Harris And Me

Harris and Me

GK

Humor, nostalgia, sadness, and anger sounds like a questionable mix but Gary Paulson is able to combine this so well in, Harris and Me. This story of two boys on a farm, makes you laugh out loud, and cry your heart out.

Harris and Me may seem like a goofy book at first glance, but it will pleasantly surprise you. When the main character goes to live with his Aunt, Uncle and their family, he expects to be bored out of his mind. But when he steps out of the car, a young boy about his age, begins to change his life. Harris, his cousin, is a hyperactive kid with the imagination of a fairytale author. He takes the narrator to the pig pen and they play war. They make sticks guns, and name pigs “commie japs”. They surprise the animals by jumping on them and riding them like tanks.

It is possible the sows had never been commie japs before-although since Harris lived there it’s doubtful they could have missed out on such entertainment long. And it is also possible  Harris had never jumped on them before in just this way, screaming and stabbing with an imaginary knife- although again, with harris there all the time it’s doubtful. But I think it’s fairly certain the sows had never been jumped on by two boys weilding imaginary  Knives,     

screaming death and mayhem at the tops of their lungs.

When I read this book, I felt like I was right beside the two boys laughing and playing. Gary Paulson gives the reader a great visual so that when harris hurts you hurt and when the narrator loves, you love. At first glance, you might think this book is some old story about pilgrims, but it is so much more. Throughout the book you will find laughs, but also Mr. Paulson adds many strong words. It may surprise you with the vocabulary that the book holds.

Harris and I were walking in back of the grown ups, and Glennis, and I looked around for Ernie on the way back and Harris saw me and shook his head.

“He don’t come when there’s big folks around- he’s yellow clear through. Just a d**** coward.” SMACK. Glennis could hear a pin drop and she turned and whacked Harris across the head without missing her stride or her place in conversation with Clair.

Harris and Me is an incredible book. I almost never cry when reading, and it is hard to make me laugh at a book. But this book made me do both. Every chapter unfolded more of an understanding and more of a love for Harris. I would strongly suggest this book to anybody. This story put a new perspective in my mind about the world, and I hope you will enjoy it too.