Harris and Me

Harris and Me

Harris and Me first edition cover
Author	Gary Paulsen
Cover artist	Wendell Minor
Country	United States
Language	English
Genre	fiction
Publisher	Harcourt Children's Books
Publication date	October 29, 1993
Media type	Print (Hardback & Paperback)
Pages	168 pp (first edition)
ISBN	978-0-15-292877-3
OCLC	28067113
Dewey Decimal	813/.54 20
LC Class	PS3566.A834 H37 1993

Harris and Me is a children's novel written by award-winning author Gary Paulsen. It was first published in 1993. The book is composed of a collection of vignettes with a subheading to preview each chapter. Based on a 2007 online poll, the National Education Association named the book one of its "Teachers' Top 100 Books for Children."^[1]

Characters

• The "Me" of the title is an eleven-year-old boy who narrates the story.

• Harris Larson: A hyperactive nine-year-old boy who loves kinetic adventures.

• Knute Larson: Harris's father, a farmer who almost never speaks.

• Louie: A farmhand on the Larson's place, who sleeps above the barn. He has no teeth and swallows his food without chewing.

• Glennis Larson: Harris's older sister, who repeatedly slaps Harris for swearing, which happens numerous times a day.

• Clair Larson: Harris's mother.

• Buzzer: A lynx who was found and raised by Louie as a pet.

• Ernie: An extremely aggressive rooster.

Note: This is a memoir of a summer in the life of Gary Paulsen. It is said that he never went back to visit Harris.

Motifs

• Home life
• Belonging
• Family
• Acceptance
• Identity

References

1. National Education Association (2007). "Teachers' Top 100 Books for Children". Retrieved August 19, 2012.

• Juliane F. Gillispie and Robert M. Otten. Harris and Me: A Summer Remembered: For Further Reference. Beacham's Guide to Literature for Young Adults. Ed. Kirk H. Beetz. Vol 7. Beacham-Gale, 1990. January 2005. 26 June 2008.
• Nile, Amber. Harris and Me. Secondary English. 19 June 2008.
• Paulsen, Gary. Harris and Me. Orlando: Harcourt, Inc., 1993.