The Golden Hare

Combining the warmth of family love, the thrill of an adventure in wild open spaces, the beauty and magnificence of the natural world, and the magic of a mythical creature, The Golden Hare is a very special picture book. Little Meara is disconsolate, she’s never seen a dinosaur, a shark or a giraffe, the implication being perhaps that she never will. To cheer her up, her grandad tells her about the magical Golden Hare, sharing stories passed down from his own grandad. Together, the two head out to look for the hare, following notes in Grandad’s old journal, and ready to camp. They find all sorts of beautiful things – a goldfinch, butterflies, dandelions, so much more than a weed says Grandad – treasures are everywhere. As a final gift, Grandad gives Meara her own journal in which to record their discoveries, the first of many. Notes at the end tell us more about the wildlife the two have seen, and also more about the real Golden Hare, sometimes spotted on Rathlin Island off the Antrim coast, where Paddy Donnelly grew up. Meara and her grandad first appeared in Donnelly’s earlier book, The Vanishing Lake, and like that story, this perfectly evokes the beauty and richness of the landscape, double page spreads flooded with the colours of its fields, seas and skies. Just as vivid is the sense of the relationship between child and grandparent, while the structure of the story, taking readers on the same journey of discovery, gives it real momentum. One final treat: there’s a magical Golden Hare hidden on each spread, with a challenge to young readers to spot them all.