Lynne Rickards

"Harris the puffin loved living at sea. / There really was no place that he'd rather be. / But ever since Lewis, his brother, left home, / poor Harris was feeling quite sad and alone." And so begins this rollicking sequel to Lynne Rickards and Gabby Grant's Lewis Clowns Around, which followed a puffin as he struck out on his own, becoming a circus bird. Here we return to his childhood home, where his brother Harris is not faring so well, since he left. Determined to find the companionship he needs and desires, Harris also strikes out on his own, finding a young seal in need of help instead. But as the narrator informs the reader toward the close of the book, "It just goes to show that whatever you do, / if you help someone else, it might just help you too!"

As with its predecessor, the influence of the work of Dr. Seuss on Lynne Rickards' poetry in Harris the Hero is immediately apparent. There is a cadence to her rhyming text, when read aloud, that would make it an excellent story-hour selection - it just rolls off the tongue. The story itself is appealing, despite its obvious didactic ending, and young readers and listeners who enjoyed the story of Lewis' search for self will likewise appreciate this tale of Harris' longing for a companion. The artwork by Gabby Grant is colourful and endearing, capturing the charm of the various aquatic animals which come to the seal's aid. All in all, a worthy follow-up to Lewis Clowns Around, and an excellent addition to Edinburgh-based Floris Books' Picture Kelpies line, intended to highlight and promote picture-books with a Scottish theme.… (meer)