there with her husband, young son and a handful of creatures: Shannon the horse, Ena the grey cat and a goldfish called Richard.
She finds huge inspiration in her pets and often uses them as models, frequently asking Ena to pose so that she can study her posture and movement. Then she translates sketches of Ena into characters such as dragons and hares, not to mention moose and bears! But it was creatures of a wilder kind that inspired her first picture book, Augustus and His Smile - Catherine spent hours and hours watching and sketching tigers (in freezing temperatures) at Edinburgh Zoo.
Winner of the 2009 CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal for her second book Harris Finds His Feet, Catherine has now been shortlisted four times for the award. She was also awarded the Best New Illustrator Award at the Booktrust Early Years Awards in 2006 and was named one of Booktrust’s ten Best New Illustrators in 2008. In 2010, she was the inaugural illustrator in residence at the Edinburgh International Book Festival. In 2012 Catherine’s book Iris and Isaac won the UKLA Children’s Book Award and the Dutch edition of Solomon Crocodile has been selected as PICTURE BOOK OF THE YEAR 2014 in The Netherlands by the CPNB.
Award winning author and illustrator Catherine Rayner studied Illustration at Edinburgh College of art. She fell in love with the city and still lives there with her husband, young son and a handful of creatures: Shannon the horse, Ena the grey cat and a goldfish called Richard.
She finds huge inspiration in her pets and often uses them as models, frequently asking Ena to pose so that she can study her posture and movement. Then she translates sketches of Ena into characters such as dragons and hares, not to mention moose and bears! But it was creatures of a wilder kind that inspired her first picture book, Augustus and His Smile - Catherine spent hours and hours watching and sketching tigers (in freezing temperatures) at Edinburgh Zoo.
Winner of the 2009 CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal for her second book Harris Finds His Feet, Catherine has now been shortlisted four times for the award. She was also awarded the Best New Illustrator Award at the Booktrust Early Years Awards in 2006 and was named one of Booktrust’s ten Best New Illustrators in 2008. In 2010, she was the inaugural illustrator in residence at the Edinburgh International Book Festival. In 2012 Catherine’s book Iris and Isaac won the UKLA Children’s Book Award and the Dutch edition of Solomon Crocodile has been selected as PICTURE BOOK OF THE YEAR 2014 in The Netherlands by the CPNB.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews
December 2, 2019
Een schattig boek over een kleine haas die, dankzij zijn opa, ontdekt hoe zijn voeten werken en dat ze groot zijn voor een reden. Want je kunt er zoal mee rennen, maar het zijn ook goede zonbeschermers, en nog veel meer. Ik had veel plezier in het zien hoe onze kleine haas opgroeide en alles om zich heen ontdekte en van zijn voetjes ging houden.
De tekeningen waren erg leuk gedaan.
De tekeningen waren erg leuk gedaan.
May 23, 2012
Kate Greenaway Award and well deserving of it. A very cute story with wonderful illustrations
September 26, 2019
In this book Harris was a very small hare with very big feet who had a loving grandad which helped him to grow in confidence and explore the world, despite believing he was different to everybody else. This book conveys a celebratory feel through the illustrations and the text itself as Harris’s grandad shows him all the best attributes of the world, which included digging holes, how to stay still when there is danger and how to run fast with such big feet. The powerful illustrations really supported the concept of the story and the fine details in texture, lines and colour between Harris and his grandad really helped to convey the strong relationship they have within the book. Overall I really enjoyed this book and would defiantly share this with my future classes.
October 8, 2019
I love the illustrations in this book.
The book sends a great message of accepting everything about yourself.
The book sends a great message of accepting everything about yourself.
January 18, 2013
‘Harris finds his feet’ is the story of a young hare named Harris and his Grandpa who teaches him how to jump and run and eventually find his feet. The story starts with Harris asking his Grandpa why he has big feet and Grandpa teaches him how to use them, how to run from other animals, how jump higher and higher and how to become independent.
I would use this with year 1, as there are nice clear illustrations with a sentence on each page. The typographical arrangement follows the actions and shapes of the hares and adds to the suggestion of movement, incorporating the text into the images so that it is more interesting for children of this age. I would use this to read to a class, or as a guided reading text as the illustrations aid in understanding the text and the words used, year 1 children would either already know them or be able to break them down phonetically.
I like this book because of the full-page illustrations that would be very enjoyable for year 1 and the arrangement of text means children are encouraged to read as it is incorporated into the images.
I would use this with year 1, as there are nice clear illustrations with a sentence on each page. The typographical arrangement follows the actions and shapes of the hares and adds to the suggestion of movement, incorporating the text into the images so that it is more interesting for children of this age. I would use this to read to a class, or as a guided reading text as the illustrations aid in understanding the text and the words used, year 1 children would either already know them or be able to break them down phonetically.
I like this book because of the full-page illustrations that would be very enjoyable for year 1 and the arrangement of text means children are encouraged to read as it is incorporated into the images.
February 13, 2014
'Harris finds his feet' is a story of a young hare and his grandpa who teaches him how to jump and run and eventually find his feet. Harris (the hare) asks his grandpa why he has big feet and he teaches him how to use them. This would be a good book to use in KS1 and EYFS as it shows children how to become independent and can also be used in circle time to prompt discussion about each hild's 'uniqu features, how everyone is different and should be happy with who they are an what they look like. The arrangement of the text incorporates Harris's movement so that it is more interesting for children to read.
December 27, 2016
Not a bad book, but disappointing because I know that Rayner can do so much better. This tale has been told a thousand times before. Even the pictures seem sort of workmanlike, especially compared to, for example, Abigail.
January 23, 2014
I liked this one a lot. I adore Catherine Rayner's illustrations and the story is very sweet. Joe found it too sad though.
May 4, 2019
This story involves a rabbit realizing his big feet are like a superpower, and Rayner was awarded the Kate Greenaway Award for this story on acceptance. I thought this was a very sweet book that teaches kids how to accept who they are and what attributes they have. This book is intended for preschoolers and younger elementary kids because there are less words on the page than pictures. I would use this story to teach kids to love themselves even if they are too tall, or not very fond of their features. I love the idea of Harris finding the good in what he believed to be a fault because this story teaches that we can be unique and we are meant to look the way we look.
The artwork in this book feels very spring-y, and it made me feel refreshed to read it because the spring background combined with the message of acceptance gave me a reminder that I was made this way for a purpose, and i should look at my faults like how Harris looks at his own by the end. This story is made in the style of cartoons because this book teaches a lesson, and animals are used to express a message that might be difficult to express in any other medium. I absolutely love the watercolors in this story because the rabbits are outlined, but the colors spill over the lines a little bit to be imperfect. I think the fact that the colors do not stay in the line reiterates the message that imperfections do not matter because they make you unique. My favorite page is when Harris is surrounded by flowers because even the flowers are not made perfectly. It is like the illustrator made drops of paint on the paper and then lifted it up to form streaks to make the grass. Also, the dandelions are purple-red and it is a very nice contrast to the white background. I still cannot get over how big Harris’ feet are because they are almost comical, but they serve a great purpose. I like how the illustrator makes the colors of his feet darker to emphasize how big they are and how important they are to the story.
The artwork in this book feels very spring-y, and it made me feel refreshed to read it because the spring background combined with the message of acceptance gave me a reminder that I was made this way for a purpose, and i should look at my faults like how Harris looks at his own by the end. This story is made in the style of cartoons because this book teaches a lesson, and animals are used to express a message that might be difficult to express in any other medium. I absolutely love the watercolors in this story because the rabbits are outlined, but the colors spill over the lines a little bit to be imperfect. I think the fact that the colors do not stay in the line reiterates the message that imperfections do not matter because they make you unique. My favorite page is when Harris is surrounded by flowers because even the flowers are not made perfectly. It is like the illustrator made drops of paint on the paper and then lifted it up to form streaks to make the grass. Also, the dandelions are purple-red and it is a very nice contrast to the white background. I still cannot get over how big Harris’ feet are because they are almost comical, but they serve a great purpose. I like how the illustrator makes the colors of his feet darker to emphasize how big they are and how important they are to the story.
September 4, 2024
A beautifully illustrated book answering Harris the hare's question, "Why do I have such enormous feet, Grandpa?"
Grandpa shows Harris what he can do with his big hare feet. Jump, climb, dig, and most importantly, run! When they see a wolf in the distance, they both run as fast as they can, until Harris realizes he is alone. Grandpa tells him that he's slower and growing old. "It's your turn to run. The world is yours to explore."
Perhaps an important lesson on developing independence, and I like that it shows Grandpa as a main caregiver, which many children will relate to. I also appreciate the language, which includes many words that will be new for little ones, helping to develop their vocabularies.
However the not-so-subtle implication that Grandpa is soon going to be eaten by a wolf is a bit upsetting! I'm not sure how a young child would interpret Grandpa's words - would they make that connection? It's also a realistic part of life - for humans and hares - and therefore important to help children understand and make sense of.
I have recognized that my own discomfort with topics can dissuade me from sharing them with children - this is something I continue to reflect on.
Grandpa shows Harris what he can do with his big hare feet. Jump, climb, dig, and most importantly, run! When they see a wolf in the distance, they both run as fast as they can, until Harris realizes he is alone. Grandpa tells him that he's slower and growing old. "It's your turn to run. The world is yours to explore."
Perhaps an important lesson on developing independence, and I like that it shows Grandpa as a main caregiver, which many children will relate to. I also appreciate the language, which includes many words that will be new for little ones, helping to develop their vocabularies.
However the not-so-subtle implication that Grandpa is soon going to be eaten by a wolf is a bit upsetting! I'm not sure how a young child would interpret Grandpa's words - would they make that connection? It's also a realistic part of life - for humans and hares - and therefore important to help children understand and make sense of.
I have recognized that my own discomfort with topics can dissuade me from sharing them with children - this is something I continue to reflect on.
April 15, 2020
Harris is a young hare who is self-conscious about his very large feet. His grandfather helps him understand how useful large feet are for a hare. He learns to jump high, run fast, and even to dig holes in the ground.
I loved the sweet illustrations in this board book! The art is lovely in a watercolor and ink style, and done with earthy colors. Harris and his grandfather are so cute! You can really feel the energy in the illustrations when the hares run and jump.
This story has such a great message of acceptance and love! I love how the grandfather hare patiently teaches Harris about the world, taking him on adventures up the mountain and teaching him practical survival skills for a wild animal. The best part is the joy of running and the appreciation Harris has of the strength of his feet and how that enables him to explore the world.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.
I loved the sweet illustrations in this board book! The art is lovely in a watercolor and ink style, and done with earthy colors. Harris and his grandfather are so cute! You can really feel the energy in the illustrations when the hares run and jump.
This story has such a great message of acceptance and love! I love how the grandfather hare patiently teaches Harris about the world, taking him on adventures up the mountain and teaching him practical survival skills for a wild animal. The best part is the joy of running and the appreciation Harris has of the strength of his feet and how that enables him to explore the world.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.
May 11, 2023
This is a lovely gentle story with stunning artwork written and illustrated by Catherine Rayner.
Let’s meet Harris, he is a beautiful small hare with very big feet. Where will his feet take him you may wonder…
Harris takes wonderful adventures with his grandfather who teaches him how wonderful it is to have big feet and helps him to grow in confidence. Also how he can hop high in the sky, climb to the tops of mountains, run very fast, and keeps the sun off his face. Here Harris learns the importance of discovering the world around him, but also finding his feet. The story also touches on the importance of the relationship between grandparent and grandchild and how beautiful that can be, but also reminds you it won’t last forever.
Let’s meet Harris, he is a beautiful small hare with very big feet. Where will his feet take him you may wonder…
Harris takes wonderful adventures with his grandfather who teaches him how wonderful it is to have big feet and helps him to grow in confidence. Also how he can hop high in the sky, climb to the tops of mountains, run very fast, and keeps the sun off his face. Here Harris learns the importance of discovering the world around him, but also finding his feet. The story also touches on the importance of the relationship between grandparent and grandchild and how beautiful that can be, but also reminds you it won’t last forever.
December 6, 2019
~ Catherine Rayner is the study of an author project I am doing so excuse the sudden influx of her books ~
I enjoyed the tone of the book, and the softness it handles the suggested themes that underpin the relationship between Harris and his grandad.
I also thought that the collection of actions throughout the book would be a great use for cross curriculum class projects, such as in PE or art.
Similarly to Augustus, I thought the book worked well for the adult reader to enjoy, however this one felt much more coherent in that the adult enjoyment was an addition rather than a distraction or downfall.
I enjoyed the tone of the book, and the softness it handles the suggested themes that underpin the relationship between Harris and his grandad.
I also thought that the collection of actions throughout the book would be a great use for cross curriculum class projects, such as in PE or art.
Similarly to Augustus, I thought the book worked well for the adult reader to enjoy, however this one felt much more coherent in that the adult enjoyment was an addition rather than a distraction or downfall.
September 12, 2020
To chyba moja ulubiona bajka Catherine Rayner. Ma w sobie siłę, której nie miały innej jej opowieści. Ma tak mocny przekaz, jakiego ja zawsze w książkach szukam, niezależnie czy to książki dla dzieci, czy dla dorosłych.
Harris to zajączek, który nie wie, po co mu tak wielkie stopy, więc pyta o to dziadka, który zaczyna mu tłumaczyć, pokazywać do czego służą i co mogą ułatwić tak ogromniaste stopy. Razem wyruszają w podróż, a Harris dowiaduje się, że dzięki nim może zajść, gdzie zechce, może zdobywać szczyty i... uciekać. Życie to wielka ucieczka - warto poznać tę opowieść i czmychnąć razem z Harrisem przed nieubłaganym czasem.
Harris to zajączek, który nie wie, po co mu tak wielkie stopy, więc pyta o to dziadka, który zaczyna mu tłumaczyć, pokazywać do czego służą i co mogą ułatwić tak ogromniaste stopy. Razem wyruszają w podróż, a Harris dowiaduje się, że dzięki nim może zajść, gdzie zechce, może zdobywać szczyty i... uciekać. Życie to wielka ucieczka - warto poznać tę opowieść i czmychnąć razem z Harrisem przed nieubłaganym czasem.
April 28, 2024
I am a fan of Catherine Rayner’s illustration style and this book is a lovely story of a young hare learning about the world from his Granddad. The one attribute Harris worries about is his very big feet but with the help of his Granddad, he begins to see how they are a very useful part of him. As he goes on an adventure he explores his world, learns new skills and knowledge and develops resilience and independence. It would be a lovely, gentle story to use with Key Stage 1 children.
April 12, 2018
This book is based on independence so can link to many stages and aspects in children's lives. It is an emotive story that focuses on Harris leaving his grandad. There is a range of punctuation used, such as speech marks and question marks. It is simple yet detailed illustrations add to the story well.
January 7, 2020
Harris finds his feet is a good book that discovers why hare have very big feet. Harris goes on lots of adventures up mountains through meadows to understand the reason for his big feet. The beautiful colourful watercolour illustrations fill the pages compliment the story and bring it alive for the reader. The book highlights a child’s journey to independence.
November 12, 2020
Short and sweet book about the relationship of a hare and his grandad. I really like the way the book flowed and how each page explored what he could do with his feet. I would use this as a starter book and for older students use it for an activity. the illustrations were good as well and I could get all the students to act out each page.
March 14, 2022
It is an ok book but my kid got distracted and I wasn't super fond of the story progression. I think this kind of thing has been done better before. I also think it alludes to death or slowing down in a way that is too heavy for this particular book, but maybe I am reading too much into a board book for wee ones.
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September 15, 2020A sad read exploring the theme of death and how to embrace differences. I good read for PSHE and sensitively approaching the subject of death. Also gaps in narrative allow for inductive reasoning and inference, plus the ambigious ending can be tailored to be more child friendly if needed.
November 12, 2020
a great book all about loving the things that make you unique, and how things you may not like about yourself actually give you an advantage. would make a very good link to the ideas of adaptation. also looks at themes of growing up and independence and moving on.
September 14, 2025
This book is short, sweet, and subtle about its message from Grandfather Hare, which is the message all good parents hope to impart: I am here to teach you, so that you may learn from me, leave me behind, and go out to live a full, independent life of your own.
November 21, 2017
A young hare learns about all the amazing things his large feet can do. He learns several life lessons from his grandpa along the way.
April 10, 2019
A tale about a rabbit finding his feet and learning to take care of himself without his grandad.
October 10, 2019
Charming illustrations
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January 14, 2020A good book to read for early readers., especially if a child has insecurities it allows them to understand everything we have is for a reason.
June 13, 2020
A cute story that the kids enjoyed.
August 2, 2020
Good little message for young people but not as entertaining for some of the older ones.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews