Harris and Me by Gary Paulsen

Harris and Me Reviews

• 
  Henry

  I wish this could have a million, zillion, jillion to infinity stars because it's awesome!
  It's a boy book and I like that stuff. They made a motorcycle out of a clothes washer and jumped on a horses back from a loft and they peed on an electric fence and they jumped on a sow and almost killed it. It was super funny.
• 
  Matthew

  This is quite possibly the funniest piece of writing that Gary Paulsen ever published. I've always been disappointed that I couldn't read it aloud to children at school thanks in large part to Harris's decidedly foul mouth. I have never laughed so hard at any other book in my life, the stories of Patrick McManus included. There are few books that manage to hold so honestly to the true nature of a mischievous boy, unacceptable bits and all, and there is no other book that holds a candle to this for comedic value.
  
  Its charm doesn't stem from the fact that his actions are of a particularly surprising nature. Rather, its comedic brilliance is born out of its ability to let readers foresee the consequences of Harris's actions long before he does, coupled with the ride that Harris takes along the way and particularly his reaction after each ploy fails. On Goodreads, I'd recommend this to anyone of any age. At school, not so much, which is the most irritating part of composing this review.
• 
  Robyn

  I am sorry for those of you that have not had the privilege to know of a different time and place. When life was slower, the nights were darker and lit by fireflies, when, well when life was more real, when Roy Rogers was King, Tarzan came on every Saturday morning... It wasn't perfect, but for kids, even the 60s were just so much fun. Nobody came home until the street lights came on...
  
  I LOVED THIS BOOK. I think it might actually be the best book I have ever read in my life.... This reminded me of the stories that my Daddy told me about his childhood and his friend, Froggy.. yup Froggy. I laughed so hard, thank God I was reading, cuz had I been listening, I wouldn't have been able to hear it I was laughing so hard. Jumpin on pigs, driving tractors, having a lynx for a "PET" and a rooster... OMG, I about wet my pants. I have been jumped on by a rooster and by ducks... once as a police officer I was chased by these people's goose (that is some scary stuff right there, yall). I was in uniform running around and around their house and my car and the dam goose was chasing me so close I couldn't do anything but run and yell for them to come out and get the dam thing. That goose kept jumping up and hitting me in the back with its feet.. So when Ernie hit Harris in the back, I was hysterical...
  
  And then the tears.. WOW! what a great book. I just loved it...
  
  5 stars because that is all there is to give
  
  Happy Reading
• 
  Veron!ca

  Seriously? This book was terrible!
  The first thing you notice when you pick up this book is the title 'Harris and Me'. Okay, that's not even proper grammar. SO obviously, the author is a thick-skulked baboon. Need further proof? Does he really expect me to laugh at someone hurting there balls or saying the word 'piss'? Because, quite frankly, it's not that funny all.
  If he says 'testicles' one more freaking time I'm going to shoot someone!"I said testicle and now I'm a famous author!" NO!!! That's not how it works!!!!
  Hey, Gary Paulsen. Ever heard of the Grammar Slammer Bammer? Well, he's coming for you.
• 
  Nevaeh S

  Very good i read it in sixth grade!
• 
  Rod Brown

  Banned Book Week! Time to read some banned books. First up is this curious little item from the mid-90s, challenged apparently for its language.
  
  A nameless 11-year-old narrator is passed from relative to relative in the 1950s (Probably? Reference is made to a 1949 truck.) because his parents are a pair of hopeless drunks. The latest stop is a farm in Minnesota (Probably? There is reference to someone going 150 miles west to North Dakota.) where we are introduced to Harris, the poster child for
  The Dangerous Book for Boys. The book flap references Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn, and like them, Harris is chock full of mischief, willfulness and life-threatening plans for play that would probably make helicopter parents faint at the mere thought of them. He drops racist references to Japanese people as casually as Huck used the N-word. Harris also uses the word "damn" liberally, which I guess some people find offensive? And there are references to nudie pics.
  
  So, should it be banned? No. Might it be inappropriate for young readers? Um, yeah. If I were reading it to a child, I'd feel obliged to have a lot of side discussions to put a lot of things into context of the historical framework.
  
  But, hey, I'm an adult, and I grew up on a farm that was testosterone heavy with two older brothers, a father and a live-in uncle and had my own share of stupidly dangerous episodes of play and work, as well as exposure to racism, profanity, and pornography, so it was pretty easy to relate.
  
  The hijinks are amusing enough in their boys-will-be-boys way with plenty of groin-injuring slapstick. The ending, like the setting and protagonist's name, seems needlessly vague, but its acceptable enough in its what-do-you-think-happened-next way that depends entirely on if you are in a good or bad mood when you finish the book.
• 
  Allison Morgan

  Genre/Category: Gary Paulsen
  
  The 11-year-old narrator is taken to the farm of distant family for a summer and meets Harris, a daring, yet immature boy who gets them into all sorts of trouble. However, after a summer full of events and mishaps, the two boys become great friends.
  
  The only other book I've read by Paulsen was Hatchet, so I didn't have a lot to compare this novel to. I was a little surprised by the lack of a climax; the book seemed to be made up of one event after another without any build-up or point. This may possibly be because Paulsen wanted to show an average summer on the farm and a growing relationship between two young boys without needing a strong climax and resolution in the end. Instead, the book felt more like every-day life on a farm, where the greatest trials were avoiding an angry rooster and finding a place to dry off after a swim in the river. It was a care-free kind of book, one full of cherished moments and insights into life through the eyes of a young boy.
• 
  Relyn

  This book is hilarious. I truly laughed till I cried.
• 
  Audrey Montano-Meadows

  Harris and Me, by Gary Paulsen, tells the story of an eleven year old boy sent to visit his distant relatives for the summer. These relatives live out in the country, on a farm, and it is here where our protagonist meets Harris, the youngest child in the family. Harris is a very active nine year old who loves his adventures and is eager to share these adventures with his cousin.
  This story provides a lens into the joys and yes, hard work of rural living for those who have not had these experiences. From the mattresses stuffed with corn husks and the wood burning stove to the angry farmhouse rooster and peeing on an electric fence, Harris and Me is a delightful story of country living that, in many ways, parallels Tom Sawyer. For readers unfamiliar with farm life, many of these adventures could seem outrageous.
  While the adventures are hysterical, Harris and Me is a story about belonging and acceptance. Our protagonist has a tumultuous family life, hence the reason he is staying with his relatives for the summer. The reader is reminded throughout the story that families can be complicated, but they can also be the touchstone that keeps us centered.
• 
  Lindsey

  This book helped me loving reading, it will always be one of my favorites!
• 
  jimtown

  Harris and Me is a pretty cute children's story, most especially for boys. Harris tests the limits of life on a daily basis at the farm he lives on. When his city cousin arrives for the summer, the boys work hard at play always with disastrous results. Some days it's just mud or pig dung, but other days it seems as if they actually risk life and limb pulling some crazy stunts. Harris was a larger than life character dressed in nothing but overalls, most of the time...when he didn't lose them. His parents seem oblivious to all his 'play' but his sister frequently tries without success to keep him in line. The city cousin learned a lot and had one of the best summers of his life hanging out with Harris. Luckily they both survived it.
• 
  Jennifer Mangler

  This is a collection of amusing stories, but it doesn't really hold together.
• 
  AubreeAnn

  my teacher actually read this book to us and I thought the book was super funny and hilarious .I cant even chose what my favorite part of the book is because it was all super good.I would recommend this book to pretty much anyone and anyone of any age if they want a good laugh.I really hope to see a movie of this book i think it would be really good.
• 
  Molly

  Whya 5 star rating?
  
  This is a laugh-out-loud, seriously hilarious book you will want to read over and over. With one of the funniest characters I have ever had the pleasure of reading, this story will make you want to relive your childhood!
  
  Plot Summary:
  
  "Harris and Me" by Gary Paulsen illustrates the adventurous and humorous summer of two young boys. Our 11 year old "city boy" narrator is sent to live with his second cousins on their farm for the summer. Upon arriving, he meets nine year old Harris and the two beome fast friends. Harris teaches him everything about the farm and also about how to get into a lot of trouble! This story is full of adventure, crazy ideas, and hilarious situations that a reader of any age would love.
  
  Character Descriptions:
  
  Narrator: Our narrator is used to the city life and is undoubtedly out of place when he arrives on the Larson farm. He gets to work right away but doesn't expect the back breaking labor he ends up having to do. For most of the book, our narrator simply follows Harris' lead. He knows that pretty much everything Harris wants to do is going to end in disaster but he goes along with it anyway. It isn't until the very end where we see him start to stick up for himself a bit. While the narrator is a bit of a follower, he is also a fast learner. He picks up on the idiosyncrasies of all of his new house mates very quickly and learns the ropes on the farm too.
  
  Harris Larson: Harris is one wild kid; he loves adventure, fighting, and swearing. Very dynamic and ready for anything, you can't help but fall in love with Harris. He is extremely convincing, a great liar, and a quick thinker, which all together, is a recipe for disaster in his case.
  
  Key Issues:
  farm (farming), Philippines, alcoholism, drunk, friendship, family, deputy, cousins, childhood
• 
  Maddy Nistler

  I loved the book, but not as much as Harry Potter.
• 
  Katie Hill

  Harris and Me is a really fun, light, relatable read, and I imagine that it would be the same for my future middle grades students. There were times when I thought, I can't believe I'm still reading this, and really enjoying it! Usually when people tell me to read a YA book about two middle/below middle grade boys on a farm, I'm not dying to run out and read it. I really felt emotionally connected to Harris (he's the guy you love to hate at the beginning, then grow fond of by the end), and the narrator has a real voice to. I can say that I connected with the characters probably based on the way the book was written, not because I related to their lives. That being said, students could find that they relate with the main character, whether they have been in new uncomfortable situations, or they keep getting stuck with the "annoying kid" at school or in sports, etc. I do, however, see that pitching this book to students is key in getting them to want to pick it up and read it. The typical girl population in a middle school is probably not going to be attracted to the book just because of the cover and back page. On the first day of class two semesters ago, Dr. Wegrzyn read the first chapter of this book aloud. Using accents, inflection, and dramatic, exciting read-aloud tones, I remember being surprised at how intrigued I was. That would be a great way to get all students interested in reading this. Then, as students progress, I can really see struggling readers building confidence. I'm also really into reading aloud to students and children, so that tactic would be beneficial. Overall, great read for middle grades!