Grandad tells Meara about the mythical, shape-shifting Golden Hare that can jump to the moon in two-and-a-half leaps. And together they set out to find this magical creature. Along the way, they discover all sorts of wildlife wonders.
fabulous brimming with magic and full of hope for our beautiful planet
Patricia Forde, Laureate na nOg (20232026)
Meara and Grandad set out on a journey to find the Golden Hare, a mythical, shape-shifting creature that can jump to the moon in two-and-a-half leaps! Along the way, they discover all sorts of treasures in the trees, under the ground and in the waves.
And who knows where that clever Golden Hare might be hiding ...
fabulous brimming with magic and full of hope for our beautiful planet
-- Patricia Forde, Laureate na nOgWow! Paddy Donnelly has done it again. Apart from the story, I was mesmerised by the quality of his illustrations in what is another wonderful book. As young readers peruse The Golden Hare I have no doubt they will hang on to every word of this magical story and dwell upon every illustration as they join Meara in her search for that mythical animal that was too real to Paddy in his own childhood
-- Tom McCaughren, author of Run with the Windmagical The book invites readers to notice and appreciate the beauty of nature all around us. The characters have a lovely relationship, and it is nice to have a grandparent and grandchild relationship represented in the story in a way that many children will relate to. The beautiful illustrations complement the narrative and give a sense of awe, magic and wonder. Hares are hidden in the details of the colourful and atmospheric images a wonderful celebration of Irish animals and nature
-- Inis Magazinethis ode to the natural world reminds us to pay attention to the wonders surrounding us ideal for young children aged from zero to four
-- Irish Examiner's Tots to Teensa truly wonderful book. Its full at magic, nature. At its core is a fantastic inter-generational relationship. Its a wonderful book about appreciating the natural world. Its also visually stunning
-- @smithsmm #PrimaryPicBookClubHaving read Paddy Donnellys book Fox and Son Tailers and loving it, the Junior room in Castleplunkett NS jumped at the opportunity to read and review The Golden Hare for Seomra Ranga, and we were not disappointed! This beautiful story is so many things. A representation of the natural beauty of the outdoors, a highlights tour of our Irish nature and flora and fauna and an appreciation of the wisdom and importance of our heritage and the role of the grandparents in passing on the same. The love between grandparent and grandchild beams out of this story, while the curiosity of any nature enthusiast, young or old, would be piqued in the reading of the story, studying the illustrations and discovering the additional facts section at the end. The Golden Hare is wonderfully illustrated and the detail of each page is thoughtfully put together to encourage curiosity and interest. The possibilities for curricular integration across the SESE subjects are endless. The opportunity to initiate lessons and jump start conversation on Irish birds, environmental conservation, habitats, bees, butterflies, spring, working as an explorer, not to mention a study of the hare, using this book are many. There are lots of language learning moments throughout and plenty of artistic inspiration. The Golden Hare is a treasure of a book and book lovers and readers of any age would be thrilled to add this to their collection. This would be a lovely gift, a beautiful read aloud for younger primary school children and an ideal text for independent readers in the 7 to 10 year old category. We remain firm fans of Paddy Donnellys books and would happily go on another exploration with this duo! - By Katrina Grogan and the pupils of the Junior Room,Castleplunkett NS, Castlerea, Co. Roscommon
-- Seomra RangaPaddy Donnelly has become one of my favourite all-time author/illustrators of childrens books. In his picture books, he knows how to bring us on a journey, both in words and pictures. His keen eye and attention to detail usher us into a magical world, with the impossible or unlikely or downright quirky becoming the norm; real and tangible, and frequently quite funny. In his latest, we return to the world of Meara and her Grandad (featured in my favourite, The Vanishing Lake) and an unusual phenomenon of the natural world. Its the stuff of Irish legend.This trek through Irelands beautiful landscape gives a glimpse of just a few of the magical, but very real, natural wonders; while still fueling the imagination and curiosity. The relationship between Meara and her Grandad is wonderful and encourages openness in communication; it urges us to look closely and to always be surprised; to observe the world around us, take note of it and live within it. As the readers closely examine the illustrations, they see things everywhere; how they live and grow; what happens between the day and night. But do they actually see the Golden Hare? Look closely. Hes there on every page. The Golden Hare is a marvel of a book; a brilliant, curious story, lushly illustrated and very informative. But more than that, it dares us to believe in the magic that is so obviously all around us and to have the eyes to see it. Just wonderful!
-- Fallen Star StoriesTheres so much to love about this book; the storytelling, the wisdom passed through families and the pure joy of spending time with grandparents. Paddy Donnelly has written the perfect reminder to be present in the wonder of the nature that is around us. As he says in his back matter, the Golden Hare represents those smaller moments of listening to a chorus of birds, peeking under rocks in a pool or watching the sun set on a day that can be taken for granted or missed
-- @educa8wirralwarm, wise and beautifully illustrated, another winner from this Irish talent
-- Sarah Webb